Tag Archives: local

Practical Art Celebrates 7 Years in Business

Posted by Amy DeCaussin
Director of Projects & Social Media

practical-art1Still keeping the local scene cool, artsy and classy, Practical Art on Central in Phoenix hosted a party celebrating seven years in business this past Saturday.  The shop is chocked full of local artists — boasting over 100 on their shop signs.

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On the wall is the current gallery show “Buffalo Girl: Celebrating Jane Reddin” which is exhibited until April 30th, 2015. Featured artists are Christine Cassano, Randy Efros, Mayme Kratz, Lara Plecas, Joe Ray, Mary Shindell, Joe Willie Smith, Kate Timmerman, Denise Yaghmourian and Frank Ybarra.

A variety of cool work can be found inside.  Brightly colored ceramics, beautiful textile sweaters for babies, fun greeting cards, handmade soaps and candles, and handmade jewelry are just a few of the items you will find.

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Ceramic pots by Annette Weaver.

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Mixed Media lamps by Chad Shimmel

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Necklaces by Cyndi Coon(Left) & Sara Creaser(Right).

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Mixed Media Robots by Jordan-Alexander Thomas

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Ceramic Mug by Katheryn Sins

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Glass pieces by John Ryszka

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Wooden spoons by Dan Basinski

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Book by Tray Harris with illustrations and textile stuffies by Jennifer Campbell.

Out behind the store was a tent set up where shoppers could get in on the action and create their own crafts or try their hand at the pottery wheel.

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Ceramicist Jillian Schimmel showing guests how to spin a pottery wheel.

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Ceramics by Jillian Schimmel

It was a beautiful day for a fabulous celebration.  It is always a wonderful thing to shop local, and even better when local businesses flourish from so much support.

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Laboratory5 Inc. is a small business based in Tempe, Arizona

Visit our website: Laboratory5       Follow us on Twitter: @lab5     Become a fan on Facebook: Laboratory5
Contact Us at anytime – we’d love to hear from you

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Grant Street Open Studio Weekend – April 10th & 11th

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Master of Fine Art students at Arizona State University, who refer to themselves as “TAG” as in “The Art Grads” are opening their studio space for a two day event Friday April 10th and Saturday April 11th.  The event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.  Head down to the “Grand Street Studios” and check it out!

You will be able to tour the student’s workspaces located inside a repurposed warehouse.  There will be plenty of art to see and to purchase as well in their red-tag art sale.  Come check out live music by Devotion In Disarray and enjoy refreshments.

The show will be Friday night 6-9pm and Saturday 12-4pm.  On Friday you will have an opportunity to have your portrait taken like it’s the 1860s at MFA Photography student Buzzy Sullivan‘s tintype portrait station.  Saturday will feature a bronze casting demonstration by MFA Sculpture student John Tuomisto-Bell.  He will be heating up bronze and pouring it into a mold to create a bronze sculpture.  The show will include students from painting, drawing, fiber, intermedia, sculpture and photography emphasis areas.

You can follow The Art Grads of ASU on facebook by clicking here.  You can also check out the Open Studios event page here.

Posted by Amy DeCaussin – Director of Projects & Social Media

Laboratory5 Inc. is a small business based in Tempe, Arizona

Visit our website: Laboratory5       Follow us on Twitter: @lab5     Become a fan on Facebook: Laboratory5
Contact Us at anytime – we’d love to hear from you

Leave a comment

TONIGHT – Closing Reception at {9} The Gallery

It is Third Friday in downtown Phoenix and a great time to head out and enjoy the flavor of local art.  Similar to First Friday, Third Friday is a night where many local art galleries and other businesses are open late for your entertainment.  According to the Phoenix New Times, “Third Friday offers another chance for Valley art lovers to get out and see all that the downtown art scene has to offer without having to fight the crowds or scarcity of parking that First Friday entails.”

Tonight at {9} The Gallery on Grand Ave., seven MFA candidates from Arizona State University are splashing the scene.

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“The show features a variety of different styles and techniques, from drawing, painting to collage. Work shown includes both representational as well as abstraction,” explains Cam DeCaussin, one of the seven artists in the show.   The show also features the work of Travis Ivey, Swapna Das, Joe Holdren, AJ Nafziger, Rory Alan MacLean, & Lisa Hoffner. 

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Left to Right the work shown is by Joe Holdron, Cam DeCaussin and Lisa Hoffner. Photo courtesy Laura Dragon of {9} The Gallery.

The show is located at 1229 Grand Ave., a building which also plays host “The Lodge Art Studio” and features a fresh new mural called “The Painted Desert” by Illustrator Rebecca Green.  The mural was completed just a few weeks ago. Take a walk around to the north side of the building to view the piece.

Other hot spots to visit in the neighborhood include Bragg’s Factory Diner just north of {9} The Gallery towards Roosevelt.  Bragg’s is a vegan and vegetarian restaurant definitely worth checking out.  They have a fabulous blueberry crumb pie.  They will be open tonight until 10pm.  Next door to Bragg’s is the Frontal Lobe Community Space and Gallery.  Tonight’s event is the 8th annual Mutant Pinata Show from 6-11pm.

So head on out to the Grand Avenue Artwalk, a part of Third Friday events downtown.  There will be plenty of free parking.

For more information about art and business on Grand Ave. Click Here.

Laboratory5 Inc. is a small business based in Tempe, Arizona

Visit our website: Laboratory5       Follow us on Twitter: @lab5     Become a fan on Facebook: Laboratory5
Contact Us at anytime – we’d love to hear from you

Leave a comment