AMP art walk: making art more accessible

Western Washington University's Arts & Music Productions (AMP) launched a monthly art walk on the first Friday of October, continuing the tradition each month after the closure of the Viking Union Gallery. The event, conceived by AMP supervisor Casey Hayden, aims to introduce students to Bellingham's art scene in a guided, social setting. Skylar Cooney, AMP's visual arts coordinator, leads tours to smaller venues like Bay Street Studios, and the walks have drawn a diverse academic crowd. Participating galleries, such as Voxel Gallery, report increased foot traffic and community engagement, while local artists and professors like Garth Amundson emphasize the importance of free, accessible events for fostering inclusion.

Art of the Vineyard Tasting Gallery Opens in Downtown Paso Robles

Art of the Vineyard Tasting Gallery has opened in downtown Paso Robles, California, at 840 13th Street. The 1,500-square-foot venue combines estate wine tasting from Carmody McKnight Wines with curated fine art exhibitions, live music, open mic nights, and hands-on creative activities like sip-and-paint sessions and artist-led workshops. The gallery features works by local, national, and international artists, including original pieces by Gary Conway, and offers a Collectors Club with wine shipments and limited-edition prints.

月を射る @ KAG

KAG in Tokyo is presenting a group exhibition titled "月を射る" (Shooting the Moon), running from May 19 to August 16, 2026. The show takes its starting point from a prose poem of the same name by Korean poet Yun Dong-ju (1917–1945), who wrote it in 1939 under Japanese colonial rule and later died in a Fukuoka prison. The exhibition spans pre-war and wartime educational films, propaganda, performance, and contemporary fieldwork, featuring works by artists such as Inoue Kan (Lee Byung-woo), Choe Seung-hui, Kamei Fumio, Yoshimi Yasushi, Atsugi Taka, Fujii Hikaru, Yamamoto Seiko, T.T. Takemoto, Morita Reine, Gataro, and Shirakawa Masao. It examines the management models formed by the former empire and the spiritual structure of colonialism that underlies contemporary issues, centering on works that carry the "memory of censorship"—banned, deleted, or denied existence by national, administrative, or social norms.

Two Visitors’ Lions have been established for the Biennale Arte 2026

La Biennale di Venezia has announced the establishment of two Visitors' Lions for the 61st International Art Exhibition, following the resignation of the International Jury appointed by curator Koyo Kouoh. The awards ceremony, originally scheduled for May 9, has been moved to November 22, the final public day, echoing a similar shift during the 2021 Architecture Exhibition due to COVID-19. The Visitors' Lions will be voted on by ticket holders who visit both exhibition venues between May 9 and November 22, with one award for the Best Participant in the exhibition "In Minor Keys" by Koyo Kouoh and another for the Best National Participation.

Tugboat Printshop Marks 20 Years of Making Meticulously Crafted Woodblock Prints

Tugboat Printshop, founded by Valerie Lueth, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The studio specializes in meticulously hand-carved woodblock prints, often using up to five distinct blocks layered with colorful ink to create detailed images of flora and fauna. Editions are typically limited to around 100 prints. To mark the milestone, the shop is offering a limited-time discount on original woodcut prints, and Lueth continues to share behind-the-scenes images on Flickr and Instagram.

NEYRA PÉREZ: RETURN TO ROEBIRI

NEYRA PÉREZ: RETORNO A ROEBIRI

Neyra Pérez, an Iskonawa artist, presents her exhibition "El retorno del Roebiri" at the Centro Cultural Ricardo Palma in Lima, Peru, running until May 9, 2026. The show features her distinctive kené designs, which she creates using natural materials like yakuchapana resin and virgin clay on raw canvas, fixed through sunlight and river washing. The works reference Roebiri, a mountain in the Amazonian Sierra del Divisor that was the ancestral territory of the Iskonawa people, from whom they were displaced in the late 1950s by missionaries and the military. Since 2018, Pérez has been part of a cultural revitalization effort led by anthropologist Carolina Rodríguez to recover these traditional designs and practices.

Face-to-Face: Nalini Sharma Talks MFA Boston’s “Divine Color” Exhibition and the Power of Indian Art

Nalini Sharma, an art patron and honorary member of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston's Board of Advisors, discusses the museum's exhibition "Divine Color: Hindu Prints from Modern Bengal" in an exclusive video interview. The show, supported by Nalini and Raj Sharma, features nearly 40 vibrant lithographs and over 100 objects including prints, paintings, sculptures, and textiles, exploring Hindu devotional prints from 19th-century Calcutta (now Kolkata). It is the first U.S. exhibition devoted to these works, which were mass-produced using lithographic technology and deeply embedded in daily life across India and the diaspora.

Catch a wave to RAM for new exhibit

The Bakersfield Museum of Art (RAM) has opened a new exhibition titled "Catch a Wave," featuring works that explore themes of water, movement, and coastal culture. The show includes paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces by regional and national artists, aiming to evoke the sensory experience of being near the ocean.

Get Happy at Casa Ramos Art Gallery

Casa Ramos Art Gallery in Los Osos, California, will open a group exhibition titled “Happy” on May 2, featuring new works by eight Central Coast artists: John Ramos, Mike Golling, Phillip Lopez, George Jercich, Jon Miller, Adrianne Jenkins, Dan Rider, and Elena Ramos Peffly. The show is curated around themes of happiness, color, and optimism, with pieces spanning painting, ceramics, glass, and jewelry. John Ramos will also debut three new prints at the opening reception, which runs from 2 to 6 p.m. at 1034 Los Osos Valley Road and is free to the public.

National Art Museum presents vibrant exhibition within World Urban Forum [PHOTOS]

The Azerbaijan National Art Museum has opened an exhibition titled 'Chronicle of the City of Winds: Baku in the Works of Artists from the 19th to 21st Centuries,' organized jointly by the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry and the museum. Featuring over 80 works of painting, graphic art, and sculpture, the show traces Baku's historical, architectural, and cultural evolution from the 19th century to the present day. It includes pieces from the museum's collection alongside contemporary works, and is part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), held within the Year of Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan. The opening ceremony featured speeches by Deputy Culture Minister Saadat Yusifova, museum director Shirin Malikova, and People's Artist Salhab Mammadov, as well as a musical performance by Honored Artist Nargiz Karimova and Zumrud Alizade.

The Angular Festival blurs lines between art and music, opening Chennai’s galleries to new audiences

The Angular Festival, curated by Focus Group Radio, takes over four spaces at Palomar by Crossway in Chennai, blending music stages, an art gallery, listening sessions, artist installations, and a makers market. Five artists—Arya, Poorvaja Rathi, BVS, Sasithar, and co-curator Rhea Fabian—present works across painting, sculpture, installation, and film, while musical acts like Komododo, CDV, and The Dipshit Ladies perform on two stages. The event also features listening sessions curated by non-musicians and interactive installations by Television Dust and Abhishek Jayaprakash.

Arts Foundation of Cape Cod offers grants for artists

The Arts Foundation of Cape Cod is now accepting applications for its annual grant program, which funds arts-related projects across Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. Applications must be submitted by May 29, and the program is open to both individual artists and organizations, with a focus on innovative projects that increase access to the arts and enhance community engagement.

Art gallery to open in downtown Toledo

Local artist Chris "Chilly" Rodriguez announced the grand opening of Mind and Soul Gallery, set to take place on Saturday, May 16 in the Gardner Building on Madison Avenue in downtown Toledo. The gallery will feature the work of Rodriguez and other local artists, aiming to bring a new creative space to the city's downtown area.

Ormond Memorial Art Museum hosts 'Tradewinds' Seabreeze art show

Ormond Memorial Art Museum is hosting the 2026 'Tradewinds' art show, featuring 138 artworks by Seabreeze High School students. The juried exhibition includes 2D and 3D pieces created in media such as acrylic, ceramic, clay, colored pencil, and glass, with awards distributed at a May 7 reception. The show runs through May 24 and was judged by museum guest curator Ruth Grim.

Art-Science Undisciplined: A Playbook for Transformative Collaboration

Artist Janani Balasubramanian and astrophysicist Natalie Gosnell have co-authored a book titled "Art-Science Undisciplined: A Playbook for Transformative Collaboration," published by the University of California Press. The book reimagines collaboration between art and science as a shared, values-based practice rooted in curiosity, experimentation, and joy, rather than treating them as separate disciplines. It draws from the authors' own partnership and the experiences of other interdisciplinary creators, offering practical strategies for building relationships based on mutual respect, trust, and imagination, while addressing real-world constraints like institutional demands and limited resources.

Thomas Duffield documents a father-son relationship after years of estrangement

Thomas Duffield, a photographer, has created a body of work documenting his relationship with his father after years of estrangement. The project captures their gradual reconnection, moving beyond superficial conversation to address deeper, unspoken tensions. Duffield's images explore the emotional landscape of rebuilding a father-son bond, using photography as a tool for reconciliation and understanding.

New art gallery brings fresh perspective to Madrona

A new art gallery called Dirkse/Prim has opened in Seattle's Madrona neighborhood, founded by married couple Michelle and Jeremy. Michelle works as an interior designer, while Jeremy is a painter of seascapes. Their debut exhibition features the work of another husband-and-wife duo, Mya Kerner and Zach Helenske, whose art is inspired by their 40-acre farm in Pennsylvania. The gallery aims to offer a warm, welcoming alternative to traditional white-box spaces, emphasizing community and approachability.

Disney artist debuts new art gallery in Las Vegas

Award-winning Disney artist Chris Dellorco is making special appearances at the Animazing Gallery in the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend. The event showcases his original paintings and limited editions from his 25-year fine art career, alongside the Las Vegas debut of his new rock and roll themed art. Dellorco will paint live at the gallery on May 22 and 23.

Local art exhibition brings mental health into focus through collaboration

A new art exhibition called "TWOgether" has opened at Spare Room Gallery in Barrie, Ontario, running for a month during Mental Health Awareness Month. Curated by Sean William Dawson and Katie Green, the show pairs 12 emerging artists with 10 established artists from Simcoe County to create collaborative works exploring mental health. The project includes a limited-edition art catalogue of 200 signed copies, with 100% of sales proceeds going to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). A public reception and catalogue launch is scheduled for May 22, and the exhibition also features a panel discussion series titled Start Making Sense.

St. Pete multimedia artist Cato Galen is one of the region’s rising talents

St. Petersburg multimedia artist Cato Galen is profiled for their wide-ranging creative practice, which includes curating immersive installations, writing music, leading workshops, and creating spaces for reflection at festivals. Galen's recent projects include a virtual gallery for How Bazar's “Memories and Fortunes” exhibition in Tampa and the Decompression Space at the Big Culture and Arts Festival in Gainesville, where QR codes merged physical and digital experiences to improve accessibility. Galen also performs music under the name Creating Cato, produces a zine series called “Guide for Blocked Artists,” and hosts a gathering called “Artist Block.”

Maintenance Work Brings Together Artists Examining Care as Process

Maintenance Work: Practices of Care, an exhibition opening at The Good Rice Gallery, brings together artists working across installation, performance, video, and sculpture. Curated by Berenice Berlan and Sowon Kim, the show features works from 18 artists including Abeer Al-Tamimi, Flavia Carolina D’Alessandro, and Jieyi Chen, exploring maintenance not as a finished act but as an ongoing process shaped by care, repetition, and attention. The exhibition runs from 21st to 24th May 2026, with a private view on 21st May.

Photos | Artists go ‘beyond the frame’ at Pajaro Valley Arts printmaking exhibit

The Pajaro Valley Arts gallery in Watsonville is hosting a new exhibition titled "Over the Edge: Printmaking Without Limits," curated by Jane Gregorius and Katherine Levin-Lau. The show features works by 30 local artists using techniques such as woodcut, linocut, screen printing, etching, monotype, and jelly prints, with an emphasis on pushing prints beyond traditional flat formats through cutting, folding, layering, and installation. The exhibition runs from May 26 to July 11, with a public reception on May 30, and includes free workshops like Kitchen Table Printmaking and Trace Monotype.

San Miguel Art Show Turns Color Into Social Debate

An art show in San Miguel de Allende has sparked public debate after featuring works that use color as a vehicle for social commentary. The exhibition, which includes pieces by local and national artists, explores themes of identity, inequality, and cultural heritage through bold chromatic choices, drawing both praise and criticism from viewers and cultural commentators.

Arthropod art exhibition at Waikato Museum puts colourful critters in the spotlight

Waikato Museum in New Zealand has opened a new exhibition titled "Arthropod art," which showcases colorful insects and other arthropods as the central subjects of artistic works. The show highlights the beauty and diversity of these creatures through various artistic mediums, aiming to draw attention to their often-overlooked aesthetic qualities.

The Returning Artists Guild

The Blue House Gallery in Dayton, Ohio, will host "Imagining Abolition: State Blues," a group exhibition presented by The Returning Artists Guild (RAG), an abolitionist collective of directly-impacted practicing artists from Ohio and beyond. The exhibition opens on June 13, 2026, with a reception from 6-9pm, and runs through July 13, 2026, with open hours on Fridays from 4-6pm or by appointment.

Queer Artists Take Center Stage at Art VallARTa for Pride 2026 Exhibition

Art VallARTa, an art fair in Puerto Vallarta, has announced a special exhibition titled "Queer Artists Take Center Stage at Art VallARTa for Pride 2026 Exhibition," which will spotlight LGBTQ+ artists during Pride Month 2026. The fair aims to feature works by queer and allied artists, celebrating diversity and inclusion within the visual arts.

The World of Emerging Forms

Japan Osaka Art Gallery TIME is presenting a group exhibition titled "The World of Emerging Forms," running from January 15 to January 29, 2025. The show features works by artists IWACO, Taro Mizushima, Marin, and HISATO, who explore forms derived from memory, emotion, and inner sensation through painting and sculpture, aiming to create a quiet dialogue between diverse expressions and the viewer's imagination.

'Do or die': Flick's journey from jail to artist and First Nations mentor

Flick Chafer-Smith, a First Nations artist, turned her life around after being incarcerated on her 18th birthday and spending six years in and out of prison due to drug addiction. Through the Victorian Indigenous arts program The Torch, she discovered painting as a means of expression and healing. She is now among 424 artists featured in Confined 17, an annual exhibition at Glen Eira Town Hall showcasing works by First Nations artists with lived experience of incarceration in Victoria. The exhibition includes paintings, weavings, ceramics, and carved emu eggs, with sales proceeds going directly to the artists.

Icelandic artist Roza Gisladottir to hold first solo exhibition in Yerevan

Icelandic artist Roza Gisladottir will hold her first solo exhibition in Armenia, titled *Reflection of Time*, opening May 11 at the Centre for Contemporary Art (HayArt Centre) in Yerevan. The show features 23 works, including sculptures and photographs, with five large-scale installations placed along Mashtots Avenue and Saryan Street at the “Art Crossroads.” Gisladottir is donating five works to the museum’s permanent collection. The exhibition is supported by the Yerevan Municipality and the Honorary Consulate of Iceland in Armenia.

Get out: Here's what's happening in Madison County

Mooneyham Art Gallery in Alton, Illinois, will host a dual-artist exhibition titled "Nature Framed and Authenticity Is the New Gimmick" on May 9, featuring new works by professional wrestler and painter Devin "Itchy" Gable alongside wildlife photographer Carol Bock. The event includes dessert from Dolci's Cafe and Bakery and music by Psychedelic Symphony, and is free and open to the public.