The main branch of the Phoenix Library is holding, “El Amor de Frida,” a free art exhibition (through 7/26) in honor of Frida Kahlo’s birthday.

We went and checked it out yesterday.

The works, created by members of the Phoenix Fridas collective and other local artists, are inspired by the life, beliefs, and words of Frida Kahlo. An oversized statue of the Mexican painter marks the front of the exhibit, which also features mixed media, sculptures of wire and glass, painted plates, jewelry, and a portrait made from seed beads.

It’s another great example of art in libraries!

A video posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Jul 19, 2015 at 7:10pm PDT

(If you can’t see the short video I posted of the glass elevator ride, check it out on my Instagram.)

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I keep coming across neat cactus-related ideas and thought you guys would like to check these out.

1. Paper

Simple yet fabulous-looking paper cacti project via The House That Lars Built!

2. Plastic

Plastic bottle cacti by Veronika Richterová. While she has special processes for creating her cactus art, it’d be fun to try making a simpler version of these.

3. Planters

We featured these upcycled water bottle planters by A Beautiful Mess on our Facebook page in a Try Today Friday post, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t miss them!

4. Pincushion

Sewing Lab has a tutorial for a cute stuffed fabric cactus that’s the perfect place for pins and needles.

5. Possibilities

C2C Gallery in Grand Haven, Michigan suggests using cactus seeds in artwork. What they had in mind were Helen Otterson’s botanical-inspired ceramics. (Like Succulent Blossom.) But it made me wonder about using seeds in collage to add some depth and texture.

Have you ever created something inspired by cactus or using actual parts of a cactus plant?

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Top photo taken by me at The Farm at South Mountain. Other photos via their respective sites.

Tag: mixed media

El Amor de Frida in a Phoenix Library

Cactus Craft

1. Paper

2. Plastic

3. Planters

4. Pincushion

5. Possibilities