Tonight marks the 2nd Annual Glass Act ArtWalk, which is the kick-off event to this festival weekend.  Art will take center stage along Main Street and Marshall Way, and glass will be in the spotlight at this unique event featuring more than 20 exhibitors.  There will also be live music and artist demonstrations (which are really fun because they use fire) staged throughout  the Arts District.  The event takes place from 7-9 pm on Thursday, March 11 and is compeletely free.  Be sure to come early and grab a bite to eat (and do some great people watching as well) before browsing through the galleris.  Not familiar with the Arts District?  Click here for a map.

After you’ve become an expert in glass, expand your horizons by checking out the 40th Annual Scottsdale Arts Fesival, which takes place this weekend at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.  Gates will be open Friday and Saturday from 10 am – 6 pm and Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm.  Consistently recognized as one of the top in the country, The Scottsdale Arts Festival features more than 200 jury-selected artists from throughout North America to display and sell their work at this three-day event. In addition to an assortment of the finest arts and crafts, attendees can enjoy live entertainment and music, tasty food and beverages, interactive public art, fun art activities for children and families, an online art auction and much more. A $7 admission fee also gets visitors free admission to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), free parking and shuttle service. For more Festival information visit www.scottsdaleartsfestival.org or call 480-994-ARTS.

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Scottsdale’s Fashion Week will take place November 5 – 7 in the super chic setting of downtown Scottsdale. This year brings the return of the famed Wearable ArtWalk, where models will showcase notable one-of-a-kind pieces of  ‘art-to-wear’ clothing and jewelry.  This part of the event is completely free and takes place in various galleries throughout the Scottsdale Arts District.

The main event will be the runway shows taking place Friday and Saturday evenings on two different runways in the Southbridge/Waterfront area of downtown. Banana Republic, kate spade, Barneys New York, Chinese designer Zhao Bandi and Eva Franco will take center stage on these runways.  And be sure to check out iuk, iuk on the Southbridge Runway Friday evening.  This designer was hand selected from a design competition in partnership with the nearby Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

In total Scottsdale Fashion Week will host over two-dozen runway shows. The Main Runway will showcase leading fashion designers and will be located at the Scottsdale Waterfront on Marshall Way south of Camelback Road. The outdoor SouthBridge Runway will feature up-and-coming designers and will be located across the Arizona Canal.

Tickets for these events range from $25 for general admission and $200 to be treated like VIP. For further information on tickets, shows, locations and times visit www.scottsdalefashionweek.com

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1. Browse Downtown
   The Downtown Scottsdale Arts, Shopping & Entertainment Districts are home to hundreds of designer boutiques, souvenir shops, art galleries and Native American jewelry stores, as well as an outstanding selection of restaurants and bistros. For a free and fun way to get around downtown, hop aboard the Scottsdale Trolley, which will take you to all of downtown districts and Scottsdale Fashion Square.
2. Take a Hike
   There’s no better way to get up-close-and-personal with the Sonoran Desert than with a hike along one of the area’s scenic trails. At the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, you can hike on your own or join one of the regular guided hikes offered by the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Other popular hiking spots include Camelback Mountain near downtown and Pinnacle Peak Park in North Scottsdale.
3. Summer Concerts in the Park
   Bring a blanket or chair and enjoy a variety of outstanding local bands at McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park. Arrive a little early to enjoy train and carousel rides or to tour the museum.
   • Dates: Every Sunday evening from May 3 through July 5
   • Times: 7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
   • Location: McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
   • Phone: 480-312-2312
4. Stroll the Thursday Evening ArtWalk
   Every Thursday evening the galleries in the downtown Scottsdale Arts District stay open late and welcome browsers and collectors alike. Exhibit openings, artist receptions and live entertainment are all part of the ArtWalk experience.
   • Dates: Thursday Evenings, year round
   • Times: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
   • Location: Downtown Scottsdale Arts District
   • Phone: 480-421-1004
5. Take a Tour of SMoCA
   The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) offers programs and exhibits to help visitors discover the world of art. Free docent-led tours are offered at SMoCA on Sundays and Thursdays at 1:30. Meet in the museum lobby. Tours also are available by appointment. After your tour at SMoCA, stop by the Young @ Art Gallery located inside the Scottsdale Center For the Performing Arts (immediately adjacent to SMoCA), which is devoted to the creative work of children.
6. Brush Up on Scottsdale’s History
   Learn about Scottsdale’s early days at the 1909 Little Red Schoolhouse, now home to the Scottsdale Historical Museum. The museum chronicles the city’s history with photographs, artifacts and changing displays.
7. Go Green at the Old Town Farmer’s Market
   This fabulous market offers a wide variety of organic and pesticide-free produce. You’ll also find seasonal specialties like cider, apples, flowers, free-range beef and eggs, local cheese, fresh artisan breads, jams, and tamales. Jewelry, photography, handmade gifts, coffee and breakfast to go also are available.
   • Dates: Every Saturday
   • Times: 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
   • Location: Brown Avenue & First Street (southwest corner) in Old Town
   • Phone: 623-848-1234
8. Enjoy a Serenade by Arizona’s Singing Cowboy
   Cowboy singer and raconteur Gary Sprague and his trusty steed Dusty entertain Old Town shoppers with Western songs and local folklore. Gary rides throughout Old Town and concludes his performance with a ride into the Rusty Spur Saloon.
   • Dates: Every Saturday & Sunday
   • Times: 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
   • Location: Old Town Scottsdale
9. Kierland Commons Summer Concert Series
   Some of Arizona’s hottest bands will entertain every Saturday evening in the center plaza at the Kierland Commons. Before the concert, browse the upscale shops or enjoy dinner at one Kierland Commons’ outstanding restaurants.
   • Dates: Every Saturday evening from June 6 through July 31 (no concert on July 4)
   • Times: 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
   • Location: Kierland Commons Center Plaza
   • Phone: 480-348-1577
10. Enjoy NU at the Heard Museum
    On the third Friday of each month, the Heard Museum offers a new series called NU (Native + You). Visitors can enjoy the museum, outdoor courtyards, Arcadia Farms Café, Berlin Gallery and Shop while enjoying dining, cash bars, a lounge, local bands, DJs and salons with contemporary artists.
    • Dates: Third Friday of every month
    • Times: 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    • Location: Heard Museum
    • Phone: 602-252-8848

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The [almost] week-long celebration of glass art kicks off with a lecture on world-renowned glass artist Lino Tagliapietra at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) on Wednesday, March 18 at 7:00pm.  Art historian and independent curator Susanne K. Frantz will give a comprehensive overview of Tagliapietra’s life and career and will showcase his evolution as artist, designer, craftsperson and educator, as well as his influence on international studio glass.  Tickets are $7 for SMoCA and Arizona Glass Alliance Members and $10 for non-members.  Click here for more information or call 480-994-ARTS to purchase tickets.

After you are armed with information on one of best-known glass artists of all time, continue to indulge your love of glass with Glass Act: A Festival ArtWalk and Tour on Thursday, March 19.  The Glass Act event begins with a private behind-the-scenes tour of the jaw-dropping Dale Chihuly exhibit at Desert Botanical Garden.  Total tour time is 1:00 – 7:00pm and tickets are priced at $65 each.  The tour will be conducted by Ultimate Art & Cultural Tours and includes transportation to and from the garden, admittance into the garden, and private glass-art receptions at three prominent Scottsdale galleries. 

After the private tour, the Glass Act event will continue with a Festival ArtWalk in the Downtown Scottsdale Arts District.  This special ArtWalk features exhibits by more than 30 renowned glass artists at participating galleries. There will also be live entertainment and flame working demonstrations along the streets that will add to the festival atmosphere.  This part of the Glass Act event is free and runs from 7:00 – 9:00 pm.  Click here for a list of participating galleries, artists and demonstrations.

You do not have to attend one part of the Glass Act event to participate in the other but, if you are a true glass lover (or aspire to be one), my recommendation is that you simply cannot miss either.

Segway into the weekend with the 39th Annual Scottsdale Arts Festival, which is consistently ranked as one of the top arts festivals in the country.  The festival takes place Friday, March 20 – Sunday, March 22 at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall and showcases 200 artists selected by jury from a pool of nearly 1,000 applicants. Participating artists come from throughout the United States and Canada and work in all media, from ceramic, glass (your new favorite, right???), jewelry, metals and textiles to painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking and drawing. Visitors have the opportunity to meet and talk to each artist and buy works of art directly from them.  Click here for more information about the Scottsdale Arts Festival.

With all of the great glass and art events taking place in Scottsdale in the next week (never mind the fantastic weather we should be experiencing!), there’s no reason to not get out and experience the thriving Scottsdale Arts District.  Enjoy!

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The evening was centered around “Flip a Strip“, an architectural design competition-turned-exhibition, organized by Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA).  This competition attracted 175 entries from 11 different countries.  Participants were asked to submit redesign concepts for pre-existing strip malls (one site each was selected by Phoenix, Tempe and Scottsdale).  The resulting exhibition features mock-ups and finished presentations created especially for the occasion by a total of the top ten finalists. 

The exhibit is fantastic, and gives viewers a good understanding of some very sustainable (and economically viable) proposals for redesigning strip malls.  If you’re into architecture, sustainability or are just interested in seeing new concepts for familiar strip malls, then this exhibit is a must-see for you.  An important note – the competition was theoretical, intended solely to solicit inspiring ideas and not to be built.

In addition to the “Flip a Strip” exhibit, there are two other exhibits on display at SMoCA this fall.  Both are as equally intriguing as “Flip A Strip”, but offer completely different options for viewing modern art.

The first, a photography exhibit by Pedro Meyer, focuses on human interest issues.  And, because I can’t describe it any better, here is some info from the press release:

Pedro Meyer was one of the first photographers in the world to experiment with the digital manipulation of imagery in the early 1990s. His photographs were initially considered an affront to documentary traditions and to the esteemed history of “straight” photography in Mexico. Meyer consistently tests the limits of truth, fiction and reality. He often combines photographic elements from disparate times and places to arrive at a different or higher truth. His oft-expressed contention that all photographs – digitally manipulated or not – are equally “true” and “untrue” has been labeled “heretical” by the orthodox documentary photography community, no matter how forward-thinking his activity has proven to be from the perspective of the 21st century.

The last exhibit, Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting was probably my personal favorite simply because it is so different.  This exhibit features how contemporary artists transform the age-old tradition of knitting.  There is a dress knit from dollar bills; tiny, intricate socks; a floor to ceiling ‘wall’ of lace and shoelaces; an oriental rug that has been transformed…27 artists in all.  I love the diversity of this exhibit.  It’s really fun to see what these artists can do with lace, and interpretations of knitting.

All three exhibits run through mid-January 2009.  Be sure to get over to SMoCA this fall to see the exhibits that kick off their 10th Anniversary season

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