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WHO: Jon Thorpe, 53
WHAT: Designer and Arts Consultant
LIVES: Town of Washington, along Lake Altoona
IN THE CITY SINCE: 1975-85, 1993-present 

Jon has a lot of hats. He’s a graduate of Memorial and Stout (interior design). He’s a husband to OB/GYN Suzette Peltier and father of two. He’s an interior designer (kitchens, mostly) and corporate arts consultant. He’s co-chair of Mayo’s arts committee. He’s a conductor wannabe for Chippewa Valley Symphony (vote for him on their website). He’s co-chair of the symphony’s Christmas Stroll. He’s a member of LE Phillips Memorial Library’s arts committee. He’s the jury chair of Sculpture Tour. He’s a Grace Lutheran Church council member, and host parent of an exchange student from Belgium. He’s an Altoona High music booster, and member of Valley Gospel Choir and Chippewa Valley Community Chorus.  

Is it difficult to balance your different interests?
If I had a theme song, it would be similar to that song from Oklahoma – and I would have to change the lyrics slightly: “I’m just a boy who can’t say ‘no,’ I’m in a terrible fix. / I always say ‘c’mon let’s go,’ just when I ‘orta say ‘nix.’ ” 

What place in town considers you a “regular?”
Avalon Floral

What is one of the best cultural experiences you’ve ever had in the Chippewa Valley?
This was sparsely attended (maybe only 200 people), but when the East Village Opera Company performed at the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center it added a dynamic new dimension to music that invigorated me. EVOC, in the crudest of terms, performs rock ’n roll “covers” of great opera songs, potentially making these classics accessible to a whole new demographic. 

On your death bed, you get one meal, what would it be?
The easy answer is anything my wife makes. Suzette tries a new recipe every time; unusual foods with obtuse ingredients are a passion of hers. I have a passion for food, so we make a good team. My “fantasy” last meal would be: Mona Lisa’s Schlichte Steinhäger gin martini with gorgonzola-stuffed olives, my sister Amy Jo’s savory lobster cheesecake, Creamy Shrimp Bisque with a touch of cognac from Fischer’s, scallops in jalapeño cream sauce from Manny’s, my friend Nuria’s squid in its own black ink sauce, Draganetti’s veal picatta, my friend Dawn’s pasta carbonara, Mona’s grapefruit, arugula, and toasted almond salad, a Coffee Grounds bottle of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, torte from my friend Natalia, my daughter Signe’s cream cheese brownies, and truffles from Obsession. I hope my deathbed could be wheeled into our dining room, and I could have family and friends seated at the table to enjoy it with me. Maybe Peter Phippin would come and play.

What one thing could improve the art scene in Eau Claire?
I’ve always hoped that some major donor would purchase the building to the left of the Eau Claire Regional Arts Center, and then use it to expand the lobby area of the State Theater, and add an elevator to the balcony. Maybe the existing alley could then be used to create a sheltered handicapped drive up entrance.

What sort of economic development would you like to see in our area?
With our abundance of medical, educational, recreational, and entertainment resources in our relatively compact footprint, along with our low cost of living, I can hardly think of a better city for an active and engaged “retirement.” It is a wonder that Del Webb Corporation (builders of Sun City, Arizona, and dozens of others) hasn’t gobbled up a tract of land and planned another so-called “retirement” community here.

Who is the greatest Wisconsinite of all time? 
Love him or hate him, Frank Lloyd Wright – arrogant, philandering, “bad dad” role model, and pure design genius. He designed for specific locations, for actual human beings, in response to the actual human condition, with intent to nourish the soul. 

What part of the Chippewa Valley have you never visited?
I hear there’s a cave along the Eau Claire River, not too far from downtown – I guess I just never knew anyone who could guide me to it.

If you could magically add one store, restaurant, or shop to the area, what would it be? 
The usual tired answer: a small specialty grocery store like Trader Joe’s.

Who would win in a fight: Jackson Pollock or John Williams? 
Although John Williams has had my ear since I hung onto every note of the Lost In Spacetheme when I was a kid, and pretty much every movie theme since, I would go with Jackson Pollock. While Williams could rally more troops with his inspirational music, in a one-on-onePollack had a history of laying his opponent (the canvas) flat on the floor, and then dumping (paint) all over it.