In the calendar of Omaha summer music festivals, Petfest is the one I look forward to most, not necessarily because of the music line-up — which is always first-rate — but because it’s easy. Petfest is a laid-back, end-of-summer gathering of local music aficionados, art freaks, neighbors and friends enjoying a perfect late-summer afternoon with the best local music the state has to offer.

For three decades, collages have influenced the artistic journey of Bart Vargas, an internationally recognized multidisciplinary artist, educator, and advocate; yet, he had never publicly showcased this facet of his work. This changed on February 2, when the Benson Creative District hosted the opening reception of his latest exhibition, "MORE OF THE SAME: A Series of Juvenile Collages and Some paintings by a Middle-Aged Man," at Petshop Gallery as part of BFF Omaha’s February First Friday. The exhibit showcases 43 collages, 71 paintings, and a single sculpture.