Behold Bart Turner, mainstay of the Glendale Arts Council. In this photo he is in the act of bucking the tradition of not making any presentations nor announcements during Opening Night of the annual art show, and I’m glad. Among other comments, he gave some history of the show, whose first incarnation was in 1963, and outside, and used clothesline to display some of the artwork. Later I asked him for a one-sentence quote for blog publication. His charming companion said, “Bart doesn’t do one-sentence quotations…” but after some thought Mr. Turner said, wisely and accurately: “Our show is a favorite of Arizona artists.” He then added, “Tell them to Like us on Facebook,” so it turns out his charming companion was right.

Speaking from authority, since I am an Arizona artist, the show IS a favorite of Arizona artists. Each year they pick a juror who has proven herself or himself to be an artistic force to reckon with. After the jurying, a preview opening is held that features not just the juried-in entries, but all entries deemed acceptable for jurying. The venue is the historically significant Sahuaro Ranch Park Fruit Packing Plant. The show lasts about four weeks in what is usually extraordinarily balmy weather for January.

Sorry, Mr. Turner–I am not going to tell my independent-minded readers to Like the show on Facebook. I will, however, invite them to check out the Glendale Arts Council Facebook page for themselves, and will provide this link to do so: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Glendale-Arts-Council/147185502008516

Lastly, since this is and always has been a Blog for the Aggrandizement of Gary W. Bowers, here’s some related me-stuff:

Here’s my “Planes and Plenum.” Note the blue and green stickers. Blue means it’s in the show; Green means it’s getting an honorable mention.

Here is Martin Klass, a man I have known for more than 50 years. Though we are not always friends, for this picture he friendlily and obligingly scrunched a little, while I stood on tiptoe, making me appear to be taller than he. Marty’s mom, Betty, 90 years young and a saint of a woman, was also in attendance.

Here is the young man Marty calls his “nephazoo,” Tom. The name on his tag, Tom Klass, is not the one he was born with, but that’s a long story, untold here. Tom is a caregiver for Betty, and an excellent one at that.

Here are a trio of ladies, 2/3 of whom I have known for a long time. The one in the middle is the brilliant artist Marilyn Michelle Klass, daughter of Marty. To her right is her mother, Dorine; to her left is her friend, Emily, who, though not named after Emily Dickinson, is familiar with that wonderful poem which wonderfully begins, “Hope is the thing with feathers…”

Long story a little longer: it’s a good show, with a wonderful variety of styles, viewpoints, and media, and well worth seeing, and I hope you do.