Press

By Kianna Joe Two Indigenous artists paint a new picture of what Native culture and history are, using art pieces their ancestors left for them. Daniel Nez, Diné, celebrated his art exhibit opening, “Fractal Lineage,” at the Chandler Center for the Arts alongside fellow Indigenous artists Jacob Menders, Mechoopda, and Maidu, who celebrated his art exhibit as well, “Familiar Territory,” at Vision Gallery in Chandler, Arizona, Feb. 24. “I feel humbled, this is my first solo show since my MFA (master’s) thesis exhibition, so it’s really nice to see all my bodies of work together, all sharing the same theme, all

By Lynn Trimble Jacob Meders (Mechoopda/Maidu) works in his Phoenix studio to counter historical and contemporary stereotypes of Native Americans through printmaking that addresses issues related to culture, identity, and place. Decommissioned prints from the city’s art collection hang inside Vision Gallery in Chandler, Arizona, where they would have promulgated romanticized white perspectives on Westward expansion and Manifest Destiny if shown before the creative intervention of artist Jacob Meders (Mechoopda/Maidu). Meders revised the prints for his exhibition Familiar Territory, blacking out figures to signal federal policies designed to erase Indigenous cultures and adding gold leaf to reference resource extraction and the impacts of capitalism on

By Mark Brodie KJZZ   "Heidi Dauphin is not a quilter. The Phoenix-area artist specializes in mixed-media studio pieces, but has also done public art and works with a lot of materials. That includes paper, which she used to make a quilt that is part of the exhibit called "Re-Vitalized," which runs through Jan. 7 at Vision Gallery in Chandler." Listen to the full story on KJZZ here.

By Ken Sain San Tan Sun News   "Perhaps the most fitting part of the mural the City of Chandler commissioned to boxing legend Zora Folley is that it’s in Southside Village, not too far from where Folley lived. It’s not quite a stone’s throw away, but “a good golf swing,” said Peter Bugg, the city’s visual arts coordinator. The city dedicated the large mural on the east wall of FLO Yoga & Cycle, 71 E. Frye Road, on Dec. 6, paying tribute to the man who won a Purple Heart fighting in the Korean War, fought Muhammad Ali for the

By Jillian Craig Kenosha News   "Peppur Chambers and Lisa Marie Barber have not met each other, but their worlds have collided in Chandler, Ariz. In recent months, Chambers, a Kenosha native, was appointed to the managing board of the Chandler Cultural Foundation. She is the first performing artist to serve on the board, which provides oversight for the Chandler Center for the Arts. ... The Chandler organization became a nexus of sorts, for another local. Lisa Marie Barber, the University of Wisconsin-Parkside art and design department chair, will have her quilts exhibited in the Chandler Vision Gallery until Jan. 7.

Sofia Krusmark Arizona Republic Excerpt: "'Inward Shift/Outward Gaze' at Vision Gallery in Chandler The first painting started with Phoenix artist Chelsie Tamala going into her friend’s house, setting up camp and telling her to go about daily life. After that, Tamala asked seven other mothers to be a part of the series — a group of moms with all sorts of experiences— and eight paintings later – “Mothers” was born. " Read full article via Arizona Republic

By Srianthi Perera GetOut Contributor Born to an Iranian father and a Mexican mother, Michelle Emami finds identity important. Hence, her artistic creations reflect her particular thinking, experiences and the blend of two cultures. Ten pieces of Emami’s work are on display at The Gallery at CCA in Downtown Chandler in an exhibition titled “Both, Neither and All of the Above: Michelle Emami” through October 15. “The foundation within my work is based on my Mexican and Iranian cultures, but I am constantly questioning the lack of security that both my cultural backgrounds hold within my American culture,” said Emami, who

By Srianthi Perera   Lex Gjurasic wants to radiate happiness in these troubled times. The Tucson artist found the meditative process of creating art a balm during the pandemic isolation and is now displaying her work in an exhibition titled, "Radical Happiness: Lex Gjurasic," at the Chandler Center for the Arts through April 9. Full article via San Tan Sun News here: https://issuu.com/timespub/docs/0116_stsn_news/1?e=8633901/89137674 

By Srianthi Perera   Linda McCurry's art quilt depicts adversity. Years ago, her Gilbert home caught fire around the chimney; the fire burnt downstairs near the fireplace and upstairs through the master bedroom. Her koi fish died in her pond due to the firefighters putting a flame retardant in it. In flaming red, orange, brown and yellow, she traces the story in her quilt titled "From the Ashes." "There was a lot of restoration to do," McCurry said. "You could say from the ashes we rose and came back as strong as we could." Stories such as this are what exhibit

By Tom M. Scanlon   Hark! I hear ...an opening reception… Ah, remember those days of exciting openings, with nervous artists flittering like hummingbirds as friends and fans admire the new art — and hit the free wine and cheese, of course. While some galleries are returning to “business as usual,” others are warily staying online. One Chandler gallery is splitting the difference: an in-person exhibit with an online opening event. Vision Gallery presents two local artists with the colorfully provocative exhibit A Peculiar Nature. These artists skillfully twist nature into unusual situations, drawing out the peculiarities and similarities between humans