Semiprecious Stones Coat Kathleen Ryan’s Oversized Sculptures of Rotting Food

Artist Kathleen Ryan creates large-scale sculptures of rotting fruit and food items, meticulously covering them with thousands of semiprecious stones and beads to mimic the textures and colors of mold and decay. Works like "Bad Lemon (Slice of Paradise)" and "Screwdriver" juxtapose luxurious materials like amethyst, turquoise, and serpentine with salvaged metal from vintage cars, creating a dual personality of hidden beauty and grotesque rot.

‘The way the world is, something daft is appealing’ – why everything from pizzas to podcasts has a cartoon character on it

A distinctive cartoon illustration style, rooted in 1920s 'rubber hose' animation and influenced by graffiti, vintage Americana, and underground comics, has become ubiquitous in contemporary branding. This aesthetic, characterized by exaggerated, jointless limbs and friendly faces, now adorns everything from independent pizza shops like London's Yard Sale Pizza to wine labels for Top Cuvee, podcasts, and even global fashion collaborations.

Director's Notes with Andrew Nadkarni | Trey Abdella's Miserable Dream

Director’s Notes with Andrew Nadkarni | Trey Abdella’s Miserable Dream

Director Andrew Nadkarni created a short film about artist Trey Abdella, titled "Trey Abdella's Miserable Dream." The film uses the metaphor of a Coney Island roller coaster to explore Abdella's artistic process, moving between his studio and the amusement park to show how he transforms personal memories and Americana into art.

“Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Another World and Yet the Same” at Hamilton College’s Wellin Museum of Art

The Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College is hosting "Jamea Richmond-Edwards: Another World and Yet the Same," a major solo exhibition featuring the work of the Detroit-born artist. The show highlights Richmond-Edwards’ signature large-scale collages and immersive installations that blend fashion, mythology, and personal history to explore Black Americana and Afro-futurism.

Fairfield University Art Museum to host lecture "Florine Stettheimer and Americana"

The Fairfield University Art Museum is set to host a specialized lecture titled "Florine Stettheimer and Americana," focusing on the life and legacy of the influential Jazz Age artist. The presentation will explore Stettheimer’s unique aesthetic, which blended high-society portraiture with a distinctively American folk-art sensibility, and her role within the avant-garde circles of early 20th-century New York.

Springfield couple sharing Route 66 artwork for centennial kickoff

Photographers Randy Bacon and Heidi Herrman-Bacon have launched their first collaborative exhibition, "Two Voices, One Road," at the C-Art Gallery in Springfield. The show features 37 black-and-white photographs and 18 mixed-media works that document the architecture and human history of Route 66. While Randy Bacon focuses on the soulful portraiture of desolate structures and signs, Heidi Herrman-Bacon utilizes vintage handkerchiefs and photography to highlight the often-overlooked contributions of women who maintained the diners and motels along the historic highway.

Must-See Events and Exhibits at Scottsdale Arts

Scottsdale Arts has unveiled a diverse spring lineup of programming across its various venues, featuring a mix of milestone celebrations, contemporary exhibitions, and community events. Highlights include the 50th-anniversary ARTrageous Gala on April 11, the opening of Nancy Kravetz’s solo exhibition, and the 20th anniversary of Cycle the Arts, a citywide public art bicycle tour. The schedule also integrates performing arts with appearances by Americana musicians Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors and a showcase of Arizona-based choreographers.

Route 66, a ‘Linear Museum Stretched Across Eight States,’ Turns 100

Cultural institutions across the United States are launching a series of exhibitions and preservation projects to commemorate the centennial of Route 66. From the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History to local galleries along the 2,448-mile corridor, these programs examine the highway's evolution from a vital migration artery to a kitschy symbol of Americana. The initiatives aim to provide a nuanced look at the road’s history, including the experiences of marginalized travelers who relied on the Green Book to navigate segregated landscapes.

Dreamlike visions, Southwest scenes set for Newport Beach library exhibits

The Newport Beach City Arts Commission has selected artists Jim Doody and Elena Kealy for upcoming solo exhibitions at the Newport Beach Central Library. Kealy, a self-taught painter and former mechanical engineer, is recognized for her whimsical, dreamlike oil paintings featuring female figures and vibrant atmospheric light, including her award-winning work "Bliss." Doody specializes in emotive depictions of the American Southwest, capturing iconic Route 66 Americana, Spanish Missions, and desert landscapes through a style that emphasizes the play of light on architecture.