Here's Your Guide to First Friday in Phoenix

There’s good news on the First Friday front. Art walk attendees will have well over a dozen fresh shows to explore on March 2, including the first Five15 Arts exhibition at its new home, Chartreuse gallery.

But several shows are opening on Thursday or Saturday night, too, which means you can take a few days to see everything instead of trying to cram it all in to one whirlwind night of gallery-hopping.

Here’s a look at new exhibitions opening on First Friday, organized by neighborhood to make seeing them more convenient, plus the lowdown on a few other openings you’ll want to explore.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the choices, start with our list of must-see shows, which includes Lalo Cota’s first official exhibition in his new Roosevelt Row gallery and the latest “Video Crossings” installation at Phoenix Art Museum.

Must-See Shows

“The Plains of Sweet Regret”
Phoenix Art Museum opens a five-channel video installation by Mary Lucier that features a resonant electronic soundtrack by Earl Howard. The installation is a melancholic consideration of resilience and uninhabited places. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m., which includes free museum admission, musical performance at 8 p.m., and other activities. Get more information on the museum website.

“Love Passion Paint”
Lalo Cota continues the inaugural exhibition in his new MoVida 602 gallery and studio space. The invitational show includes work by Cota, as well as several additional artists including Thomas “Breeze” Marcus and Monica Villarreal. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Get details on the gallery Instagram page.

"Selected Ambient Works 86-18"
Abe Zucca Gallery presents new work by Phoenix artist Jeff Slim, plus live music by Ryan Dennison & The Dimensions and Pines of Torrey. Slim's work explores human interaction in modern times, while reflecting his "personal beliefs and portrayal of Navajo culture." First Friday hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Learn more on the artist's Instagram page. Also look for Jeff Slim's work at Songbird Coffee & Tea House.

“Comrades of Time”
Head to Step Gallery inside Grant Street Studios to see Christina Kemp’s master of fine arts thesis exhibition for ASU, which addresses the ways hand-labor can shift perceptions of time and value in a fast-paced, mechanized society. First Friday hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Find more information on the ASU Events website.

“White Mythologies”
The Icehouse is showing large-scale abstract work by Joe Holdren, plus an exhibition of work by Yuko Yabuki, an artist whose diverse influences include pop culture, fantasy, and her Japanese cultural heritage. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Get details on the Facebook event page.

“Motherland: Portraits of an Epigenetic Inheritance”
The Hive Art Gallery is showing new work by Laura Menardi, who explores the impact of trauma on gene expression. While you’re there, check out zines and artwork by various creatives at Wasted Ink, and other activities. Find more information on the venue's Facebook page.

“AZ/NM Connect”
See work in various media by dozens of artists based in Arizona or New Mexico, during this 6 to 10 p.m. exhibition at Grand ArtHaus, which is being presented by Monique Sanderson-Mata. Participating artists include JB Snyder, Tato Caraveo, Lucinda Yrene, and Jeremy Arvisu. The evening also includes music, poetry, and spoken word. There’s even an after-party, happening at ThirdSpace from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Learn more on the Facebook event page.

Central Corridor

InFocus Members’ Exhibition
InFocus, the fine art photography support organization for Phoenix Art Museum, is presenting dozens of photographs at The Studio at Found:RE Phoenix. Featured work includes abstracts, landscapes, and portraits. Third Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Learn more on the Facebook event page.

“Birds of a feather my Sister and Me”
Practical Art is presenting work by artists and sisters Sherrie Zeitlin and Claudia Z Burton. First Friday hours are 7 to 9 p.m. Get more information on the Facebook event page.

“Candids, Creatures & Connections”
First Studio is showing work by Andy Kay, Sarah Richards, and Tess Mosko Scherer, a trio of artists who use different media and explore vastly different themes. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Learn more on the Facebook event page.

"Bloom"
New City Studio presents a group show featuring several artists working in diverse media to address their own interpretation of the "bloom" theme. First Friday hours are 7 to 10 p.m. Get details on the Facebook event page.

Grand Avenue

“Obscure Visage”
Damian Jim is showing works inspired by the diverse ways masks shape identity, and his own personal experiences with masks – ranging from childhood costumes to sacred dance. First Friday hours at {9} The Gallery are 6 to 10 p.m. Get more information on the Facebook event page.

Artist Grant Group Show
See new works by 11 artists who received grants from the Carmody Community Foundation. Featured artists include Niki Woehler, Lucina Yrene (La Morena), Rembrandt Quiballo, and Gori Bautista. First Friday hours at Sisao Gallery at Oasis on Grand are 6 to 10 p.m. Learn more on the gallery Facebook page.

"Grounded on Grand"
Explore works by members of the Five15 Arts collective, who are relocating to Chartreuse gallery starting this month. The group show includes works by all nine artists, who draw inspiration from diverse sources and work in several different media. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m. Find details on the Facebook event page.

"The Unexpected Spirit"
Unexpected Art Gallery is showing works by more than two two dozen artists that “celebrate the intuitive and compassionate female spirit.” Participating artists include Marco Albarran, Nyla Lee, Oliverio Balcells, Carlos Rivas, and Sonny Sosa. First Friday hours are 6 to 11 p.m. Get details on the gallery Facebook page.

Art by Andy Brown
Trans Am Phx is showing works by Andy Brown, an artist whose murals grace several spaces in downtown Phoenix. First Friday hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Find more information on the Facebook event page.

Roosevelt Row

“Unplug”
See works by 29 Arizona artists who consider ways people can “unplug and refresh our body, mind, and spirit.” First Friday’s opening reception at the Herberger Theater Center art gallery runs from 5:30 to 7 p.m., and includes live music by John Calvert. Learn more on the venue website.

“We Remember”
Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center presents “We Remember: Extraordinary Stories of Holocaust Survivors,” which includes figurative sculptures created by Scottsdale artist Robert Sutz. First Friday hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Find more information on the venue's website.

Art by Manny & Janet Burruel
Olney Gallery at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral is showing works by two artists who call themselves a husband-and-wife art team. Both make prints, but sometimes tackle vastly different subject matter. First Friday hours are 6 to 9 p.m. Get details on the Facebook event page.

“Inspired Indiscernible”
Emancipation Arts presents an exhibition of works by Bob Martin, an artist whose influences include both classic and contemporary music, literature, and art. First Friday hours at Phoenix Center for the Arts are 6 to 9 p.m. Find more information on the Facebook event page.

Thursday and Saturday Shows

“Toy”
See new works by Tempe artist Beth Tom, during a one-night exhibition happening from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 1, at the Megaphone PHX exhibition space organized by Andy Brown. Find more information on the Facebook event page.

“Desert Bearot”
The Shortcut Gallery shared by Phoenix General and Framed Ewe is showing works by artist Tara Logsdon and crystal healer Naha Armády, who have collaborated on a deck of desert tarot cards and guidebook. The opening for their exhibition happens from 6 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 1. Learn more on the Facebook event page.

"Power"
Stark Gallery at Xavier College Preparatory is showing works by photographer David Emitt Adams. The opening reception for the exhibition runs from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 1. Get details on the Facebook event page.

“Recycling the Sacred Circle”
The Sagrado Galleria is showing work by Mesa artist Zarco Guerrero from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 3. Guerrero has been transforming teak objects found in secondhand stores by imbuing them with ancient symbols. Learn more on the Facebook event page.