A couples thing

Sacramento’s Second Saturday art walk has gone a long way in changing this city’s perceptions of what constitutes an art gallery, by placing art in all manner of local businesses—from hair salons to gyms—and by including a fair helping of live music into the evening’s mix. One establishment that blends the model even further is Phantom Galleries, a gallery that, in the end, is more an idea than a venue. Part of the ongoing “uptown experiment” to revitalize the Del Paso Boulevard area, Phantom Galleries is a roving art gallery without any permanent home, something the project prides itself on. Instead, Phantom roosts in unused spaces or, occasionally, real businesses. (The last art show was held in a furniture store.)

On December 11, the gallery will roost at Capoeira Arts Academy with a special Creative Couples show, a project mining the resources of our city’s most creative partnerships. It’s a fine idea: Find local couples who are artists of some kind and utilize their talents for a one-night-only art show and music festival. For example, Olivia Warnecke’s watercolors will be accompanied by the songs of her boyfriend, Skip Allums of Estereo. Allums will be performing songs inspired by, you guessed it, Warnecke’s watercolors. Can you feel the beauty and warmth?

Other performers and artists for the evening include painter Nicole Webber and her boyfriend, guitarist Jason Roberts of local band Nice Monster; the husband-and-wife team of singer-songwriter Scott McChane and internationally known collage artist and Phantom Galleries curator Genie McChane; Tom and Mary Selear (Tom was formerly of the Mac Swanky Trio, and together they’ll be performing drum ’n’ synth music); new local band Postcard Diaries; and photographer Daniel Herrera and model Ashley Harris.

As a gallery experience, it’s a bit different from the regular fare, but that’s part of the charm. Check out www.northsacramentochamber.org or e-mail pgalleries@yahoo.com for more information about Phantom Galleries.