The Spirit of Connection

Celebration of Fine Art returns to Scottsdale with 100 fine artists showing their work and creating on site.

Shari Lyon, Coastal, encaustic, 15 x 30” The 34th annual Celebration of Fine Art will once again set up shop under the unmistakable white tent that will be home to the galleries and working studios of 100 fine artists over the course of 10 weeks beginning Saturday, January 13.The lively, interactive event provides a gallery and studio experience in one, where visitors can engage with artists, view completed works in an elegant setting and watch them create new ones on site where they have set up their easels and workbenches. Because the festival runs for 10 weeks, art lovers have the opportunity to watch a piece progress from start to finish, and forge lasting connections with artists—all for a single event pass of no more than $10 that is good for the duration of the festival.

Diana Ferguson, Olaola Flower Necklace, glass cylinder beads, monofilament thread, turquoise Czech glass, 20”

Artists from around the country flock to Celebration of Fine Art year after year, bringing a palpable spirt of community and camaraderie that spills over into the visitor experience. The size and breadth of the show—40,000 square feet of diverse artwork that ranges from the contemporary to the traditional in the form of sculpture, paintings, jewelry, glass and more—and variety of price points, truly makes Celebration of Art a festival for art lovers of all kinds, from beginner collectors to seasoned patrons of the arts.

Diana Ferguson enjoys the elegance of off-loom bead weaving, particularly geometric and architectural Peyote stitch. She finds harmony and serenity in the repetitive and efficient movements of stitching and values the way she can fully immerse herself in the creative process as needle passes through beads over and over again. While the end result of her efforts may remain in play until the piece announces itself done, she is certain the outcome will contain beauty. “There is a delightful amount of innovation available to discover in contemporary iterations of this age-old art form,” says the artist.

Top: Heidi Rosner, Brilliance, watercolor on canvas, 36 x 48”; Heidi Rosner, Fortitude, watercolor on board, 60 x 24”. Bottom: Ray Tigerman, Spirit Rider, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48”; Kim Ballard, Six Chicks, oil, 30 x 40”

Encaustic artist Shari Lyon works in one of the oldest mediums of art, painting with a specific mixture of beeswax and damar resin. Lyon also incorporates oil paints, pan pastels, oil sticks and drawings into her works. “The process requires that I have both patience and spontaneity," she says. "It’s a marriage of being in control and completely losing control. It’s labor-intensive, but what I love most about encaustic is that the outcome is a dreamy, ethereal painting with texture and depth, unlike any other art form.” Lyon says the best way to appreciate encaustic works is to see them in person, as photographs rarely do them justice. As seen in her work, Lyon is drawn to the imagery and symbolism of trees because they are “stoic, grounded, life-giving, calming and lasting.”

Ray Tigerman, Scout, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48”; Judith Dickinson, commissioned portrait, oil, 30 x 24”

Shelli Kahl’s jewelry is representative of the way she lives her life—free spirited, passionate and uninhibited by the boundaries set by others. “I allow creativity to take over as my hands and eyes work with the various metals and colorful stones,” she says. “I’m less concerned with how things are ‘supposed’ to be done...and more concerned with what someone will feel when wearing the end result. I hope it makes you feel like stepping outside of the box more often and listening to what’s truly in your heart.”

This past year has been one of seeking peace for painter Heidi Rosner. “It is in this space that I embarked on a journey to create a body of work that represents where I’m at, and where I want to remain,” she says. While best known for bright, bold compositions, she felt the need to balance her style in a way that allows the viewer more space to seek and explore. “As a result, I have been immersed in creative pursuits in my studio working on both facets of my art,” she says. “I’m looking forward to unveiling this work for the first time at Celebration of Fine Art.”

Heidi Rosner, Zen Garden, watercolor on canvas, 36 x 72”

Kim Ballard paints a variety of subjects, but chooses them all for the same reason. “I paint what attracts me emotionally and strive to capture and communicate that feeling,” says Ballard. “Whether it’s a figure, birds or trees, I want the subject to be realistic and natural, and then proceed to add more expressive elements of color, pattern and brushwork.”

Her new piece Six Chicks applies this approach to a flock of birds, marrying the realistically rendered birds with abstract shapes and colors to create the feelings of movement, and the freedom of flight.

Diana Ferguson, Laren Earrings, glass cylinder beads, monofilament thread, 14K gold, 3”

Ray Tigerman is a celebrated contemporary artist whose unique style and imagery have captivated viewers and collectors alike. His bold paintings and sculptures provide an immersive experience with highly textural layers of vibrant colors and imagery that evoke a sense of mystery, unity and connection between the viewer, and his subject. In addition to his new collection, Tigerman will unveil his latest sculpture, The Wild One,during Celebration of Fine Art’s opening night.

Kim Ballard, New Moon, oil, 24 x 48”

Commissioned portraiture is Judith Dickinson’s passion and gift. “I want to take portraiture to the level of going beyond mere ‘likeness’ to capture the heart and personality of the subject,” she says. “My greatest love is to show the character, the story and the beauty of the people who surround me.” Dickinson particularly enjoys bringing the emotion and character of Native Americans and the people of the West to her work. “Also, because we work in Africa, I feel compelled to honor these beautiful and courageous people; and to tell their stories by painting them.”

Judith Dickinson, Lady, oil, 24 x 20”; Ray Tigerman, Eagle Feather, acrylic on canvas, 72 x 40” ; Shelli Kahl, Crazy Lazy River (pendant), 14k gold, sterling silver, crazy lace agate, Oregon sunstone and moissanite, 2½ x 2¼”

Celebration of Fine Art is open daily January 13 through March 24 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guests are invited to attend the Art Discovery Series, an educational presentation held each Friday from 4 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.

For those unable to attend in person, a number of participating artists are featured in the online marketplace at www.celebrateart.com. —