The diverse, Arizona landscape has attracted many artists and creatives with its grand saguaros that populate Tucson, Phoenix and Scottsdale, to the red rocks of Sedona and the forested, mountainous region of Prescott and Flagstaff. Many believe the desert air and the endless amount of sunshine offers clarity, health and a deeper spiritual connection, freeing the mind to more creative endeavors. 
Old Town Scottsdale. Photo by Alyssa M. Tidwell.
While Western art is abundant, visitors will discover that the Grand Canyon state inspires much more than scenes of cowboy and Indians. The Scottsdale Arts District, located in the downtown, historic area, includes over 30 galleries that deal in wide variety of themes, styles and mediums, along with contemporary and traditional genres. Nestled among the many vibrant galleries and prestigious design firms, is the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Through January 23 are exhibitions like Forever Becoming: Young Phoenix Artists, where new work by Phoenix artists near or under the age of 30 “speaks to the resilience and determination of a new generation of artists.”
The downtown Phoenix area also has a rich art scene starting with the Roosevelt Row Arts District, where businesses and galleries are covered in colorful murals by local artists and everyone gathers for First Friday Art Walk. Just up the street is the Phoenix Art Museum that has extensive collections ranging from fashion to photography and ceramics, to exhibitions like Philip C. Curtis and the Landscapes of Arizona. 
First Friday exhibit in downtown Phoenix. © Visit Phoenix/PAM
Northern Arizona is a completely different scene with their cooler weather and national forests, and is also where there are spectacular views of the Grand Canyon. Places like Sedona and Flagstaff are considered magical regions, filled with a rich history of Native American culture along with breathtaking rock formations and national monuments. The Museum of Northern Arizona, located at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, “inspires a sense of love and responsibility for the beauty and diversity of the Colorado Plateau through collecting, studying, interpreting and preserving the region’s natural and cultural heritage.”
To the Southern region of Arizona lies the city of Tucson, known for their Warehouse Arts District and the Tuscon Museum of Art. Even further South is the mining town of Bisbee. Although small, the town is mighty with creativity and culture, and also serves as great visual inspiration for artists. While wandering the historic streets of Bisbee, visitors will find art galleries, colorful homes speckled with murals and many creative influences. 
Crested saguaro at Papago Park. © Visit Phoenix.
Through the remainder of this section, you’ll find galleries, events and artists who have made a home out of Arizona and remain inspired by the assorted regions and landscapes. Also listed here are some popular hotels, resorts and restaurants located in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area, that are worth a visit whenever you’re in the area.
A Chic Stay in the West
While many may view Arizona as sparse landscape with tumbleweeds blowing down barren streets, the hospitality industry is anything but. From chic, boutique hotels to glamorous resorts, you’ll be comfortable and entertained.
Centered around displaying and promoting local artists, the Found:Re is quite the experience. This boutique hotel features state of the art rooms and trendy bar, along with a gallery space that has rotating shows, pop-ups and art events throughout the year. Located in the downtown Phoenix area, it exemplifies the local art scene and is close to all the action. www.foundrehotels.com
The Canopy by Hilton, is a new addition to the Old Town Scottsdale area, right in the middle of the gallery district. This trendy yet, glamorous hotel offers comforts like a rooftop lounge with view of the iconic Camelback Mountain, and it also offers convenience; walking distance to all the best restaurants and art happenings. www.hilton.com/en/canopy
If you’re interested in exploring the resort life that is so popular in the greater Scottsdale area, visit the Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort. Located in Paradise Valley and nestled into Camelback Mountain, this resort is heavenly with its Sanctuary Spa, dining, lap pool and beautiful views. www.sanctuaryoncamelback.com
Chic Eateries
If you want good food and a great atmosphere, there are many options to choose from when visiting Phoenix or Scottsdale. Authentic and contemporary Mexican food is customary to try when visiting, along with local establishments that will highlight your Arizona experience.
A staple of the downtown Scottsdale area is Diego Pops, a “modern and playful twist on authentic Mexican favorites,” quotes the restaurant. This includes a delicious variety of tacos with an array of salsa options, burritos and more. Dining here is also a visual pleasure, with a fun décor that highlights the walls of the historic Southwestern pottery shop it use to be.
www.diegopops.com
With locations all over the great Phoenix area, Postino brings the public a fun, light atmosphere. They serve mouthwatering charcuterie boards, an assortment of bruschetta options, along with other Italian cuisine. You won’t want to skimp on their large menu of beer and wine to accompany your meal. www.postinowinecafe.com
In downtown Phoenix, you will find the contemporary American cuisine of Ocotillo Restaurant, set in an industrial style building. They also focus on fresh, local and seasonal ingredients and have a full-service bar with beer garden, coffee bar and an outdoor lounge. Glamorous dinner entrees include fish, pork chop and wood fired beef ribs, to name just a few. www.ocotillophx.com
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Altamira Fine Art
7038 E. Main Street
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 949-1256, az@altamiraart.com
www.altamiraart.com
Altamira Fine Art embraces maverick artists who are simultaneously attuned to international movements and regional inspirations. 
Altamira Fine Art, Opal, oil on canvas, 36 x 48", by Kenneth Peloke.
Defying seasonality, the gallery celebrates its stable of contemporary artists by filling the calendar with exhibitions and events. Kicking off the new year, they will be highlighting works by Arizona artist Geoffrey Gersten, focusing on contemporary figurative works and neon signage. Kenneth Peloke’s powerful horse and rider paintings will be the focus of his new exhibition in late January. 
Altamira Fine Art, Mona Lisa Smile, oil on canvas, 72 x 48", by Geoffrey Gersten.
Altamira Fine Art, Adrift, oil on canvas, 36 x 48", by Timothy Horn.
Altamira’s artist roster has over 40 artists including pop photorealist Robert Townsend, abstract painter David Michael Slonim, pop Western artist Duke Beardsley and contemporary Western sculptor Stephanie Revennaugh, to name a few.
The gallery also works with estate collections, and offers expertise with auctions, conservation and other curatorial concerns. Altamira Fine Art has a new expanded showroom on Main Street in the heart of the Old Town Arts District in Scottsdale, as well as a location in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
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Arizona Fine Art Expo
26540 N. Scottsdale Road
Scottsdale, AZ 85255
(480) 837-7163
www.arizonafineartexpo.com
Artists will transform the Sonoran Desert of North Scottsdale into one of Arizona’s premier venues for collecting fine art during the 10-week Arizona Fine Art EXPO beginning Friday, January 14, through March 27. The show was voted “Best Place to Purchase Art” for 2020 and 2021 by Phoenix Magazine.
Arizona Fine Art EXPO artist Devin Rowe working on Crossing the Zamzambezi.
The Arizona Fine Art EXPO features 124 patron-friendly studios in this 44,000-square-foot space, where guests have a rare chance to meet the artists, see them in action and learn about their journey, inspiration and techniques. The expo also has a cafe and Artists’ Marketplace.
Throughout the 10-week event, patrons can enjoy watching artisans sketch in pencil, charcoal and pastels, sculpt and fire clay, chisel, carve and shape stone, and saw and carve wood sculptures. Artists will also paint in all media; stain and etch gourds, design lost-wax casting, solder and weld jewelry, assemble mosaics and more. Art is for sale during the event and commissions are welcomed. 
Arizona Fine Art EXPO, Cantrall, oil, 48 x 72", by Susan Hartenhoff.
Patrons can also stroll outdoors into the 2-acre sculpture garden and koi pond and weekends come alive with music.
The event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, takes place at the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Jomax roads, next to MacDonald’s Ranch. One-time season passes cost $12 (patrons can return often with no additional charge); season passes for seniors and military are $10; and children under 12 are free. Parking is free.
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Thunderbird Artists
(480) 837-5637
www.thunderbirdartists.com
Clay sculptors Sumati and Michael Colpitts have been selected as the featured artists for the Thunderbird Artists’ 29th annual Winter Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival, which will be held from January 14 through 16. The Colpitts’ artwork is heavily influenced by animals and the pair “gives them an expression that makes you feel good when you look at them,” say the artists.
People mingle during the last Thunderbird Artists festival in Carefree.
Thunderbird Artists, Pup, clay, by Sumati and Michael Colpitts.
The festival will also feature another 160 world-class artists from across the globe, exhibiting paintings in oil, acrylic, pen and ink, watercolor, pastel and mixed media, along with small, medium and life-sized sculpture in a variety of materials, and one-of-a-kind jewelry, limited edition photography, pottery, scratchboard, batiks and so much more.
The mission of the Thunderbird Artists for its award-winning art and wine festival, is to “promote fine arts and fine crafts, while supporting the artists, local merchants and surrounding communities.”
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Pamela Becker
Big Vision Arts, 251 Highway 179 Creekside Plaza, Ste A1
Sedona, AZ 86336
(928) 202-6320
pamela@bigvisionarts.com
www.bigvisionarts.com
Big Vision Arts is a light filled treehouse, working studio/gallery for Sedona artist Pamela Becker. The gallery sits high above Oak Creek under the sheltering sycamores in the heart of Sedona’s Arts District next to the historic Pumphouse. The walls are hung with large originals that visitors often feel mirror the beauty of the location.
Pamela Becker, North Star, oil and repoussé copper on wood, 20 x 20"
Celebrating its 10th year, Big Vision Arts offers a unique brand of art by this RISD-trained artist whose work is eclectic, yet so accessible. Her newest work, Copper Sedona, is like nothing collectors have seen. Becker uses an ancient method of metalworking called repoussé, which pushes and shapes native metal formations to resemble the dimensional landscape. The result is an experience of light and textural color that reflects and illuminates the unique formations we love. Copper has a richly engraved legacy in the mining towns of Arizona. 
Pamela Becker, I am the Light Always Within You, oil and repoussé copper on wood, 20 x 20"
Pamela Becker, Infinite Inside the Finite, oil and artisan copper on wood, 30 x 30"
New and experienced collectors alike can make an appointment to visit the studio/gallery. They will be treated to a relaxed, exciting studio environment where they can speak with and purchase directly from the artist. “I strive to remind us of our best: essential beauty and wholeness, with the belief that embodiment of this knowledge raises the level of thought and health—thus affecting the bigger vision,” says Becker.
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Celebration of Fine Art
18400 N. Hayden Road
Scottdale, AZ 85255
(480) 443-7695
info@celebrateart.com
www.celebrateart.com
Recognized for its diverse array of exceptional art, Celebration of Fine Art is a juried, invitational show that is also known for encouraging an interactive atmosphere and connection between attendees and artists. It’s because of this atmosphere and the ability to interact with artists and learn about their process that Celebration of Fine Art has become a true destination for art lovers from all backgrounds. Visitors are immersed in the art experience as they stroll through each artist studio where art is being created in the 40,000 square feet of exhibit space. 
Celebration of Fine Art, Hidden Lake, oil, 40 x 40", by Becky Pashia.
“There’s no place where the art comes to life like the Celebration of Fine Art,” says Susan Morrow Potje, co-owner and show director. “Over the course of our 31-year history, the Celebration of Fine Art has remained a place for artists and art lovers to connect in a meaningful way. And this year, it’s all about discovery and experience. Discovering and experiencing new artists, mediums and artwork. This year, we’ll welcome many returning artists along with some new faces. It’s truly going to be a spectacular show.”
Celebration of Fine Art, Chief Poundmaker, bronze, 16 x 18", by J. Todd Paxton.
Celebration of Fine Art, Undaunted, oil on metal, 30 x 40", by Trevor Swanson.
Throughout the 10 weeks, beginning January 15, guests can also catch artists demonstrating their processes; attend an Art Discovery Series, which is held each Friday from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.; walk the outdoor sculpture garden, which features nearly 100 pieces of life-sized and monumental sculpture; and enjoy lunch or wine in the cafe. In the outdoor sculpture garden guests can also see woodturning, welding, kiln firings and bronze pouring demonstrations weekly.
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Jane Hamilton Fine Art
2890 E. Skyline Drive, Ste 180
Tucson, AZ 85718, (520) 529-4886
janehamiltonfineart@comcast.net
www.janehamiltonfineart.com
Jane Hamilton Fine Art, located in Tucson, is celebrating 30 years of representing traditional and contemporary Southwestern art and sculpture. The gallery represents many prominent artists.
Jane Hamilton Fine Art, South Rim Passage, oil, 30 x 40", by Tom Murray.
One of Tucson’s premiere landscape painters, Tom Murray has been at the easel over 40 years. His work has been in the gallery since its inception in historic Bisbee, Arizona, in 1992. His fantastic Grand Canyon oils are featured in the award-winning book Art of The National Parks. Murray is also an artist member of the prestigious Mountain Oyster Club. The gallery’s 30th year Celebration Show, on March 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. features new work by Murray. 
Jane Hamilton Fine Art, Chama, glass & steel, 105 x 50", by Peter Eisner.
Tucson sculptor Peter Eisner creates dramatic interpretations of natural landscapes using steel for strength and glass for a delicate balance and pop of color. An avid outdoorsman, he gains inspiration from his many adventures. A show of new works by Eisner titled Desert Jewels will be featured on January 21, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Jane Hamilton Fine Art, Yesterday’s Ride, oil, 46 x 42", by Greg Singley.
Greg Singley brings a great contemporary Western look into Jane Hamilton Fine Art, in his stylized oil paintings. “He has narrowed his interest in artwork to the beauty of the American West and its people, both past and present,” says the gallery. “Today, his bootprint in art history is being reborn. As Americans, we ride together under those same big skies and down those same happy trails.” —
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