Championing the makers, artists, and wanderers in all of us.
This weekend is Phoenix Art Detour 2018 with open galleries, performances, and special events throughout the Downtown Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue arts districts.
If you’re familiar with Phoenix Fridays, think of Art Detour as a 5-day, super-sized First Friday.
One of the unique spaces where there will be art on display is Olney Gallery, which is inside of Trinity Cathedral at Roosevelt and 1st Ave.
Continue reading “Art Detour: Printmakers Manny and Janet Burruel”
A new portrait of President Obama was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery last week. It was met with mixed reviews.
Critics compared the unconventional painting by Kehinde Wiley to portraits from the White House collection, implying that the new work – and, by extension, Obama himself – was less dignified or presidential than those that came before.
But it’s a flawed comparison. This is not his White House portrait. (Also? Judge presidents by their actions, not by artwork created of them.)
There are two collections of portraits that include all (except the most recent) former U.S. Presidents: the 43 paintings in the White House and the more varied collection in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery (NPG), which also includes sculptures and photographs.
The portraits in the White House are often more formal and official-looking than their NPG counterparts, especially in recent decades, when artwork has been veering away from tradition, widening the gap between the two collections.
Wiley’s painting has been installed in the National Portrait Gallery, where I’m sure it stands out as unique, but not out of place.
PS Obama’s portrait has been re-created on a cookie.
Former President Barack Obama's painting for the "America's Presidents" exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C., has been unveiled. #CookieTheNews pic.twitter.com/J89Q7l4849
— Tastemade (@tastemade) February 17, 2018
Photos via the White House and National Portrait Gallery.
Red isn’t the only color of love.
The classic combination of black and white can also have a romantic feel.
You can see it in this month’s color story with elegant DIYs, destinations, art, interiors, and objects in black and white.
1. Venice mailboxes 2. L’amour print 3. Printable geometric heart gift wrap 4. Boyce Thompson Arboretum 5. Black steps
6. Sandnes, Norway manhole cover tote 7. Black sesame cappuccino 8. Ceramics by Inger Södergren 9. Bridge of Sighs, Venice 10. Stay True poster
11. Black Cloud (Nube Negra) detail by Carlos Amorales at Phoenix Art Museum 12. DIY eraser heart stamp 13. Windmill Winery, Florence, Arizona 14. Traditional bookbinding patterns 15. Minimal open wardrobe DIY 16. Bee Mine card
17. Peggy Guggenheim Museum Café, Venice 18. Hand carved block printing stamp 19. Farmhouse in Woodend, Victoria (Australia) + rental cottage 20. Punkpost thank you card
Bear hugs to all of you! (Illustration by Daryl Hochi)
Images via respective sites.
Let’s celebrate local art and artists!
Since we had fun sharing Local Art Loves last year, I thought we could keep the challenge going throughout the month of February this time!
Just look for art in your community and share photos using the hashtag #LocalArtLoves on Twitter or Instagram. I’ll post some of your finds here on the site.
Keep an eye out for public art, local galleries, neighborhood art walks, and rotating art displays at coffee shops or libraries. You can also share favorite art spaces, street art, or your own work.
Can’t wait to see some art from where you live!
First photo: Paintings by Bud Heiss on display at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.
Last photo: Round sculptures by Hidden in the Hills artist Peter Skidd at Renee Taylor Gallery, Sedona.
There was a chalk drawing of a robot on the ground. No explanation. Just an arrow.
So, of course, we followed it – and the next one and the next one – down the steps behind Pike Place Market in Seattle.
We tried to guess where they were leading. A street art project? A robot maker? Nowhere? The den of our new robot overlords?
Continue reading “Chalk Robots”