"Roots #1" by Cecilia Sandoval
Though the nexus of First and Third Fridays is typically at the corner of 5th and Roosevelt streets, it’s easy to get sensory overload and lose sight of some great art right under your nose. With the hectic level turned down a few notches on Third Friday, now is the time to check out one of Downtown Phoenix’s most consistent venues and its budding stars. five15 arts never skimps on an art show, and this month’s show is no different. Cecilia Sandoval’s “From Roots to Ridiculous” is a bold yet simplistic take on a childhood game that left a lasting impression.
“When I was young, my brothers and I played a game with my father where we’d pass around a sheet of paper, make a scribble, either make a drawing out of it or add a scribble and pass it to the next person,” Sandoval recalls. “It was a fun game and it allowed for the imagination to run wild. With this body of work, I have attempted to recreate this process to find unplanned imagery.”
The fun Sandoval had creating this project is evident in the final products: bright, swooping layers of charcoal and oil paints on hardwood, resulting in imagery you’d think only a child’s mind could recreate. Maybe Sandoval has some further inspiration: After studying design in Italy, Switzerland and Germany and receiving a painting degree from ASU, Sandoval is experiencing the joys of being a new mother.
five15 arts (602.256.0150) is located at 515 E. Roosevelt St. in Evans Churchill — light rail station at Central/Roosevelt. Sandoval’s Third Friday reception runs from 5-9 p.m.
