Tres Hombres

It was First Friday this evening in Phoenix.  Having missed several previous exhibitions, I wanted to pay my respects to three guys who had openings tonight:  Manny Burruel, Gennaro Garcia and Joe Ray.  First stop was the Phoenix Center for the Arts for the ARTE LATINO EN LA CIUDAD show.   Manny had 4 pieces in the show, our favorite being this one:

Manny Burruel's Mixed Media Monotype

Manny and his wife Janet were at the opening.  Nicest. People. Ever.  I love his art (and their witty repartee on Facebook).  It looked like a nice turnout there as we headed onward.

Next up was

Me, Gennaro, beautiful mer-angel

Joe Ray

De Norte a Sur/From North to South, with collaborative works by Gennaro and Joe.  It was nice to see actual collaborations, rather than just the work of the two artists.  I know Joe Ray has been around for a long time but I just met him last year.  He's open and friendly and real.  Gennaro too is a recent acquaintance.  But you can't find a happier nor busier man.  A new baby and 7 galleries to feed!  Yikes.  My favorite pieces are shown here.   The room was filled with colorful saints and mermaids,  images from your sweetest dreams...by two of the most dapper and dashing men about town.

Top half of huge canvas collaboration.

Esther's Taiko Group

 My companion this evening was Diana Hartley.  We stopped by the Olney Gallery where the Waddells were showing his and her artworks and then we headed to East Roosevelt.  Getting out of the car I heard the tantalizing sound of taiko drums and saw this group hanging on the street corner.   I recognized Esther, the leader of the this motley crew.  I took taiko drumming from her in the 90's.  What fun it was!  I never had the nerve to perform but I loved playing.

On 7th Street, between Butler and Dunlap

We had dinner at Winsor, the new restaurant by the owner of Postino's.  Really good food, across from Postino's on Central.  As I headed home I was dazzled by the lights of a little neighborhood carnival.  Four or five rides, perhaps a fun house and for sure cotton candy.  I put my new Canon S95 camera to use and shot these pics with no flash on the low light setting.  I'm liking this little camera.  It is as simple as you want but capable of doing lots more than just point and shoot.