Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA is Coming to Phoenix
Cirque du Soleil‘s production KOOZA comes to the University of Phoenix Stadium starting June 8. Expertly combining the performance company’s award-winning acrobatic elements with the art of clowning, KOOZA tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.
Want free tickets? If you spend more than $100 in the same day at Westgate City Center (including retailer and restaurant gift cards), you’ll receive two free general admission vouchers for the production, plus be automatically entered into a drawing to win a backstage experience package. Sounds like a perfect time to get some shopping done or buy some gift cards in preparation for Mother’s Day.
Vertical Gardens by Patrick Blanc
I recently rediscovered the work of Patrick Blanc, a botanist renowned for his vertical gardens — many of which are located in prominent locations in world-famous cities.
His creations are incredible: gardens that climb the walls of museums, train stations, office buildings, residences and other public spaces. Feats of botanical engineering, they’re inspiring and scientifically interesting. Not to mention, they add a green factor to every one of their locations. Read more
Ballet Arizona Presents “All Balanchine”
Beginning May 31, Ballet Arizona presents its 2011-2012 season finale, All Balanchine, a showcase of masterpieces by one of ballet’s most celebrated choreographers. Performances will take place at at Symphony Hall, along with The Phoenix Symphony, through June 3.
Martinis and Masterpieces
When you call it quits at the end of the workday on Friday, April 27, head to the Martinis & Masterpieces fundraising art event and cocktail party.
Kicking off at 6 p.m. at the Madison Event Center in downtown Phoenix, M&M will include an exhibit of original art and a silent auction featuring artwork by local artists, as well as hors d’oeuvres crafted by some of the Valley’s best-loved restaurants. Read more
Threadless and GAP T-Shirt Challenge
Threadless and GAP have embarked on a very fun partnership for both designers and consumers. Creative types can accept the challenge to design an iconic T-shirt (and win $10,000), which will be sold in GAP stores and online, while the fashionable types get to snag some awesome tees! Read more
Agave on the Rocks Margarita Party
After the shamrocks and the green beer and the pot of gold come and go, you can look forward to the Desert Botanical Garden’s 10th annual Agave on the Rocks margarita party, to be held March 30 from 6 to 10 p.m. Read more
2012 Modern Phoenix Home Tour: Marion Estates
Enthusiasts of architecture, interior design and landscaping will descend upon the Marion Estates neighborhood, situated between Phoenix and Paradise Valley, on Sunday, April 1, for the eighth annual Modern Phoenix Home Tour.
The 2012 tour — which has sold out every year — will include a dozen midcentury homes (and a few contemporary ones) in Marion Estates which were built on a hilly enclave between 1952 and 1962 and feature the work of such architects as Al Beadle, Blaine Drake, Ralph Haver and Charles Schreiber. Vintage cars will also be on display at most locations. Read more
Natalie Irish Paints With Kisses
Artist Natalie Irish, famous for the portraits she creates by “kissing” the canvas, will be in residence at the upcoming Scottsdale Arts Festival, March 9-11.
A video of Irish applying lipstick and then carefully kissing a canvas to produce a likeness of Marilyn Monroe has been viewed more than 500,000 times on YouTube. But attendees of the Scottsdale Arts Festival will have the opportunity to watch Irish at work in person over the course of the three-day event, during which she’ll be exhibiting her works and demonstrating her unique artistic techniques and talents.
Click through to watch the video of Irish creating a portrait of Marilyn Monroe … Read more
Scottsdale Arts Festival
The highly anticipated Scottsdale Arts Festival returns March 9-11 for its 42nd season, presented by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in downtown’s Civic Center Park.
Head to the historic Old Town district to experience works by close to 200 jury-selected artists from the U.S. and Canada, plus live music, gourmet food trucks, a special kids’ activities area and more. Read more
The Brush Bar
You must go try The Brush Bar in downtown Scottsdale! I’m not a painter at all, but I tried this place for the first time last Friday night, and it was a blast.
The studio guides you through the creation of your own painting, from start to finish, stroke by stroke, in a matter of just a few hours. They play great music, your first glass of wine or other beverage is included in your reservation, and the atmosphere is incredibly fun. Plus, at the end of the evening, you have a work of art to take home! Read more
Making of a Cover
Germany company Paperlux made this video called “Making of a Cover,” revealing some of the process behind their creation of the very cool and interactive magazine cover for Novum 11/11. Read more
Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century
Garden Room at Taliesin West
The Frank Lloyd Wright: Organic Architecture for the 21st Century exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum debuted Dec. 18 and will run through April 29, 2012.
According to the museum, the phrase “organic architecture” describes Wright’s “appropriateness to time, place and people — through the current perspective of green building; specifically the concepts of energy, materials, site, climate, space efficiency, prefabricated technology, transportation and urban planning.” Read more
MOMIX: Botanica
photo by Max Pucciariello
I know Ballet Arizona is still in the midst of its performances of The Nutcracker, but I can’t help but already look forward to its January production, MOMIX: Botanica, presented by Ballet Arizona with the Desert Botanical Garden.
The show promises to be weird and wonderful and stunning — like a cross between ballet and something by Cirque du Soleil — with its spectacles set to a score incorporating birdsongs, works by Vivaldi, and other rhythms that reflect the seasons and the passing of time.
Click through to see the preview video for MOMIX: Botanica. Read more
Q&A with Catherine Powers of Inspired Home
Image courtesy of Inspired Home
I have a fun surprise. Today I give you a Q&A with Catherine Powers, the artist/poet/candlemaker (forgive me) powerhouse behind Inspired Home, a boutique artisan-owned company offering the most deliciously scented, handmade luxury soy candles (I might be addicted to the Coconut/Lemongrass combo), as well as a book (soon to be plural) of poetic reflections, and prints of vibrant, limited-edition fine art. And her studio is right here in the Valley!
If Inspired Home isn’t already on your radar, it definitely should be — especially now, while we’re in the months leading up to the holidays. The one-stop-shop could provide you with just the Citrus Spice-scented candles you need to turn your home into a holiday wonderland, not to mention gifts for your relatives (it’s never too early to start shopping for your mother-in-law, right?), plus work colleagues, party hostesses, and others.
So how does Catherine pull off her trifecta of home inspiration? You’ll have to read on to find out. Read more
Kate Spade Book Clutches
Have you seen Kate Spade’s book clutches? Fashion and literature collide in these fun accessories, for which the brand has re-imagined the covers of such beloved classics as Pride & Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Great Expectations, Emma, The Importance of Being Earnest and others.
Each clutch comes with some sparkly 14-karat gold-plated hardware, plenty of pockets (for very thin things), and of course, lots of quirky charm. Read more
