First Friday in Phoenix: 5 Things to Do February 7

First Friday heats up tonight with creative works going up all over the city. Here are Jackalope Ranch’s top picks for shows and events not to miss this artful evening. “Onloaded” at Hot Box Gallery With funding from an ArtPlace America grant and support from Roosevelt Row CDC, Greg Esser…

Hit Refresh

Phoenix’s arty set let out a collective squeal when news broke in mid-January that Sara Cochran, former modern and contemporary art curator at Phoenix Art Museum, would take a new curatorial position in the Valley as Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s associate director.Cochran will make her first public appearance in…

3 Must-Attend Lectures in Metro Phoenix This February

Aspiring film buffs, art critics, and travel photographers, you’ve got some learning to do. Pick up a notebook and prep your schedule accordingly, because we’ve found three lectures in metro Phoenix that’ll have you feeling mighty brainy this month. “Exploring the World of Travel Photography: A Sense of Place” at…

Mike Oleskow Resigns from Artlink Phoenix

Mike Oleskow has left his position as a board member of Artlink Phoenix, the nonprofit organization that puts on Art Detour and works to organize and promote the Phoenix arts community. Oleskow had served on the board since January 2011, taking on the role of interim president in April 2011…

Bewitched

Being evil’s all the rage, we know. Angelina Jolie stars as Sleeping Beauty’s antagonist in the upcoming Disney flick Maleficent. And, yeah, Wicked made us sympathize with ol’ greenie. In theory, we dig the idea of turning a storyline on its ear with a POV change. The problem is that…

Eat with Your Eyes

The folks at Art Intersection are being less sneaky than you might imagine by calling Saturday, February 1’s event PhotoTapas. Spoiler alert: There will absolutely be food (sangria, too). But that probably won’t be the most compelling part of the day.The Gilbert art space’s gathering sets out to flip the…

2014 Governor’s Arts Awards Nominees Announced

Nominees were announced this morning for the the 33rd annual Governor’s Arts Awards. The 84 nominees include businesses and individuals spanning the state who have made substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture in Arizona. Presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Arizona Commission on…

Jessica R. Metcalfe to Lecture on Native Fashion in Scottsdale

Native American Fashion blogger and scholar Jessica R. Metcalfe (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) has brought discussion about native appropriation to the fore in the past few years, calling out companies like Paul Frank and Urban Outfitters on her blog, Beyond Buckskin, raising awareness, pushing for change, and expanding that blog to…

Pentameter of Interest

Last August, Governor Jan Brewer did something big. Something that we totally supported and thought was nothing short of great. No, really. She named writer Alberto Álvaro Ríos Arizona’s first-ever Poet Laureate. The official purpose of the Arizona State University Regents’ Professor and award-winning poet and memoirist’s new gig is…

How to Refurbish a Vintage Volkswagen with Randy Slack

“Let’s play VWs,” Randy Slack says. It’s a phrase the Phoenix artist and his fellow local Volkswagen lovers use when they want to meet up at Kevin Stramandinoli’s Phoenix auto shop, Crown Restoration. The shop’s a clubhouse of sorts, where Slack geeks out over obscure parts and hard-to-find models. He’s…

How to Make a Wedding Dress with Monique Sandoval

Monique Sandoval made her wedding dress the night before her big day. She sewed up the gown, which she describes as Mexican bohemian, with her step-grandmother, who taught her to use a needle and thread. She remembers the late night fondly. With antique crocheted fabric Sandoval found on Etsy and…

Peter Pilotto for Target: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

If intense pattern clashing, saturated florals, and squint-worthy brights are your thing, then the Peter Pilotto capsule collection for Target will fit in nicely with your likely kaleidoscopic wardrobe. Out February 9, the nearly 70-piece spring set includes swimwear, dresses, skirts, and accessories, most of which cost less than $60…

Heard Museum North Scottsdale to Close

Heard Museum North Scottsdale will close Saturday, May 31, according to a news release from Heard that went out early Wednesday afternoon. The museum, located at The Summit at Scottsdale, will vacate the space on that date, when its lease expires…

Extracurricular Activities

We won’t tell, but right now you’re procrastinating. We can’t fault you for it, as we find ourselves quite entertaining, too. But your to-do list? It’s not getting any shorter.If you’d like to further shirk responsibilities (we’re on your side), why not go full-on meta and attend an exhibition whose…

Sketchy People

Plenty of grade-A hilarity has come from Chicago’s Second City sketch comedy troupe. For a sampling, let’s look at just a few of its alumni: Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Bill Murray. Another piece of history this trio shares? At various points in their sketch comedy careers, they packed up…