Devil sculpture by Fox McGrew at Glow. The festival of light and artistic freedom, which is held at the Triangle L Ranch in Oracle, began as a small party in the art community and has become a Tucson attraction that draws hundreds of artists and guests.

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Brilliant sculptures, blazing fire dancers and hundreds of twinkling white lights will paint the pitch black desert canvas aglow with celebration this weekend at Glow, a weekend festival of light and artistic freedom.

The event, which began as a party among friends in the art community and has blossomed into a bona fide Tucson attraction, is a spectacle of light and imagination for both the artists and the guests.

"There's a carnival-esque atmosphere," said Mykl Wells, a 41-year-old artist who created a giant inflatable head with images projected within it for previous festivities.

Last year, he and friends danced until the sun came up — although one shouldn't mistake this event for a rave.

It's not nearly as racy as a rave, nor is it as stuffy as an exhibition in an art gallery.

"It's outside of the ordinary art experience," said Tucson artist Mary Lucking, 33, who is creating a rainbow of light-sensitive birds to perch in a mesquite tree. "People are letting their hair down. Artists feel this is a place for experimentation."

Performance artist Colleena reproduced the iconographic image of a woman in a real cactus bikini — a publicity stunt in the 1940s by Roy P. Drachman and the Tucson Sunshine Climate Club to promote tourism to Tucson. She gave her ensemble an apropos twist by making it twinkle and glow by splattering the contents of nontoxic glow sticks all over the outfit.

"She is always a big hit," said Sharon Holnback, the genius behind the event who also owns the venue, Triangle L Ranch.

This year Tucson artist Ned Schaper, known as Mat Bevel, will perch atop a mound of rocks dressed as his "Glow Gordon" character, complete with a glowing astronaut's helmet around his head. He'll also play a video from his latest creative performance endeavor — Bevelvision.

The element of surprise plays a big role in this artists' retreat to the desert. A 1,200-foot path leads visitors through a dark maze of illuminated sculptures, performance art and music.

"You're walking through nature, and what's the thing you least expect to see? Mat Bevel perched on a rock with a glowing orb on his head," Holnback said.

Some have compared Glow to a downscaled version of Burning Man, the weeklong radical art festival that attracts 25,000-plus people from around the world to the middle of the Nevada desert each year. Glow guests shouldn't be intimidated by the comparison though, Lucking said.

"It's not crazy naked people running around on mushrooms. But it has some of the same elements like nature and glowing art," she said.

In the two years since Glow's birth, the crowd has morphed from a small group of artists to a motley crew of nearly 1,000 people, including ladies who lunch, retirees, artists, Downtown hipsters and everyone in between. All the artists who've created works for the event will be milling around both nights, volunteering and just enjoying the event — Holnback included. Even though she hasn't put together a specific piece for this event —she works in a few mediums, including photography and metal work — the event itself is her work, her catharsis.

"It's the perfect opportunity to collaborate with artists and bring together all the energy. I love to collaborate. And it's all of my favorite stuff: the ranch, light, artists and art," said Holnback, who previously owned Apparatus Gallery. She has lived in Tucson for 30 years and at Triangle L Ranch for five.

KXCI-FM DJ Dave Squires, also known as Kidd Squidd, will spin "moon tunes" in between mainstage performances by Tammy West and Namoli Brennet on Friday night and the Snotwell Family Four and the Carnivaleros on Saturday night. Holnback hopes people will dance in the wash.

"We haven't done that before," she said, adding that last year they had a disco dance party in the barn.

Everyone's encouraged to wear glow-in-the-dark clothing, bring flashlights and revel in the spunky artist vibe that synergizes at Glow.

"Everyone bringing their energy to this is what makes it more than the sum of its parts," Holnback said.