From my vantage point at the information booth at First Street and Roosevelt in downtown Phoenix, I could see that the Saturday, April 13, debut of Feast on the Street — combining community dining, food trucks, a beer garden, a “community salad toss,” gardening displays, live entertainment and kids activities — was an inspired idea. … Continue reading 13 reasons to bring back Feast on the Street in 2014
This is usually the time of year that visual arts events in the Phoenix area come to a crescendo just before the summer doldrums set in. Consequently, there’s lots going on at the museums and galleries and at outdoor events — a kind of full bloom of art, before heat withers the petals. I get … Continue reading Phoenix art shows: Get ’em while it’s not too hot
At first, I was doubtful that the Desert Botanical Garden needed anything more to delight the eye than its wondrous variety of desert flora and the occasional bird and reptile sightings. But then the sculptures scattered near the Desert Discovery Loop Trail began to grow on me, and I could see that art in the … Continue reading Adding art to the mix at Desert Botanical Garden
Amid the high-profile shows filling the Phoenix Art Museum’s impressively strong season this spring, there is a kind of sleeper exhibit in the quiet, second-floor Norton Gallery. It’s called “Shiprock and Mont St. Michel: Photographs by William Clift.” The exhibit is composed of black-and-white photographs that capture the mystery, quietude and sanctity of these two … Continue reading Seeing Mont St. Michel and Shiprock in a different light
Although I can’t exactly say that I did justice to our city’s annual Art Detour — a weekend-long central Phoenix art walk, kicked up a notch — I can say that my handful of “detours” into galleries were quite worthwhile. Unfortunately, I had to miss out on a ton of artful antics and diversions, including … Continue reading Phoenix’s Art Detour is 25 years strong
Our desert city’s underappreciated architectural landmarks take the spotlight in an informative photography exhibit inside The Gallery @ City Hall through March 29. It’s called “Phoenix Icons: The Art of Our Historic Landmarks,” and it will definitely leave you with new respect for places like the Carnegie Public Library near the Capitol, Luhrs Tower in … Continue reading Phoenix, strike a pose
The Phoenix area is fortunate to have a number of shops offering unique, handcrafted items — some items quite affordable and some approaching art gallery prices. In many cases — icing on the cake — the items are locally made. I stopped by two shops in the last few weeks and within minutes of visiting … Continue reading Places to support your local artisans
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 … Continue reading Third Friday Artwalk: A lot of ground to cover
As our Centennial year winds down (Arizona turns 101 on February 14, 2013), I thought it would be timely to indulge my fascination with George Elbert Burr, an early-20th century chronicler of the Southwest through his delicate etchings and drypoints. I say “delicate” because of the soft and deft way his landscapes are rendered but, … Continue reading In appreciation of George Elbert Burr
It’s always a pleasure to become newly familiar with an Arizona artist, so I am glad I came across an exhibition of Ellen Wagener works this week at Gebert Contemporary in Scottsdale. Technically, Wagener creates landscapes, using pastel on paper in amazingly detailed work and delivering reverent views of Arizona agricultural fields, deserts, rivers and … Continue reading Wagener’s cloudscapes capture beauty of Arizona
Explore Art: Phoenix 