Free Things to Do This Week

Looking for things to do, but don't have a lot of cash to do it? This week you can see the painted flowers of the “The Echo of Nature” exhibit, get crafty at the Snail Mail Soirée, or show off your skills at the appropriately named Sing Your Face Off Karaoke. Best part, it's all free. For more things to do, visit Phoenix New Times' calendar.

“The Echo of Nature”
Phoenix artist Daniel Shepherd has been busy arranging flowers lately. Not for vases, but for works of collage art created by affixing scraps of paper to repurposed surfaces such as wood or book covers. He’s one of the city’s most prolific collage artists, and he’s found fresh inspiration in the ways flowers reflect the prevalence of repeated patterns in the natural world.

See his free exhibition called “The Echo of Nature” from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, May 21, at Royse Contemporary, 7077 East Main Street in Scottsdale. It continues through Friday, May 25. Visit the Royse Contemporary website. Lynn Trimble

Snail Mail Soirée
Now that email has become the preferred method of sending messages to friends and family, heading out to get the mail has become a lackluster affair procuring little more than bills and junk ads. The Sunshine Craft Company remembers how it felt to get a handwritten card from someone you love. The Snail Mail Soirée is an opportunity to literally put pen to paper and make going to the mailbox fun again.

Sign, seal, and deliver some fun on Monday, May 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 700 West Campbell Avenue. You can customize your letter or card using the provided art supplies or bring your own. Each card purchase comes with a free stamp. For more information, visit the Sunshine Craft Company website. Jason Keil

ArtPrize Pitch Night
Five artists are hoping to leave Found:RE Phoenix, 1100 North Central Avenue, with more than just 15 minutes of fame. They’ll be vying for $5,000 during a competition called ArtPrize Pitch Night, which starts at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22. Each artist will pitch an art project, then take questions from audience members and panelists before the panel names a winner.

The $5,000 will fund the winning art installation, and that artwork will be shown at Grand Rapids Art Museum in Michigan this fall. You can attend ArtPrize Pitch Night for free, then be the first to know which artist will be showing work as part of the international ArtPrize competition that runs from September 19 to October 7 in Grand Rapids this year. Visit the ArtPrize website. Lynn Trimble

Contemporary Forum
Once each year, a Phoenix Art Museum support organization called Contemporary Forum recognizes several Arizona artists with grants, and one with a special award. This year, they’ll announce the winners at the museum, 1625 North Central Avenue, during a free 6:30 p.m. event on Wednesday, May 23. The Scult award winner will get $5,000, and grant recipients will receive $2,000 each.

That same night, they’ll open an exhibition of works by last year’s winners, including Laura Spalding Best, Jennifer Day, Casey Farina, Chris Jagmin, and Matt Magee. The “2017 Contemporary Forum Artists’ Grants Winners” exhibit continues through Sunday, November 4. Visit the Phoenix Art Museum website. Lynn Trimble

Sing Your Face Off Karaoke
Do you like karaoke but hate it when a wannabe who should know better keeps heading onstage to sing another Shania Twain song? It has happened to all of us, but drag diva Pandora DeStrange has found a way to keep the poseurs from ruining the evening. At Sing Your Face Off Karaoke, you’re invited to step up to the microphone and give it your all. There is a catch, though: If the crowd doesn’t think you’re up to snuff, for a small charitable donation, someone can gong you off the stage.

Get pitchy at 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 26, at Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second Avenue. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Crescent Ballroom website. Jason Keil