Slippery Slope

Thanks to First Friday, Phoenix is nationally known for its pretty sweet-ass art scene. Also thanks to First Friday, a bunch of other Maricopa County ’burbs and boroughs, like Chandler and Mesa, have tried to replicate downtown’s success and kind of haven’t done the greatest job.

When the Sunnyslope Art Walk debuted a year ago, it came and went without much fanfare. (Okay, we’ll be honest. Nobody really knew and/or cared about it.) But what was once a pretty podunk art walk (hey, you gotta start somewhere, right? Just ask downtown Phoenix, circa 1988) has gained some steam, with additional venues, better art from more than 100 creative types, and 10 live bands scheduled for this weekend’s edition.

We can thank folks like Gwynne Sullivan, a 10-year resident of the 'Slope and one of the geniuses behind the fledgling Bewilderknits enterprise, for adding to the creative fabric of the north Phoenix 'hood. Sullivan, who makes cool-as-all-get-out textile transformations from ribbon yarn and boiled second-hand sweaters, says, “It’s exciting to live here when the neighborhood is undergoing such a creative transformation. I recognize this as an opportunity to help carve out the new creative culture in my neighborhood.”

From 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 18, check out Sullivan’s Kittyknitter line (100 percent of her sales will go toward spaying and neutering homeless strays at Sunnyslope’s Altered Tails) as well as performances by Try Me Bicycle and more at the Sunnyslope Art Walk Grounds.