The Annular Solar Eclipse (PHOTOS)

Millions who witnessed yesterday’s annual solar eclipse raised their cameras skyward and snapped plenty of pics of the celestial event as the moon’s shadow obscured the setting sun. That includes the thousands of Arizona residents who watched the eclipse take place and used their cameras or cell phones to grab…

SMoCA’s “Artists on Artists” Series Continues with a Panel on Public Art

The world of public art hangs on a fascinating balance between reflecting the artist’s intention, drawing the viewer’s attention, and complementing its surroundings – all while drawing the expected “is that art?” response from community members and visitors alike. Tonight, local artists Mary Lucking, Bob Adams, and Laurie Lundquist, as…

Tempe’s Wet Paint Artist Supply to Close in July

More than 11 years after Tempe artist Jessica Jordan opened up Wet Paint Artist Supply on Ash Avenue, she says she’s decided to change direction. “Due to increased corporate competition and their massive buying power, and more people buying online, it has been harder and harder to maintain this small…

Seven Creative Summer Workshops in Phoenix

If you’re sticking around for summer and looking for a few great excuses to get out and get creative, you’re in luck. We have seven … 7. Circus Workshop with 7 Fingers @ Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts There’s nothing for boosting creativity like a little exercise, and this…

Spotted: Carrie Marill’s “Growth” on 20×200

If you’re lucky enough to snag a limited-edition by Phoenix painter Carrie Marill, you can thank New York gallery owner Jen Bekman, the name behind contemporary print sale website, 20×200. Bekman opened her gallery in 2003 with a goal to expose the work of emerging artists to collectors. Four years…

Phoenix Art Museum Announces 2012 Contemporary Forum Award Winners

Last night, Phoenix Art Museum’s Contemporary Forum awarded eight local artists who’ve made a mark in the contemporary scene. The annual event recognizes up to seven emerging Arizona artists with $1,500 grants to purchase materials and one mid-career artist with $5,000 plus a special exhibition of his or her work alongside…

Seven Favorite Museums in Metro Phoenix

International Museum Day is right around the corner and a handful of museums in Phoenix have big plans. But the designated day has less to do with parties and deals and more to do with awareness — there are dozens of museums in the metro Phoenix area that host artwork…

Kiki Smith’s Photography Finds the Art in Nature

Nature becomes art in Kiki Smith’s photography exhibit, “I Myself Have Seen It,” currently on display at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. “This show gets the imagination swirling, even if it is an odd duck,” writes contributor Sativa Peterson in this week’s print edition of New Times. More than…

Kiki Smith’s Photography Engages With the World at SMOCA

“I wish Kiki Smith had been my biology teacher.” That’s what I can’t help thinking as I take my first enthusiastic looks around “I Myself Have Seen It: Photography and Kiki Smith” at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. The experience of entering the first of three rooms (and the…