First Friday heats up tonight with creative works going up all over the city. Here are our picks for shows not to miss this artful evening.
"The Light Beneath" @ Eye Lounge Olivia Timmons' latest solo show takes viewers on a journey through a strange world where technology and sea life intertwine. Her delicate creations appear light-hearted at first glance, but there are definitely some sinister undertones in this work. "A deep and murky oceanic atmosphere, a place where light is the most precious commodity for survival, represents the conspicuous lack of resources required for basic survival," Timmons says. "My work underscores the danger of failing to take responsibility for our planet in the pursuit of progress."
See also: Paul Elliott Captures Phoenix's Drag Scene with "This D**k Walks Into a Bar" at Eye Lounge
Though Timmons holds an MFA in printmaking, she deftly wields watercolors in this exhibit, showing that she is not pinned to one medium. The gallery will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, January 3. The show runs through January 12.
"A Little Religion in Your Shopping" @ Modified Arts This seasonal group show curated by Kimber Lanning and Connor Descheemaker explores artists' individual reactions to both religious and consumerist inundations of the holiday season. The thematic line in this show is loose enough that the actual work is quite varied, making for a nice, diverse selection.
Artists included in this exhibition are Scott Allison, Rafael Navarro, James Angel, Lara Plecas, Lisa Albinger, Casebeer, Randal Wilson, Brent Bond, Alexandra Bowers, Randy Slack, and Gennaro Garcia. The exhibit is up through January 11, but the reception for this show will take place this Friday from 6 to 10 p.m.
"LAMBS" @ Drive-Thru Gallery It might sound kind of crazy to try to cram the artwork of five different photographers into the tiny little room that is Drive-Thru Gallery. But we are confident these talented ladies can pull it off -- not to mention, we're pumped to see the end result.
"LAMBS" is a collaboration between photographers Abigail Lynch, Briana Noonan, Laura Marks, Meredith Paige Minne, and Sirrena Marie Griego. The exhibit will be open for the duration of January. Hours on Friday, January 3, are 6 to 9 p.m. For more info, visit the Facebook event page.
"Our Town" @ Frontal Lobe Gallery Marshall Shore, Phoenix's resident expert on local history, is the curator of "Our Town," a show which that to be equal parts art celebration and history lesson. The First Friday opening will also include a special performance by the NighLife Boys, rare film footage presented by Arizona 8mm, and music from DJ Soul Shine.
"Our Town" features work from Colin Chillag, Such Styles, Marilyn Szabo, Hector Raul Primero, Catherine Slye, James Angel, Leland Gebhardt, Silvia Villanueva, Dee Dee Woods, Teresa Dendy, and Craig Cheply. The opening reception will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, January 3. The show will be on view though Friday, January 17. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.
"Gold Rush" @ Bentley Gallery If you still haven't made it in to see "Gold Rush," you'll want to get an early start this Friday to make it over to Bentley Gallery before it closes at 5:30 p.m. The show explores the use of real gold in artwork spanning a wide array of media. If you hadn't heard, we were pretty fond of the exhibit.
The exhibition features the work of Lita Albuquerque, Olga De Amaral, Angelo Filomeno, Lawrence Fodor, Makoto Fujimura, Jimi Gleason, Martin Cary Horowitz, Robert Kushner, Nancy Lorenz, Eric Orr, Luiz Gonzalez, Palma, and Andrew Schoultz. Bentley Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. "Gold Rush" will be on view through this Saturday, January 4.
