Whether it was to purchase a gift for a friend, gaze at pieces of artwork or to take a final stroll through the Revolver Records store, hundreds of people lined the streets of Roosevelt Row on Friday night to take in the local arts and culture of the First Friday Art Walk.
Phoenix residents and visitors alike come together on the first Friday night of every month to explore and enjoy the local art scene on Roosevelt Street. Local painters, jewelers, musicians, food vendors, writers and artists of all trades lined the streets downtown with inviting tents and trucks for visitors to explore as evening fell on February 1.
Treasured music store Revolver Records quickly became the center of the busy scene as it welcomed dozens of faithful customers to its store on the corner of Roosevelt and Second Street. Music lovers of all genres piled into the store’s close quarters to get their hands on any last-minute record, CD, movie or book they could find before the shop closes its doors for good on February 10.
College students, collectors and tourists picked through a wide variety of music, including the works of Pablo Cruise, Michael Bolton, Tom Cochrane and even local musicians.
After browsing through the aisles of Revolver Records, First Friday-goers continued down Roosevelt Street. Visitors made their way past live musical acts and food trucks and toward more booths filled with artistic crafts and trinkets.
Tucked away behind her table on Second Street, local oil painter Sydnee Freeman laid out her unique artwork for people to observe and purchase.
“They’re very voluptuous and colorful,” Freeman said when asked about her pieces. “I just want to celebrate women more.” Her oil paintings often depicted a woman’s figure and emphasized its natural beauty through a widespread array of colors.
The distinctive creations of local craftsman Patrick O’Brien drew an intrigued crowd around his booth as well.
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“I take items that don’t really have much use anymore and I turn them into touch lamps.” O’Brien said. His tables were lined with vintage cameras, repurposed coffee grinders and other antiques that he transformed into functioning lamps which can be dimmed with the tap of a finger.
Local musician Recker, 8, rocked out near the corner of Roosevelt and Second Street during First Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. Recker has been capturing crowds’ attention for over a year, partly due to his young age.
On Feb. 1, First Friday-goers are invited to take the stage and recite poetry at an open mic on Roosevelt Street, and visitors went inside converted shipping crates made into art galleries.
The Art Walk in downtown Phoenix is open for business every first Friday of the month from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m.
Contact the reporter at kdonohu2@asu.edu.
