Blacksmithing careers went out of fashion with swordfights to the death and horse-drawn carriages. But four local artists revived the tradition by hammering, piercing, and welding metal into exotic sculptures for the “Urban Metal” exhibit, on display through November 18 in the windows of the U.S. Post Office. The free…
Now that everything from televisions to the final two Harry Potter flicks are in 3-D, it’s no surprise that artists working in traditional flat media are rising to meet the demands of modern audiences. Local artist Nathan Feller turned printmaking into a three-dimensional art for his solo exhibit “Misc. &…
Now that everything from televisions to the final two Harry Potter flicks are in 3-D, it’s no surprise that artists working in traditional flat media are rising to meet the demands of modern audiences. Local artist Nathan Feller turned printmaking into a three-dimensional art for his solo exhibit “Misc. &…
Last week, I had a craving for one of my favorite childhood snacks: sugar cookies. While I could’ve gone to the grocery store for some take-and-bake dough, let’s face it, only 50% of the dough would’ve ended up in the oven. The other half would’ve been hoovered straight out of the package…
People in other parts of the country spend the rest of the year dreaming of summer’s sunny skies, cool breezes and blooming flowers. Phoenicians, on the other hand, dread the summer season. Everything here seems to shrivel up and die, from the poor withered cactus on my patio to the art gallery scene…
By now, almost everyone knows about the Phoenix version of Groupon.com, the website where you can sign up to get e-mails on a mega daily deal. They’ve offered everything from waxing services at 75% off to $40 restaurant gift certificates for $20. We admit we anxiously await our e-mail from them…
Before you hole yourself up in an air-conditioned bunker eating ice cream and wearing nothing but a thong this summer, wake up and notice the many positive things Phoenix offers in the off-season: smaller crowds, water parks, and the annual Summer Spectacular ArtWalk. Look for live jazz and folk music,…
Few things are hotter than Phoenix in the summertime. Saunas. Microwave ovens. Satan’s attic. “The heat just kind of sucks the life out of you. By the time you get home in the evening, you just want to stay indoors and relax,” says Emmett Potter, co-owner of Scottsdale’s Soyal Gallery…
Whether you’ve visited every country from Australia to Zaire or your idea of a vacation involves lounging on the couch with a microwave pizza in one hand and the controls to Halo: Reach in the other, local artist Jon Totel hopes his travel collages will inspire you. “I am interested…
Though I may have some carnivorous tendencies (mmm…carne asada), occasionally I get an urge to get closer to Mother Nature via some fresh vegetables. When a salad just won’t do and a veggie burger seems too processed, there’s always the classic vegetarian sandwich — or as I like to call it, the Plantwich…
Locals have been drooling over the idea of a mega candy store ever since Ohio-based b.a. Sweetie Candy Company announced the impending opening of a new location in a Phoenix suburb. Drool no longer, folks. Sweeties Candy of Arizona opened this morning at 1050 W. Chandler Blvd. in Chandler. Planned hours are 9 a.m.-7 p.m…
It’s hard to resist picking up a book with the words “Crappy” and “Meals” in the title, especially when the cover art includes a photo of an average-looking woman wearing a chef’s coat and a coordinating bandana, holding a plate of what looks like lamb and vegetables with an herb garden growing out of…
Phoenix isn’t exactly known as a fashion hotspot. With our sunny climate, tourists and outsiders probably imagine residents all wear nothing but comfortable cotton shorts and flip- flops year round. Sigh. Local business owner and Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising graduate Shannon McRae aims to change that perception with Local Talent AZ, a…
After a recent episode of Private Chefs of Beverly Hills featured upscale, individualized meals cooked for four-footed members of a high society canine club, the fact that some dogs are now eating better than people comes as no surprise. We’ve spotted pastries, biscuits and even beer for Fido at the Farmers’ Market. Our latest…
Last week, one of the dudes hired by the Pittsburgh Pirates to run around in a pierogi costume was fired for comments he made about the team on Facebook. Not being from Pennsylvania, I could’ve cared less about the ridiculous mascot and his social media woes. But the incident did have this New York…
Few things are hotter than Phoenix in the summertime. Saunas. Microwave ovens. Satan’s attic. “The heat just kind of sucks the life out of you. By the time you get home in the evening, you just want to stay indoors and relax,” says Emmett Potter, co-owner of Scottsdale’s Soyal Gallery…
Some would cite self-mutilating Van Gogh or Salvador Dalí (who admitted to dressing in a king’s robe and pushing a kid off a cliff as a five-year-old) as proof that craziness and creativity go hand in hand. Others argue that artists just have wild imaginations. That’s the idea behind the…
Some would cite self-mutilating Van Gogh or Salvador Dalí (who admitted to dressing in a king’s robe and pushing a kid off a cliff as a five-year-old) as proof that craziness and creativity go hand in hand. Others argue that artists just have wild imaginations. That’s the idea behind the…
Some would cite self-mutilating Van Gogh or Salvador Dalí (who admitted to dressing in a king’s robe and pushing a kid off a cliff as a five-year-old) as proof that craziness and creativity go hand in hand. Others argue that artists just have wild imaginations. That’s the idea behind the…
Though Christmas and Thanksgiving may be more popular, Independence Day is perhaps the purest and most American holiday. Not because of all the kitschy red, white and blue crapola or the incessant flag waving — but because it’s about life, liberty and the pursuit of the perfect barbecue dinner. Planning a…
When you hear the word “craft,” what pops to mind? Doily dolls and scrapbooks? Clocks made from recycled computer chipboards? Holiday candleholders with creepy cherubs on them? Thankfully, you’ll find none of these travesties at the “Arizona Designer Craftsmen 50th Anniversary Juried Exhibition,” on display through August 8 at Mesa…
There’s a new designer in town and he’s encouraging locals to take their shirts off for a good cause. Less than a year ago, graphic designer John Kenney realized he was part of a consumer niche that wasn’t being addressed — late twenty- to early forty-something middle class and upper middle…
