This alley is very busy, as far as art goes, and has a lot going on. It is almost overwhelming…read more Murals runs the full length of the alley and is very vibrant and colorful. It spans between 1st and 2nd Streets and Adams and Washington Streets. A large portion of the alley pays tribute to Latino icons. This was a herculean effort led by the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center (ALAC), with help from the Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Phoenix Convention Center, and Latinos Now. When they say that it takes a village, that it an understatement when it comes to this area. The alley features work from many local artist including Jose Andres Giron, Roman P. Reyes, Carlos Rivas, Ramon Aguirre, Edgar Fernandez, Elizabeth Toledo, Alfred Bilducia, Noreen Ayonayon, Tavo Barrios, Angel Diaz, Karlito Espinosa, Ivan Garcia, Luis Munoz, Edgar Munoz, Raul Rodriquez, Rey Lugo and Catyana Falsetti. This alley really grabs you and draws you in. The mural is on the backside of a parking garage and faces the back of some local business and has a good view of their dumpsters. Some notable images that I saw in the alley were the Virgin Mary, a rose, a portrait of U.S. Army Private First Class Silvestre Santana Herrera, who was presented the Medal of Honor during World War II, there arew a bunch of flowers, R2D2, Lalo Guerrero, American guitarist, singer and farm labor activist, a phoenix, a horse head, Larry Fitzgerald of the Arizona Cardinals, in Uniform and Carlos Santana, That is just a fraction of the images of art in the alley. It is something that you just have to see. You will notice the different styles of murals that make up the collection and also different skill levels of the artist. Most of the work is pretty good, but some of them are notable better than others. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance from the alley if you want to park, get out and take a closer look. This is definitely not a destination stop, so I would highly recommend combining this with other stops or making this part of a larger itinerary.

Over the years, I have visited the ASU Downtown Phoenix Campus and Civic Space Park on a regular…read morebasis. While there have been different people, different roles, and even different buildings, one consistency has been the "Her Secret is Patience" sculpture in the park. In fact, almost 13 years ago, I even did a photo shoot under the sculpture. The sculpture is in the Civic Space Park, where there is a nice, grassy area, some tables, and chairs right next to the US Post Office and ASU Student Center. I have seen groups of students and even community members holding events in the park either in front of the Student Center entrance at the tables and chairs (gatherings by students or staff), on the grassy lawn area (community members playing soccer, frisbee, or having a picnic), or even on the south side of the walkway (though the lighting wasn't very good in the evening in that area). "Her Secret Is Patience" is a public art sculpture commission designed by artist Janet Echelman for the City of Phoenix. The sculpture consists of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and colored lights. It is 145 feet tall and suspended as an aerial sculpture. It is monumental yet soft, fixed in place but constantly in motion. It dances gently in the air, choreographed by the flux of desert winds. During the day, the sculpture hovers high above heads, treetops, and buildings. The sculpture creates what the artist calls "shadow drawings," which she says are inspired by Phoenix's cloud shadows that captivated her from the first site visit. At night, the illumination changes color gradually through the seasons. The goal in selecting the colors is to provide residents some small climate relief through color, adding cool hues in summer, and warm tones in winter. The lighting design also changes what portion of the sculpture is illuminated, leaving parts obscured in mystery, much like the phases of the moon. I've heard students and staff at ASU discussing how the artist was supposedly inspired by monsoon cloud formations and the shadows they cast, in addition to forms found in desert flora. Now that I work only a short walk away from the sculpture, I see it almost every day at work!

This is one of the most eye-catching pieces of public art that I have had the pleasure of seeing…read more It is located in the Civic Space Park and is the work of artist Janet Echelman who made the piece in 2009. Echelman got the name of the piece from a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is constructed of painted, galvanized steel, polyester twine netting, and an assortment of ground mounted colored lights that give the nets its color. The piece is not cheap though and costed $2.5 million. The massive piece starts at 38 feet off the ground and extends to 100 feet in the air. To give it more perspective, the piece's largest ring is about 100 feet wide. The piece is intended to resemble a cumulus clouds. However, I see a tornado or jelly fish when I looked at it. It was given the title of Best Public Art by the Phoenix New Times. The wonderful mix of blue, orange and purple just draws you in like a moth to a flame. It is cool to visit during the day, but is amazing at night. The color of the piece changes constantly with the seasons throughout the year. The piece is not without its critics. Many people question the cost of the piece and whether that money could have been used elsewhere. Additionally, the piece's nets and lighting has to be replaced every five years, which makes this piece a gift that keeps on costing. It is unknown how much this periodic maintenance costs the city. This piece has metered street parking located within a reasonable walking distance, as well as commercial parking lots. There is also a train stop right in front of the piece, if you are plan on taking public transportation to get there. I really like this piece. It is a marvel, but I too am a critic of the price tag and reassuring maintenance fee. This piece can rally become the face of the city and one of its iconic images. It is very picturesque and Instagramable. Anyway, as with most public art that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 10 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You can start with Civic Space park, where the piece is located.

The Soleri Bridge is located along the Scottsdale Waterfront. The bridge was a part of the Canal…read moreConvergence art display. The Soleri Bridge is 100 foot long pedestrian bridge connecting the Scottsdale Fashion Square and the Waterfront shops. Covered lot parking in the Fashion Square parking area.

I'm so glad Tempe Blooms returned for another year. The people behind it have created such a…read moreunique, fun event to bring locals and tourists to downtown Tempe and blend them with beautiful floral art, music, and local businesses. There are a couple of parking garages/lots in DT that give you a discounted rate during the event- we paid $10 for the 201 Ash garage, off the light rail. How it works - you meander around DT and look at, experience all the beautiful floral artworks. Downtown Tempe has a couple of stations with staff peppered about DT that provide a map of where things are located. You can go about at your own pace or route. Be aware that people can be a little vicious with trying to get "the shot" #ForTheGram. There are a couple of specific areas with small businesses posted up. We were hoping to make a bouquet at the fresh flower market but by the time we arrived - the line was super long and looked like flowers were picked over. So if that's your priority, go early. We were there no more than 2 hours and had a great afternoon taking in all the sights and sounds (there's live music peppered around too) of Downtown Tempe.

This was a nice event and the weather was perfect! It was a…read morelittle too spread out, but I understand that they want to showcase different businesses. The vendors were well chosen and had some really cool stuff. We did not go to the food area, but nothing beats food trucks!

Sure, I love the LOVE sculpture in Old Town, and I've wondered about some of the statues around,…read morebut until today, when I finally explored the Soleri Bridge and Plaza, I didn't really give the art around my neighborhood much thought. But after venturing down to see the Soleri Bridge and Plaza, I was really impressed, and my experience even prompted me to do a little bit of research on where all of this art comes from. Here's what I found (on the Scottsdale Public Art facebook page): Scottsdale Public Art is a percent for art program of the City of Scottsdale, managed by the Scottsdale Cultural Council, a private nonprofit 501 (c)(3) agency that administers the arts and cultural affairs of the City, as well as the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Interesting, huh? I thought so... and from now on, I'm going to pay a lot more attention to the beautiful public art that surrounds me. Add that to my new year's resolution list! Happy new year, all!

While I am sure one could argue for or against the utility of the Soleri Bridge and Plaza, I will…read morefocus my review on the aesthetics of the structure. While I am not an expert in art or architecture, I really like this bridge. I went to the dedication a couple weeks ago and walked around amongst the throngs of spectators. I heard many comment on how the industrial, silver appearance doesn't really mesh with other old town architectural elements. And that is exactly what I like most about this bridge. It stands apart. It forces your eye to recognize the structure and wonder why it's there, who designed it, and maybe draw you there to walk across. Hopefully, the owners and developers of the surrounding properties will use this piece of public art to their advantage. I want to say to them..."We have built it, and people will come, now what are you going to do about it?" I have hope for the future of Old Town Scottsdale, and works like the Soleri Bridge reinforce that optimism.

This is a nice vibrant mural that is the work of Hugo Medina and Darrin Armijo-Wardle. It was…read morepainted in May 2017 and measures 70 feet high and 50 feet wide. You will find the mural on the side of the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel overlooking a narrow alleyway. The colorful mural has a two-fold meaning. The Adams hotel, which is the predecessor of the Renaissance, burned down in 1910. You can see the image of the Adams hotel in the mural You will also see the image of a woman. That woman is rumored to be Malinda "Malindy" Curtis, (hence the mural's title). Curtis was a local favorite reportedly the madam of a nearby brothel and lived quite a colorful life (hence the mural's colors). I like the color usage in the mural the rainbow hair and accent is awesome. The detail of the hotel is also very good. I really like it. The image of Curtis looks very powerful and determined. I am not sure how I fell about the artwork though. There is metered street parking and commercial parking garages within a reasonable walking distance if you want to get out and take a closer look.. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

Catie's readings are always on point! She has been reading for me for years. She provides excellent…read moreinsight and has a kind and patient energy that is very soothing. I recommend Catie's reading to all of my friends.

I have talked with Cat a few time when wanting clarity in my life. She has been right on point…read moreevery time. I have recommended her to many of my friends who have felt the same.

This wonderful explosion of color is the collaborative work of Jake Early and Quinn Murphy. You…read morewill find it on the side of Majerle's Sports Grill at the end of an area known as Alley of the Arts. The Title of the piece has special meaning. The mural was commissioned by Downtown Phoenix, Majerles and Artlink, a local arts non-profit. It pays homage to Hans Hughes, a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador who was quoted as using the phrase on occasion. Sadly, Hughes was killed in a bicycle accident in 2021. The building that the mural is painted on, the Fry building has some historical significance. It was built in 1885 and before it was Majerle's (named after owner and Phoenix Suns Great Dan Majerle), it was a drug store, meat market and the Plaza Boardinghouse. It has been Majerle's for the past 25 years though. This colorful wall located on the side of was painted by Jake Early and Quinn Murphy. It can be seen while traveling south on Second Street, just past the convention center parking garage. A bright sun is the main focal point, but upon closer inspection, mountains and the Downtown Phoenix skyline appear. The title of the mural, "It's Another Beautiful Day in Downtown Phoenix", is a tribute to, and quote by, Hans Hughes, a Downtown Phoenix Ambassador who was killed in a bicycle accident last year. The colors used in the mural are bold and stunning. It depicts typical phoenix like waterways, corn fields, cactuses, sunflowers, mountains and rock formations. The focal point of the mural is definitely the sun, but if you look really closely, you will see the Phoenix skyline tucked into the mural. I like that they not only use the wall, but surrounding structures including stanchion post, conduit, and power boxes. The mural is abstract and uses a lot of straight lines to bring the picture to life. You won't find many curved lines in this mural. Murphy challenges viewers to "Look at [the mural], like it, see it however you want to see it. It's open to your interpretation. This mural fittingly won the title of Best Mural in 2022 by the Phoenix New Times, which is no small feat because the city is full of amazing murals. I like this mural a lot. You can not help but look at it with its vibrant colors. Parking to get a closer look of this mural is not too difficult. There is metered street parking within a very short walk of the alley that the mural is located. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, such as Alley of the Arts, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

5 stars! The Halloween decorations are amazing! There's so much to see here. It was really fun…read moreto walk this street and see the Halloween decorations at night. We parked at the Fry's grocery store and walked over to the neighborhood. There was definitely a traffic jam of people driving this street to see the decorations and it was definitely hard to find parking close to the area. I'd advise parking a good distance away and just walking in to see it to avoid traffic and parking issues. There are lots of neighbors up and down this street selling snack foods including popcorn, hot dogs, candy, and junk food.

This colorful mural is relatively new and was completed in May of 2022. It is the work of Ashley…read moreMacias and you will find it on the west side of the X Phoenix apartment complex. It is an abstract and very interesting piece, that at first glance to me appeared to dog with two ducks around his neck area with their bills wide open. But it is so much deeper than that, if you look closely, you can see a woman looking to her left with the ducks as her shoulders. Yes, it is an optical illusion along the lines of the classic, do you see and old woman or young lady picture. Macias interpretation of the piece is that it is "a divine connection to nature and mankind (us), our psychological layers and the overlapping constructs of reality and the metaphysical." I will be honest, I thought that the art work was good, but was not really feeling it until I saw the hidden image in the mural. It was a game changer for me. There may even be more. Macias is very talented and the little sample of work that I have seen of hers has been amazing. Her signature style is colorful, abstract pieces that are formed by bringing together random shapes and objects. I like it. Great job and a wonderful addition to the downtown area. Parking to get a closer look of this mural is simple. There is metered street parking in front of and within a very short walk of this mural. It was easy peasy. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.