22 SE VALLEY LIVING Z6 WEEKEND » NOVEMBER 28, 2009

Fido’s Holiday Goodies Vending machine in Chandler

gallery dispenses original art
Come
ome
me in todayy to
see our Christmas
and Hanukkah gifts
NOW
W
ONLY
Regularly $39.99
$25
$2 5
for people & pets A carryall with tons of storage
for food, water, bowls, meds,
treats and even a place to put
a family picture on the front.
By Tyler Lockman
The Republic | azcentral.com

Forget candy bars and sodas. Now you

4810 East Ray Road • Suite 5 • 480-785-9499 can stop by the vending machine and buy
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 6pm • Sunday Noon - 5pm an original work of art for less than the
cost of lunch.
Andrews Restaurant Supply This week the Vision Gallery in Chan-
dler unveils its newest installation, the
Art-O-Mat, a vending machine that dis-
• Restaurant Equipment
• Catering Equipment
10% OFF penses original art, and the machine’s
creator will be on hand.
Smallwares Created in 1997 by Winston-Salem,
N.C., artist Clark Whittington, the Art-O-
• Kitchen Supplies China • Glassware Mat utilizes old cigarette vending ma-
Must present offer chines to dispense tiny works of art in
Public Welcome Expires 12/2/09 cellophane-wrapped boxes. More than
80 machines across the U.S., plus one in
Canada and one in Austria, feature the
works of about 400 artists from 11 coun-
tries.
“It looks like a typical vending ma- VISION GALLERY
chine,” said Eric Faulhaber, visual arts What looks like a typical vending machine
coordinator for the gallery. “But when dispenses something that isn’t typical.
you look closer you see all the different

Grand Opening kinds of art inside it.”

Faulhaber said that for $5, buyers get a
token which they insert into the machine
Art-O-Mat
What: An old cigarette machine con-

Phoenix and select from a variety of works. Each

machine features 20 artists, with five
works each. From paintings and sculp-
verted to dispense tiny original works of
art from artists across the world.
When: 6-8 p.m. Wednesday.
tures to jewelry and photos, the varied Where: Vision Gallery, 80 S. San Marcos
Smile Now, Pay Later on Dentures items come in a tiny box about 3 inches by Place, Chandler.
5 inches. Admission: Free. Art works $5.
Whittington was inspired in the late
about
Ask
No down payment Details: 480-917-6859, chandlercente-
No payments ’80s by a friend’s Pavlovian reaction to r.org, artomat.org.
No interest for 12 months* crinkling cellophane snacks — whenever
s*
Enj o

he heard the sound, he wanted a snack,

ent

no
ym
y

in te pa
re s t, n o
too. The original machine in a Winston- has encouraged local artists to apply and

1,000
Salem cafe was stocked with Whitting- thinks a few Chandler artists will be in-
Save up to $ ton’s black and white photos for $1 each. volved soon.
on all Dental and/or Denture Services* “At the time, a lot of my art was based Faulhaber first encountered the ma-
Expires 12/31/09 PD2 on real-life experiences,” Whittington, chine in Sacramento. He bought an art-
34, said. “I was doing some crazy art back work, a miniature robot, and started
then.” thinking about how to bring an Art-O-
The machine was successful and the Mat to Arizona.
NEW PATIENTS
RECEIVE A cafe owner introduced Whittington to a “I’m really happy to have a machine in
FREE Call Mon-Sat 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. or visit aspendent.com
group of artists to help restock the ma- Arizona,” Whittington said. “It’s our first
Exam and chine. They formed Artists in Cello- machine in a ‘Four Corners’ state, so it’s a
X-Rays** to schedule an appointment online. phane, a juried group that still takes ap- big deal for us.”
CAN NOT BE COMBINED

Now Open! Phoenix (602) 253-5200 plications to have art placed in the often Whittington is quick to admit that the
WITH INSURANCE

Casa Grande (520) 421-9797 • Glendale (602) 978-9575 brightly-colored machines. Art-O-Mat’s business model isn’t very
Goodyear (623) 386-8333 • Mesa (480) 733-0077 • Peoria (623) 334-9800 Whittington said he hopes to meet lo- profitable for artists involved, but said his
*Offer expires 12/31/09. Code PD2. Coupon must be presented at time of service. Not valid with previous or ongoing work. Discounts can not be combined with insurance, other offers or dental
discount plans. Discounts are calculated by taking 20% off usual and customary fees. Oral surgery and endodontic services performed by Aspen Specialists are excluded from promotion. **New
patients must be 21 and older to qualify for Free or Discounted Exam and X-rays, a minimum $165 value. Can not be combined with insurance. Under the promotion, no monthly payments are
cal artists who want to become part of the “garage operation” isn’t about making a
required on the promotional purchase and no finance charges will be assessed on the promo purchase as long as you: (1) pay the promo purchase amount in full within 12 Months (the “promo
period”), and (2) pay, when due, the minimum monthly payments on any other account balances. If you fail to satisfy either condition, or account balance exceeds credit limit, all special promo terms project at the Vision Gallery, where he lot of money.
will give a short presentation about the The Art-O-Mat’s primary goals are art-
may be terminated and finance charges may be assessed on promo purchase amount from date of purchase. Optional debt cancellation charges on your promo purchase are not deferred and are
not subject to promo terms. Standard card agreement terms apply to non-promo purchases and existing accounts. Subject to credit approval by GE Money Bank. Call office for details. ©2009 Aspen
Dental. Services provided by licensed AZ dentist.

Art-O-Mat. Faulhaber said the gallery ist exposure and fundraising.