Fine Art in the Garden @ Shermer Art Center

I have been looking into taking painting classes, so when I heard about the Shermer Art Center's Fine Art in the Garden, I thought I would check out their art festival and also their art classes.  I talked to some of their teachers and students, and also saw their beautiful works of art.  A very nice man even stopped me before getting into my car, and offered to show me the studios where the classes take place.  This is definitely a place where I will take some painting classes...if not now...then some day soon.

Trio Three-Eighty

I don't always blog about everything I see or do during the week because I have done it, seen it, or heard it before.  I don't feel the need to repeat myself in my blogging diary with every Artist Date...especially repeat ones.   But not this time.  I heard once again the fabulous Trio Three-Eighty perform at the Mayo Clinic this week.  I heard them just this past December, but they are definitely worth mentioning again in my blogging diary of Artist Dates.  They are just sensational, and I could listen to them play every week. 

They told us how they got their start and their name.  The three of them started playing at Norstram Department Store in Scottsdale Fashion Square.  When asked what name they go by...they just used the Norstram's store number at Fashion Square which is #380.

Mesa Festival of Creativity

Ventured to Mesa for their Festival of Creativity.  The BIG attraction there was MIRAZOZO by Architects of Air.   Roaming around inside of this was a total trip.  Now I only wish I had gone in there after dinner and a few cocktails.  It would have been even trippier.

We also heard Mass Ensemble perform on their giant Earth Harp which was strung to the Ikeda Theater.

Unfortunately Joseph "Sentrock" Perez, the guy who creates large painted canvases while break dancing wasn't there the day I visited.  Last week I saw a painter who paints by kissing the canvas, now a guy who paints by breaking on a canvas...I guess using an old paint brush is dead.  That's why it's called the Festival of Creativity.

The Phoenix Lights 15th Anniversary Celebration

I attended for the first time The Phoenix Lights annual celebration where they screen the documentary and have special guests speakers from the cast, and have a Q&A session.  I actually know someone who is in the documentary, and who was there at today's celebration.  It's truly a 'celebration' because events like this help awaken the sleeping humans to higher levels of awareness.  Kind of like when we as humans learned the Earth is not flat, and the Sun doesn't revolve around us.  This is just another one of those wake-up calls, but hard for the unaware to swallow.  I am WAY beyond 'are UFO's real.'   I am one of 'those' who is trying to figure out which star system I am from originally.  :-)

                   

Scottsdale Arts Festival

What a fabulous weekend for an art fair.  I had a great time walking around this weekend with this wonderful weather soaking up the sun plus all the great works by talented artists, and listening to some of the areas better bands.  Sun, Art, Music...who can ask for anything more.

Now that I have been painting myself with just ordinary paint brushes, I found Natalie Irish...the Kissing Artist to be phenomenal.  She puts lipstick on her lips, and then paints a picture by kissing the canvas.  WOW!  Something you need to see for yourself.  Truly remarkable.

More Music ~ More Art ~ More Fun

Paula Provo

Sculpture Courtyard
Celebration of Fine Art

This week I heard Paula Provo play the harp at the Atrium Music Concert and went back to The Celebration of Fine Art. 

Crazy for You @ Fountain Hills Theatre

I spent another delightfully entertaining afternoon at the Fountain Hills Theatre seeing their latest production, Crazy for You.  The stellar cast sang and danced their hearts out.

I have seen now so many local community theatre productions with so many talented actors and actresses that I now play a game...where have I seen you before?  I'll wait to read the program with who's in the cast until the intermission.  This way I can play...where have I seen you before?    From the 20-person cast, I have seen 16 of these actors/actresses before perform in local community theatre productions. I was stumped on a few where I went...oh yah...I saw you in that one.

Carefree Sunday @ The el Pedregal

Cornelius Bishop
Lead Singer

Another 'perfect' weather day on Sunday.  Headed up to the el Pedgral for their first concert of the new season.  They now call their concerts series, Carefree Sundays.  The always fabulous R & B group, Silhouette performed, and they had the place on their feet dancing, dancing, dancing.  In all the years I have gone up to the el Pedregal for their concerts, I never saw so many people dancing.  Everyone had a great time.

Later on Sunday, I watched the Academy Awards...with a Leoless Best Actor nominee.  I was sad Leonardo DiCaprio wasn't nominated for Best Actor.  I am very happy Jean Dujardin won for The Artist... he deserved the award.  I would have been also extremely happy if Demian Birchir won for his stellar performance in A Better Life.  I liked the film A Better Life even more than I liked The Help, probably because it's more relevant to today's 'help,' and the problems they face.

Fountain Hills Great Fair

On Friday I headed over to Fountain Hills Great Fair.  It was a 'perfect' weather day, and I could have strolled along the streets gawking at all the artwork all day long. I saw a few new artists whose work I loved, and made sure I told them just that.

Coffee at Kerr

On Wednesday I went to Coffee at Kerr Cultural Center to hear Arizona Opera perform and discuss their upcoming Opera, AIDA.  I have never been to one of these free events at the Kerr.  I decided to check this out instead of going to my weekly Atrium Concerts.  The place was pretty packed, and I sat with a snowbird couple from Illinois, so we had a lot in common to discuss.  I will definitely be checking out more events like this at the Kerr.



Atrium Music Concert with Lyra

I enjoyed another midweek concert hearing the husband and wife team, Lyra.  The sweet sounds of the classical guitar and violin were just what I needed hearing this week.  Beautiful...just beautiful. 

Sunday A'Fair - AZ ROCKS! Arizona Centennial Celebration

I spent my Sunday afternoon at Scottsdale's Sunday A'Fair celebrating Arizona's Centennial.  The day was a bit cooler than Saturday, but still a great day to sit out on the lawn and listen to great music.  The first band up was The Persuaders, and then Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns blew away the large crowd. 

They announced at the break that they were going to have a very special surprise guest.  I said to myself, "Please! Please! Don't let it be Sheriff Arpaio or Governor Jan Brewer."  Thank goodness it wasn't either of them.  :-)  The surprise guest turned out to be 14-year old Joey Hudy who designed the Marshmallow Cannon and showed it off to President Obama.  He demonstrated how his marshmallow cannon works.  He truly was a delightful and special surprise guest.



Parada del Sol Parade

One thing I love about The Artist Way is that it gets you off your butt to do things you have not done before, and also it encourages you to bring out your "inner child."  Well I did both today!  I went and took my inner child to the Parada del Sol Parade.  I have lived in Scottsdale for 14 years, and have never been to the Parada del Sol Parade.  I went to the rodeo ten years ago, but never the parade.  Well that changed today.  I got down to Old Town Scottsdale early this morning and browsed around the Farmer's Market, then got a good place on the street to watch the parade.  I now call the parade a "dog and pony show" with lots of kids.  :-)  There were lots of horses, plus a lot of dogs...the Golden Retrievers were just so cute, espeically the ones wearing the hats.  Plus there were plenty of kids marching, playing in the bands, and twirling.  The kids were so cute too, but not as cute as the Goldens.  lol

After the parade I went to see Native Trails perform once again.  Then I headed over to the Trails End street party where there was food, live Country music with so many cowboys dancing, bull riding, pony rides and a kid zone.  I wore the most Western shirt I own, but the REAL cowboys were out and about today.  It was a GREAT people watching day. After that I walked over to the Made in Arizona Art Fest and browsed around there for a little bit. 

My inner child had a lot of fun today.  I can't even remember when was the last time I went to a parade.  Now I think my inner child needs some ice cream.  :-)

An Evening of Romance with the Phoenix Opera

Last night hubby and I went to the Musical Instrument Theater to hear the Phoenix Opera perform much loved Broadway love songs to celebrate the romance of Valentine's Day.  They sang songs from Gershwin, Porter, Bernstein, Webber, and many more.  They finished the performance with the classic Beatle tune, All You Need Is Love.  What a LOVELY evening!  
                                                                                    

Walt Richardson and Tim Sadow

Walt Richardson



 Today I went over to Mayo Hospital for their Atrium Music Concert and heard Walt Richardson and Tim Sadow.  I usually go to Mayo Clinic on Wednesday, but my husband has other plans for me on Wednesday.  And since I missed last weeks concert I definitely didn't want to miss another one.  I have heard Walt Richardson sing and play before with his band The Peaceful Warriors at Scottsdale's Sunday A'Fair, and have always enjoyed his performances.  Adding the violin playing of Tim Sadow along with Walt truly made it worth my drive over to the hospital.





Tim Sadow





 

After the concert I headed back to the Arizone Fine Art Expo, and then onto the Celebration of Fine Art. 

A little music...a little art...makes a perfect day!

.