"Closure: Paintings From JB Snyder"
J.B. Snyder, a local artist known for making a splash by adding color to deserted landscapes, is trying something new-ish: an art show within four walls, not on them.
His first solo show since 2010's "Fragments of Happiness" at The Quincy, "Closure" includes approximately 25 new pieces. The Hive art gallery on Calle 16 will host the exhibition.
See also: Chelsea Handler on Uganda Be Kidding Me and Why She Can't Leave Late Night
The prominent Valley muralist and owner of Fifth Street Paint Supply has found a place in the public eye thanks to large-scale pieces on buildings and walls throughout downtown Phoenix. This collection, all of which is available for purchase, remains true to his artistic style of colorful, geometric painting.
"It's similar but with more depth and life," Snyder says. "Just less flat."
"Closure" opens during Third Friday from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, March 21, at The Hive, 2222 North Sixteenth Street. Admission is free. Visit www.thehivephoenix.com or call 602-254-1641 for details. -- Janessa Hilliard
What if real life emulated a video game? The extra lives and quests to beat up bad guys sound fun, but anyone who has played Kinect for more than an hour knows that it gets exhausting fast. Fortunately, watching Siro-A has a similar feel -- and you don't have to move an inch. The performance group has been dubbed "Japan's answer to the Blue Man Group," thanks to its interactions and visual effects. Siro-A is quite the spectacle, as humans become musical instruments, Pong boards, and step in and out of 3D with the help of visual effects tricks. Upbeat electronic music adds to the sleight of hand and video game sensibilities to create the most interactive DJ set you've ever seen.
Groove with Siro-A on Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 North Arizona Avenue. All-ages tickets start at $28. Call 480-782-2680 or visit www.chandlercenter.org. -- Melissa Fossum
Lately, Chelsea Handler's been busy. Calling out Piers Morgan for sucking, dishing on ditching Anna Wintour's fashion advice, and stirring up trouble with Oscars-related tweets have been filling up her schedule. Oh, yeah, her current comedy/book tour, too. And her schedule won't let up much when she gets to Phoenix Saturday, March 22.
The host of E! talk show Chelsea Lately, comedian, and writer will swing by Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 South McClintock Drive in Tempe, with her latest and fifth book, Uganda Be Kidding Me ($27). It's a collection of personal stories and not-to-be-followed advice from Handler, who details trips she's taken to Telluride, the Bahamas, and Germany. That evening, she'll perform at Comerica Theatre, 400 West Washington Street. After that, she'll sign more copies of her book in the lobby. Phew. Somebody get this lady a drink.
The book-signing is at 2 p.m. A signing ticket is free with book purchase. Call 480-730-0205 or visit www.changinghands.com for more information. Handler's stand-up show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $55 to $85 and available via www.ticketmaster.com. -- Becky Bartkowski
The Phoenix Festival de España makes its debut in downtown Phoenix on Saturday, March 22, with a daylong celebration of Spanish arts and culture, courtesy of Flamenco Por La Vida and the Phoenix Center for the Arts.
The warm weather event includes a beer and wine garden, traditional food, and flamenco workshops for all skill levels. Festival-goers can enjoy an arts market and intermittent performances from Macarena Giraldez, Jason Martinez, and Angelina Ramirez.
The heritage appreciation includes a lecture on Northern Spanish culture from Petra Conde of the Asociación Cultural Española de Arizona, a lecture on flamenco history led by Erica Ocegueda, and ends with a performance from Third Street Theater's flamenco troupe.
Join the fun from noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 22, at the Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 North Third Street. Admission is free, but the Noche de Flamenco performance costs $15. Call 602-254-3100 or visit www.phoenixcenterforthearts.org/events/phoenix-festival-de-espana. -- Janessa Hilliard
If given the chance to join dragon boat racing team during this year's Arizona Dragon Boat Festival, what member of the team would you be? Would you be one of 20 or so rowers, paddling mightily to slog your boat through the murk of Tempe Town Lake? Would you be the oarsman, controlling the rudder to keep the unwieldy vessel straight and true? Would you be the drummer, pounding in time to synchronize the paddlers' oars alongside the beautifully decorated, dragon-shaped boat? Or would you simply be an onlooker, observing the display of power, speed and endurance from afar while you enjoy a delicious bowl of noodles along with other Asian-inspired foods and entertainment?
Yeah, us, too.
The 11th Annual Arizona Dragon Boat Festival runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 22 and 23 at Tempe Town Lake Marina, located on the northern side of Tempe Town Lake, 620 North Mill Avenue. Admission is free. Visit www.azdba.com for more. -- Zachary Fowle
