Jacki Orr: A Conversation With The Artist

Jacki Orr likes stuff. And junk. And trash. And you can usually find these elements in her mixed-media sculptures, one of which recently posted up beautifully in a corner of Mesa Contemporary Arts.For her latest project “The Goal is Interactive Acculturation” installation, Orr will feature found-object shrines and alters as…

Calle 16: A Mural Project

Silvana Salcido Esparza’s on a wall hunt. You may have heard her name; she’s the badass chef behind the Barrio Cafe. She says she told herself growing up that when she turned 50, she’d start speaking up — positively and negatively — about what she really believed in. Just a…

Five Calls for Phoenix Artists

If you’re a local artist, you’ve got plenty to keep your hands busy these days.Just check out our recent post that describes some application opportunities. Now it’s time to add five more to that list. We’re talking Petersen House Art Festival, Streetscape Public Art Project, Scottsdale Arts Festival, Phoenix Sister…

Thinking Inside the Mod Box

On the corner of Second and Hadley streets in Phoenix, just south of the Warehouse District’s Bentley Projects, Vine Saccento is silently building something — without any tools. Saccento’s may be familiar; he opened (and recently closed) Phoenix breakfast/coffee spots Drip and Toast. Now, he’s back without the brew, and…

Grand Avenue Festival Expands Call For Entries

Add trashy fashion and “guerrilla gardens” to the existing call for artsy rubbish.Along with the second annual “Trashy Sculpture Show” at Bragg’s Pie Factory, the Grand Avenue Festival has expanded its call for entries.One is the “Recycled Rubbish Fashion Show,” also scheduled to hang at Bragg’s Pie, 1301 Grand Avenue,…

SB1070: An Artist’s Point of View Tonight at Gallery 2345

If you’re quick, you can catch, “SB1070: An Artist’s Point of View” up at Gallery 2345 in Phoenix. The show just arrived, and 2345 is hosting the exhibitions opening tonight, but the flags, stop signs, postcards, canvases and posters will be back on the road on Monday. The pieces are…

The Gallery is No Place for Artists at ASU’s Step Gallery

Matthew Mosher gave out white-chocolate Hershey’s candy, powdered doughnuts, and Natural American Spirit cigarettes for yesterday’s opening reception of his new exhibition at the Arizona State University Step Gallery — The Gallery is No Place for Artists. “White foods are really hard to find,” Mosher explained to those who gathered…

“Converging Trajectories” Gets Connected

Ted Decker curated a show. It’s called “Converging Trajectories” and it’s all about you…and him…and 41 artists. You’re going to see a little bit of everything here — video installation, photography, sculpture, painting, drawing…you name it, it’s at Modified Arts. but don’t bother looking for a connective thread between these…

Ouija Board Art Contest at Green

If you have the power of the paranormal running through your veins, you could spend a good chunk of the next year eating for free. Green New American Vegetarian Restaurant, located at 2240 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 8 in Tempe, is hosting an ouija board-themed art exhibit. Entitled “Wanna Ouija?”…

“Converging Trajectories” Sneak Preview at Modified Arts

We had ourselves a little sneak peek preview of the “Converging Trajectories: Crossing Borders, Building Bridges” show curated by Ted Decker. Last night, media folks were invited to Modified Arts to get an eyeful (or two … or five) of the whopping 41 artists’ works. Participating painters, sculptors, photographers, and…

S A Schimmel Gold Prints

There’s nothing like a great yard sale, especially a great yard sale with great art. It’s why we geeked out when a post went up on Craigslist about a “clearance” sale on Phoenix-based artist S A Schimmel Gold’s prints (framed and unframed) and giclées on canvas — starting at $5…

PBR Mural No More?

We first noticed the Pabst Blue Ribbon mural at 222 E. Roosevelt St. in June. Today it’s a deep shade of red (though you can still make out the two “beer angels”).The mural and PBR campaign has received a share of tagging backlash in the past few months. We have…

Raul Gonzalez at 11th and Roosevelt Streets

It’s about time Phoenix sees some serious mural love. In the interest of giving credit to their artists and because we’re losing track of the times we’ve said, “Woah, when did that go up?”, we bring you Mural City, a series on the murals springing up around town — their…

Domino Magazine Fans Create Online Archives

We all remember when publishing company Conde Nast pulled the plug on Gourmet magazine back in 2009.But for some of us, the real media-inspired mourning came from Nast’s cancellation of Domino magazine — a fabulous magazine dedicated to home design.With Domino’s website long gone, Domino fans have rallied and created…

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s Eason Collection: A Sneak Peek

Earlier this month, the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art took hold of more than 100 donated artworks. This may not sound like a big deal, but for a small-ish museum like SMoCA, whose permanent collection numbers around 2,000 pieces (comparably, Phoenix Art Museum hordes 18,000 works), the Eason Collection addition…

Immigrant Roots, Immigrant Rights

We’ve seen this wheatpaste up in a few spots downtown … this latest one up on the corner of Seventh and Pierce streets, where the 7th Street Cafe sign used to be (picture after the jump)…

Joshua Ward at Unsung Gallery

Joshua Ward’s been busy painting for the past eight years in his residence at the Arizona State Hospital — a state-funded facility, which provides long-term care and recovery for the state’s severely mentally ill population. You can see a small collection of his works at “Art From the Inside” at…

Arterial Canal Crossings Public Art Project, Artists Wanted

There’s been a bit of talk in the creative community about the Valley’s canal system (read this Arty Girl blog from last year about the Canalscape project) and now the City of Phoenix Office of Cultural Affairs is accepting applications to enhance the design of major street bridges that cross…