April 3rd was a spectacular First Friday in Downtown Phoenix with beautiful weather to walk around and enjoy a variety of art, local businesses, and restaurants.
Visitors had the chance to explore two incredible and renowned art districts, Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue in addition to the Phoenix Art Museum and the Heard Museum. There were also several artisan markets spread throughout downtown, as well as gourmet food trucks, live music and more! The crowds came out early to enjoy new art exhibitions at artists studios and commercial galleries that presented an incredible selection of local and national art.
Halt Gallery featured artist Lena Klett with Subliminal, her latest works "examines how memories just below the threshold of consciousness inform experience" offering a unique collection of work utilizing multiple mediums such as charcoal, painting and embroidery.
Modified Arts partnered up with Amy Young and Perihelion Arts to bring a diverse collection of drawings and mixed media works by international artists, Derek Hess in Everything's Not Okay. Frontal Lobe Community Space and Gallery presented a brilliant much anticipated group exhibition Equal Parts, co-curated by Amanda Adkins and Ashely Macias, which "explores how we relate or separate ourselves and what makes us different beyond sexuality and gender", featuring 22 artists working in a range of mediums and styles.
The monOrchid featured two new exhibitions, Street Art Phx and The Dainty Little Freak Show presented by Shade Projects. Street Art Phx highlighted 9 talented mural artists with diverse styles and eclectic collection of subjects that represent each artist's work.
While Bokeh Gallery featured the solo exhibition of Daniel Shepherd, showcasing 130 mixed media collages created with repurposed materials, resulting in unique and eccentric artworks that posses elegance and natural beauty. Also presented was a special modern dance performance from Grace Gallagher and company titled 40 Love Letters, "work inspired by love, infatuation, opportunity and misinterpretation." Also on site was the monthly artisan market featuring local vendors such as State Forty Eight, Jar of Buttons and much more. monorchid.com.
Be sure to mark your calendars for Third Friday, taking place April 17th from 6-10pm, which will be the next public opportunity to enjoy the arts downtown. The evening features a majority of galleries opening to the public, giving patrons a chance to intimately explore the local arts minus the crazy crowds of First Friday!
