Third Friday Artwalk: A lot of ground to cover

It’s a sign, a very good sign, of the growing vibrancy of the downtown Phoenix art scene that my list of galleries to see during last week’s Third Friday artwalk numbered almost a dozen. Wish I could say I made it to all of those galleries, but the ones that I did pop into offered top-notch works.

First let me mention several exhibits I didn’t see but that I trust are worthy:

— Jeremy Thomas with folded-metal sculptures and Mark Pomilio with three-dimensional drawings at Bentley Gallery, through January 31, 2013.

— Photographic glimpses “Off the Beaten Path” of Arizona by Linda Ingraham and artwork and mementoes from Matt Dougan in the Bokeh and monOrchid galleries, showing by appointment through January. https://www.facebook.com/monOrchid

— Photo montages on fabric and other works by Bob Adams at Willo North, showing by appointment through January.

— Photographs by Andrew Pielage and “Manifestos” by various artists at Drive-Thru Gallery. Actually, I tried to see this, but the space — just slightly larger than a hallway — was too crowded on Third Friday for me to get much of a look. Oh well, next time.

— “Recuadro” paintings by Monica Robles at New City Studio, available to see by appointment through January.

— Works on paper by various artists — the paper having been recycled from the Roosevelt Row sunflower garden — at Combine Studios. Also works by Christine Lee of ASU’s International Artists Residency.

Darn, now I’m wishing I could have cloned myself that evening. Anyway, here’s what I did see — and liked — in no particular order:

Dine artist Damian Jim creates densely layered paintings chock-full of Native American iconography and cultural allusions. His artist’s statement speaks of “fusing traditional and modern visual representations.” Jim’s work is part of the Ziindi collective of contemporary Native American artists at 1Spot Gallery, which was having its grand opening.

Ann Morton was in attendance at Modified Arts for the opening reception of her thought-provoking installation of fabric and mixed-media pieces, “Unentitled.” It’s fascinating the way she covers discarded objects with white canvas, then sends viewers seeking more information from QR cards. Morton makes an impactful statement about the homeless and generally those living along the margins of society. The show can be seen by appointment through February 10.

The Lab at 137, a tiny space on Roosevelt, was spotlighting Gabriel Sandoval, who was demonstrating how he creates his graphically pleasing large-scale portraits. Sandoval finds appealing photographs of celebrities and others, enlarges them greatly, then sets the faces against a monochrome background of pink, lime green or another color.

And, last but not least, the XXX-rated show at {9} The Gallery. Yes, it is all nudes but not XXX-rated; I’m just saying XXX-rated for the fun of it. The show, in fact, has well-done nude studies by Eric Cox, along with a few other local artists. I have to admit to being a bit squeamish about viewing one particular piece with a prominent female organ. But I do admire gallery owner Laura Dragon’s stance that art exhibits, like other forms of expression, are powered by the First Amendment.

Let me recall a nice piece of conversation with Jon Wassom, whose nude paintings dip into abstraction and vibrant colors:

“Art is about risk-taking, and sometimes the risks are good and sometimes people don’t respond to it,” Wassom said. “Exploring is what it’s about.”

Hey, readers, if you were part of Third Friday and want to add to the discussion about our vibrant art scene, please comment below.

Ann Morton beside one of her pieces at Modified Arts.

Scene from the Drive-Thru Gallery, showing illustrations by various artists making “Manifestos.”

Love this Elmac Kofie mural at Fifth Street and Roosevelt.