Aaron Allen Marner
Audio By Carbonatix
It’s a holiday weekend, but it’s also a First Friday weekend. On July 2, the FF lineup ranges from live painting at a Melrose gallery to a celebration of Frida Kahlo at a Miracle Mile art studio. Several venues continue to require masks, so be prepared just in case.
Exposed Studio & Gallery
Head to Exposed Studio & Gallery in the Melrose district between 5 and 8 p.m. on First Friday to explore works by Aaron Allen Marner, an artist whose body of work includes primarily figurative paintings on canvas, wood, and metal. He’ll be doing live painting at the gallery that evening.
See works by Susan Allred at Eye Lounge.
Susan Allred
Eye Lounge
For her solo exhibition “Hold Over Flow,” Eye Lounge collective member Susan Allred is showing fiber vessels that serve as “metaphors for receptivity, holding on, and letting go.” To create these works, the artist used traditional tailoring and quilting techniques, along with her own style of needlecraft. First Friday hours are 6 to 9 p.m.
See work by Bob Diercksmeier at Five15 Arts at Chartreuse.
Five15 Arts
Five15 Arts
Five15 Arts at Chartreuse is presenting a group exhibition called “Plus One,” which features works by members of the Five15 Arts collective, along with artists they’ve invited to show alongside them – including Christine Cassano, Monica-Gisel Crespo, Jeff Falk, and Farraday Newsome. First Friday hours are 6 to 9 p.m.
Leon Polk Smith, American, 1906-1996. Inca, 1970, Acrylic on canvas, Leon Polk Smith Foundation, 1970.
Heard Museum/Craig Smith
Heard Museum
Heard Museum will have free admission from 4 to 8 p.m. on First Friday, when you can explore a wide variety of ongoing and changing exhibitions, including “Leon Polk Smith: Hiding in Plain Sight” and “All at Once: The Gift of Navajo Weaving.” The museum’s Coffee Cantina and Books & More gift shop will be open from 5 to 7 p.m., by the way.
Recalling Frida-inspired art by Emily Costello spotted at Mucho Mas Art Studio.
Lynn Trimble
Mucho Mas Art Studio
Ten artists who are part of the Phoenix Fridas art collective are showing work at Mucho Mas Art Studio during a celebration of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, which happens from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on First Friday. The free event also includes readings and anecdotes about Kahlo’s life and artworks, and visitors can also shop for artist-made goods.
You’ll find many works by artist Jeff Slim at Palabras Bilingual Bookstore.
Lynn Trimble
Nurture House
Head to Nurture House to explore creative offerings by Palabras Bilingual Bookstore, Wasted Ink Zine Distro, Pachanga Press, Abalone Mountain Press, and Por Vida Bakery. You’ll see works by artist Jeff Slim and enjoy the evening’s soundtrack by DJ Tam Taco. First Friday hours are 5 to 9 p.m.
Ann Morton, The Violet Protest, 2021. Multimedia. Courtesy of the artist. Installation view of “Ann Morton: The Violet Protest,” 2021, Phoenix Art Museum.
Airi Katsuta
Phoenix Art Museum
Phoenix Art Museum will have pay-what-you-wish admission from 3 to 7 p.m. on First Friday, when you can see “Ann Morton: The Violet Protest,” an exhibition that includes textile works made by community members around the country as a means to promote unity and bipartisan collaboration. You’ll need to get a $5 ticket if you want to explore the “Fearless Fashion: Rudi Gernreich” exhibition.
See work by Charmagne Vasquez at The Lodge Art Studio.
Charmagne Velasquez
The Lodge Art Studio
Stop by The Lodge Art Studio to see works by artists Fausto Fernandez, Rafael Navarro, and Charmagne Vasquez. Fernandez is a mixed-media collage artist whose work is inspired in part by “mathematical equations, technology, preservation of culture and mythology.” Navarro works in several mediums, often inspired by music and the natural world. Vasquez creates surreal paintings and assemblage on canvas and paper. First Friday hours are 6 to 10 p.m.
