A girl whose name tag reads Lauren draws a large letter “A” on a piece of red fabric. The lines are straight and angular. At the top of the big letter, she draws a rectangular face and affixes two googly eyes. Lauren confirms that the face is a robot. Why…
Nowadays you needn’t stroll or bike your way down every street to see the riches of the metro Phoenix street art scene. Savvy street artists have taken to Instagram to share their artwork. Some feature images of their own artwork, as well as work by others. Here are 10 metro…
The Arizona Biennial, which has the distinction of being the longest-running juried exhibition featuring exclusively Arizona artists, returns this month. First organized in 1948, the exhibition’s current iteration opens on July 25 at Tucson Museum of Art. More than 1,490 works were submitted, and 50 pieces were selected for the…
“ARTillery” — an exhibition currently on view at Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum — is an interesting survey of weapons in contemporary culture. But it could have been a call to action in an age when simply talking about violence isn’t doing squat to end it. With more than 50 works…
As others are lay low for summer, plenty of metro Phoenix artists seem to be kicking it into high gear. July Third Friday attendees will be richly rewarded with opportunities to see works by dozens of artists — including several who use unconventional means or materials. “Maybe Tomorrow, Darling” See…
What happens in the studio shouldn’t always stay in the studio. Studio Visit Q+A is a weekly series that profiles artists in their studios. We ask them questions, they provide answers, and then we have a nice discussion about their work. This week: Phoenix artist Rachel Bess. The small, detailed…
Photographs representing the entire history of photography are currently on view in the “One-of-a-Kind: Unique Photographic Objects from the Center for Creative Photography” exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum. The exhibition was organized by the museum and the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “One-of-a-Kind” was curated…
What happens in the studio shouldn’t always stay in the studio. Studio Visit Q+A is a weekly series that profiles artists in their studios. We ask them questions, they provide answers, and then we have a nice discussion about their work. This week: Tempe artist Rossitza Todorova. Rossitza Todorova recently…
If seeing works by Arizona artists exhibited around town has ever left you wanting to give art-making a try, this summer might be a good time to get started. Several local artists are offering classes or workshops in coming weeks and months, and we’ve found five that look especially intriguing…
It’s easy to get in the groove of hitting First and Third Fridays in metro Phoenix without making time to explore art by artists working in other parts of Arizona. But there’s an easy solution. It’s the “All Art Arizona” exhibition presented each year by Gilbert’s Art Intersection, whose curatorial staff…
Maybe Phoenix doesn’t have that one skyscraper that rises above the rest like the Empire State Building and, sure, stucco abounds, but there are plenty of gems by big-name architects who found inspiration in the desert. These archetypal homes around the Valley, either built by our most notable architects or…
There’s happy news this month, as galleries, museums, and other art spaces continue to offer an intriguing mix of exhibitions even as people are popping in and out of town for summer vacations. Take solace if you’re among those who couldn’t get away for the long holiday weekend. You’ll be…
The Heard Museum in central Phoenix announced on June 22 that it received a $1.25 million grant from the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust. The grant money will be used to combine two existing galleries into a single larger space that will accommodate bigger exhibitions and allow for greater integration of…
What happens in the studio shouldn’t always stay in the studio. Studio Visit Q+A is a weekly series that profiles artists in their studios. We ask them questions, they provide answers, and then we have a nice discussion about their work. This week: Phoenix artist Ann Morton. Ann Morton’s work…
When news spread earlier this year that the building most recently occupied by a small business called GreenHAUS would be demolished to make way for a new housing development, a community uproar ensued. Some lamented the loss of the building located at 222 East Roosevelt Street, which once housed the city’s first…
There’s a new art commerce enterprise in town called Curator Engine, which seeks to connect artists with buyers. It’s starting with ASU-affiliated artists, including students, alumni or faculty — but there are plans to expand and replicate the model with additional artists and perhaps expand to other cities once the…
What happens in the studio, shouldn’t always stay in the studio. Studio Visit Q+A is a weekly series that profiles artists in their studios. We ask them questions, they provide answers, and then we have a nice discussion about their work. This week: Phoenix artist and member of Palabra Hair…
A new, hot piece of real estate is going on the market in Scottsdale. But you better be quick, because this house will only be in Phoenix for a few days. *can you actually buy the house or no? *Yes, I mention the price later, but should I put something…
What make a great summer read? For us, it’s a book takes its readers on some kind of journey, is short or can be read and understood in brief bursts and if I learn or experience something new, it’s a bonus. Above all, it had better be highly entertaining: I’ve…
Third Friday has always been more laid-back than its First Friday counterpart. But June’s crowds were a bit thinner than we’d expected, even given the mass exodus that tends to occur this time of year. For those who braved the heat, lines at local coffee joints were shorter, and parking…
Slow Roll In the not-so distant past, Phoenix has been decried as one of the nation’s least bicycle friendly cities. But, as one freewheelin’ poet observed, the times they are a changin’. With a Grid Bike Share system now in place, Phoenicians can expect to see more events like Slow…
We’re about as giddy as we ever get this time of year, thanks to this summer’s magnificent dearth of exhibitions curated around the topic of heat. We get that it’s hot here, so we’re not looking for reminders. Instead, we’re looking for escapes. This month’s Third Friday offerings include a…
