Casandra Hernandez Named ASU Art Museum’s Curator of CALA Initiatives

Casandra Hernandez has been named ASU Art Museum’s curator of Celebración Artística de las Américas, or CALA, Initiatives, according to a Monday, December 13, announcement from the Arizona Commission on the Arts.  Hernandez had worked at the Commission as artists program coordinator since September 2014. One of her most notable…

The 10 Best Things I Saw in Metro Phoenix in 2015

Perhaps 2015 blew by. Or is it that the year flew by? To say that it sprinted, rushed, or flashed past feels more accurate. That’s because we’ve reached a point where, thanks to great and near constant programming at venues and institutions across the Valley, there’s almost too much to…

How to Get Your Home Featured on This Old House

If you’ve been wanting to get your home in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons, you’re in luck.  This Old House, the longtime PBS home remodeling show, is seeking Arizona homes for renovation. Give them your tired, your poor, and your stuccoed houses for consideration, but you’ll have…

10 Best New Phoenix Murals of 2015

Artists with diverse styles took to exterior walls throughout metro Phoenix during 2015, creating a vibrant assortment of narrative, figurative, and abstract murals addressing themes from migration to desert wildlife. Here’s a look at the 10 best.  For the Love of Color Phoenix artist Carrie Marill, an artist represented by…

13 Cool Things We Saw During First Friday in Downtown Phoenix on December 4

December’s First Friday featured more exhibitions than anyone could possibly experience in a single outing. It’s a good problem to have, but it’s frustrating for those who want to really linger over the artwork or spend time in conversation rather than racing between destinations. Even with Third Fridays, which provide another…

Artist Chip Thomas, a.k.a. Jetsonorama, on Cultural Stereotypes, Grassroots Activism, and Life on the Navajo Reservation

If you’ve ever visited the Navajo reservation, then chances are, you’ve seen the work of Chip Thomas, a.k.a. Jetsonorama. His enlarged black-and-white photographic portraits are pasted on structures along the roadside. An artist, activist, and physician, Thomas has been living and working on the Navajo Nation since 1987. From December…

What Pantone Color of 2016 Are You: Rose Quartz, Serenity, or Both?

For the first time ever, color authority Pantone has given two colors the honor of color of the year. In 2016, Rose Quartz and Serenity will share the spotlight, serve as go-to trendy shades, and, according to Pantone, “reflect societal movements toward gender equality and fluidity.” Pantone officials describe Rose Quartz…

5 Events and Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Week

New Times picks the best arts and culture events and things to do from November 30 through December 3. ZooLights Your neighbor Carl and his Christmas display have nothing on ZooLights, the Phoenix Zoo’s annual showcase of flora and fauna dazzlingly constructed from millions of colorful bulbs. This year the zoo’s…

4 Places to See British Artist Bruce Munro’s Work in Metro Phoenix

British artist Bruce Munro specializes in immersive large-scale light-based installations and has created works for several metro Phoenix settings, including Lisa Sette Gallery and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. His installation for the Desert Botanical Garden opens Friday, November 20, and his installation for Scottsdale Public Art, already on view…

7 Free Things to Do This Week in Metro Phoenix

There’s a lot happening this week in Phoenix — and the good news is that a lot of it is free. We found some interesting talks, readings, exhibits, and more that will keep both you and your budget in check.  November RadiatePHX: Downtown Residential Rental BoomRadiate PHX is hosting its…