In 2024, Heidi Dauphin and Laura Spalding Best were paired up to create an installation for Artlink’s Annual Gala at the Phoenix Art Museum. The two initially were uncertain how their practices would mesh as Dauphin is a mixed media/ceramic artist while Best is best known for her found object paintings and murals. However, after their first meeting, they formed an instant connection and friendship. Their conversations lasted for hours, discussing their individual practices. Among the many commonalities between both of their work was their desires to collect objects whether it be personal everyday items or found objects. Each of

Make some friends – literally! Create some cutesy crawlies to carry around with you using clothespins, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes. When you’re done, clip them onto your shirt to show off your new BFF! Everything you need to craft your friend is provided. This is a free, self-led activity for all ages. Children are welcome to participate with assistance from an adult. Registering for a time slot helps us plan, but drop-ins are welcome! RSVP

Have fun and make art in this spooky and relaxed class for adults! Get into the fall spirit with this fun ceramics class for beginners! Participants will learn how to make and join pinch pots into closed forms, then shape them into pumpkin luminarias of their own design. All materials included; instructor will glaze, fire, and return completed projects at a later date. Led by Kathleen Escobedo. This casual 3 hour class doesn’t require any prior knowledge or skill, and all materials are included in the $35 class fee. This class is for adults 18 and older. TICKETS

Inspired by our current exhibition, “The Collectionists,” transform trash into treasure! Stop by Vision Gallery to make a bottlecap magnet using collage, beads, and other found objects. When you’re done, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind creation to display on your fridge! This is a free, self-led activity for all ages. Children are welcome to participate with assistance from an adult. Registering for a time slot helps us plan, but drop-ins are welcome! REGISTER

How do you bring scientific thought to life? How do you explain the mystics of the world in a tangible way? These are some of the questions that Valerie Navarrete is grappling with in her newest body of work. Navarrete has always had a profound love for both the arts and sciences. In college, she double majored in painting and molecular cellular developmental biology. In her graduate program, Navarrete began researching epigenetics, the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect how your genes work. It was through this research that she discovered CH Waddington, a scientist

This exhibition considers how textiles build meaning through softness, layers, mark making, and time—honoring processes often coded as feminine while welcoming all makers and interpretations—honoring voices often hidden and silenced through the open expression of ideas. Through layering, construction, and stitch, these soft materials may be transformed to challenge hierarchies, elevate overlooked labor, and assert the quiet force of making as an act of presence and power. “This theme resonates with me on a personal level. Having a background in architecture and construction management, I struggle with the conflict between the perceived masculine world of architecture and my artwork. My career