Blank Slate.

This Week, Dallas Is Going To Hell and Back.

Welcome to Blank Slate, our weekly rundown of the happenings in the art world of North Texas, which, as it happens, does exist. Need to seem super intellectual and deep on that first date? Want to rub elbows with the popular gallery directors around town? Or maybe you just genuinely enjoy following the local art scene? Whatever the reason, this is your stop for quick and dirty art news.

In case you were worried that your visual stimuli this week were going to be of one variety, we're here to assure you that there are plenty of diverse ways to appreciate your art in the coming days. And because we care about keeping you informed, we're gonna list just which ones of these you need to to hit up.

The big show going down this week will be going down on Friday at Lofty Spaces in Downtown. The show — called “Austere Inferno” — will be of the fashion variety. And, as the name loosely hints, the inspiration for the show comes from Dante's Inferno or a “loose interpretation” of Inferno as the Austere magazine team is calling it. Doors open at 8 p.m. with the fashion show starting at 9. Fashion designers showing off their digs include Lucy Dang, Elvira Diaz and Bladi Duran, among others.

Looking for a more party-oriented art show? The “ARCANA” art show kicks off at 9 p.m. on Friday at Texas Theatre and features art by Juan Carlos Salguero, plus a DJ and free tarot card readings

If you're an artist yourself, you'd do well to kick it at Kettle Art tonight for the “Cool Cats in a Blender” event. Despite the ridiculous name, the BYOB event is a chance for you to rub elbows with other local artists and brainstorm possible collaborations. The mixer kicks off at 7 p.m. and runs until 10. It's also free to attend. Just be sure to keep your intoxication levels low; this is your profession we're talking about.

A little farther out, an awesome foreign director's work will be on display throughout August at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. The man in question is Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki, who is renowned for creating feature-length anime films for the better part of six decades now. As part of the celebration of Miyazki's work, the museum will screen three separate films throughout the month — My Neighbor Totoro on August 9, Spirited Away on August 15 and 16, and Princess Mononoke on August 23 — and hosting a reservations-only Japanese Kaiseki dinner and sake pairing.

One last opening worth keeping in mind: The “Artist Estate Sale” at Two Bronze Doors. On Saturday, the works of a handful of Dallas' on-the-come-up artists will be on display and priced to sell as part of a cash-and-carry event. So bring a few Benjamins and get some wall art for your boring-ass apartment after the doors open at 6 p.m. Because nobody is impressed by your bare walls.

There you go, folks. Now head on out there and get dirty.

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