Robrt Pela on Curation and the Phoenix Art Scene

Artist, writer, and New Times’ theater critic Robrt Pela added gallery curator to his list of descriptors when he writes that he “grew tired of complaining about how the downtown art scene just wasn’t giving me enough of what I wanted.” The result is the curatorial work he does at…

The Future of First Friday Street Closures (To Be Continued)

Note: This article’s been updated to reflect accurate gallery openings.More than 70 members from the downtown community and representatives of the Phoenix Police department met Wednesday night at MonOrchid to discuss the future of street closures during First Friday.The short story: Fur flew and the closures are still canceled. The…

For Art’s Sake

Don’t ask me how I came to be a gallery curator. I suppose it happened because I finally grew tired of complaining about how the downtown art scene just wasn’t giving me enough of what I wanted. And about how, not so many years ago, one went, on any given…

Roosevelt Row’s First Friday Street Closure Meeting Tonight

Downtown Phoenix’s First Fridays could look a little different after a public discussion tonight at MonOrchid. The Phoenix Police Department and Roosevelt Row came to an agreement in June to postpone road closures, citing the summer’s heat and lack of sufficient patrolling resources. The heat faded, but Phoestival — the…

Tonight at Squeeze Gallery: Brooke Grucella’s “Between Conversations”

For Brooke Grucella, it’s what happens between conversations that matters most. Hence, the title of the Tucson-based artist’s latest show, which opens tonight at Squeeze Gallery in Scottsdale.    Grucella is most intrigued by the conversations we have in our minds, but may not say aloud. The Tucson-based painter brings her interpretation to…

Greg Esser to Open Gallery on Sixth Street

Greg Esser loves a good project. We actually can’t remember the last time he wasn’t renovating a historic building, organizing an art show, or spaying a handful of feral cats — all between his seemingly countless arts jobs in two states. Esser’s the Director of the Civic Art Program for…

Lalo Cota on Tacos de Juarez

It’s about time Phoenix sees some serious mural love. In the interest of giving credit to their artists and because we’re losing track of the times we’ve said, “Woah, when did that go up?”, we bring you Mural City, a series on the murals springing up around town — their…

Call for Nominations: Arizona’s Most Endangered Historic Places

What do the The Fisher Memorial House, Peter T. Robinson House, Sun Mercantile Building, Southern Pacific Railroad Depot, and First Baptist Church in Arizona have in common? They’re old … And they were all listed in the Arizona Preservation Foundation’s Most Endangered Historic Places list for 2006.The list is a…

David Chacon behind La Melgosa

It’s about time Phoenix sees some serious mural love. In the interest of giving credit to their artists and because we’re losing track of the times we’ve said, “Woah, when did that go up?”, we bring you Mural City, a series on the murals springing up around town — their…

Spotted: Roosevelt Row Map, Pasted

On a drive down Roosevelt Street in downtown Phoenix this week, we noticed a map. A big map. And if you’ve seen our Field Guides, you know how we feel about directional guidelines and icons. The map, pasted on a mural we covered earlier by Joerael Elliott, is an effort…

Glendale’s Artwerks Lateral 58: A Grassroots Arts Effort

Glendale is dipping its toes into the Valley art walk scene once again with “Artwerks Lateral 58”, a newly developed grassroots project started by the local art community. This First Saturday morning walk, named for the city’s newly renovated walkway at 58th Avenue, stays true to the standard art walk…