Featured photo: Margaret Bourke-White’s “Russian Orthodox Worshipers” (1941), as seen at Northlight Gallery. Image by Deborah Ross. To save time and energy during my First Friday wanderings, I leapfrogged over Roosevelt Row in downtown Phoenix last night (September 1, 2017). Yet I had no problem getting my fill of exceptional art by local artists and others. Here are … Continue reading Photo highlights: First Friday, 9/01/17
Featured image: Brooke Grucella’s “Walking on Glass.” Photo by Deborah Ross When I first saw “Push Comes to Shove: Women and Power” at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, it was during the opening reception. I flitted through the all-female group exhibition — which addresses women’s status from political, social and cultural perspectives — and admired the empowering … Continue reading For your post-election consideration: ‘Push Comes to Shove’ at SMoCA
Featured photo: “Pool” by Abbey Messmer, at eye lounge, Phoenix. Although my friend and I had only a few galleries on our must-see list for the Third Friday art walk on Roosevelt Row for September 18, 2015, each stop reaffirmed that downtown Phoenix galleries are brimming with variety, professionalism and experimentation. Take Eye Lounge, for … Continue reading Diving into the refreshing pool of the RoRo art scene
(Image courtesy Phoenix Art Museum) Part of my summer was spent trying to assess the overall art scene in Phoenix and environs. Are the museums venturing into little-known yet important territory in contemporary art? Are the Roosevelt Row galleries stepping up their game? Can I find at least a few regular go-to spots on Grand … Continue reading Taking the pulse of September’s gallery scene
The crowds were light, but the art was well worth seeing. Or maybe the experience was pleasant because the crowds were light? In any case, the galleries were not deterred by the triple-digit heat in welcoming art lovers. Third Friday on Roosevelt Row is also known as the monthly Collectors Art Walk, where the concentration … Continue reading Highlights from Third Friday on RoRo: June 20, 2014
My eyes are usually on contemporary art in the Phoenix area, but any kind of art appreciation should pay tribute to art’s humble beginnings, and in our case, we are fortunate to have the Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve, home to more than 1,500 petroglyphs that date as far back as 500 A.D., or maybe even … Continue reading Where rock art rocks
The Third Friday art walk of January 17, 2014, was a good reminder to myself that the downtown Phoenix art scene probably ought to be referred to as the “central Phoenix art scene,” given the many galleries that spider out from Roosevelt Row. For example, there’s Practical Art at Central Avenue and Camelback Road, The … Continue reading The widening circle of Phoenix’s art scene
If you are intrigued by the trend in visual art toward site-specific, mixed-media installation versus the more commonplace paintings, drawings, sculptures, etc., then you might want to check out three shows at the ASU Art Museum and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. First: “Wendy Maruyama: Executive Order 9066” at the Arizona State University Art … Continue reading Getting to know site-specific installations at ASU, SMoCA
If you’re OK with visual art that not only provokes thought, but also produces a little emotional discomfort, then I recommend following the work of Phoenix-based fiber artist Ann Morton. Here’s what you can see — and squirm about — in her current show at Modified Arts on Roosevelt Row, a four-part installation called “Unentitled: … Continue reading Arizona artist profile: Ann Morton
Editor’s note: This question-and-answer session was originally conducted for a spring 2012 article in Art + Culture North Texas magazine, out of Dallas. — DR When she paints, Forrest Solis likes to split the canvas: two seemingly divergent ideas play off each other on either side of the composition. In her new series of 12 … Continue reading Arizona artist profile: Forrest Solis
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