Thomas Moran, Grand Canyon with Rainbow. 1912. Oil on canvas. de Young Art Museum. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert F. Gill through the Patrons of Art and Music. 1981.89. 

Downtown Phoenix is the place to go for an edgier contemporary art scene. Roosevelt Row Arts District (affectionately referred to as RoRo) is the creative center of the city and a walkable neighborhood full of character that celebrates arts and culture around every corner in the form of galleries, art co-ops and striking murals. The Melrose District, a one-mile stretch that’s home to some of the best antique shops, art, dining, patio cocktailing and dancing around, is definitely worth checking out as well. 

Image courtesy Visit Phoenix.

Cosanti
Located in Paradise Valley, Cosanti is one of the architectural wonders built by Italian-born architect, urban designer and visionary Paolo Soleri (1919-2013). A student of Frank Lloyd Wright, Soleri is best known for his revolutionary philosophy of “arcology,” and sought to create human habitats that exist in harmony with the natural world. The otherworldly structures and dwellings that comprise Cosanti date back to the late 1950s and are on the Arizona Registry of Historic Places. Today, you can take a guided tour of Soleri’s design studio, residential and craftwork structures and witness a live bronze pour in the property’s foundry, where the one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted Cosanti windbells are made.

Image courtesy Phoenix Art Museum.

Yayoi Kusama’s Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room
One of the Phoenix Art Museum’s most beloved installations, Yayoi Kusama’s Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room (officially named You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies) explores the psychedelic sensations of the “self” and the artist’s ongoing hallucinations that started when she was a child. In this work, Kusama’s repetitive and extensive use of polka dots, mirrors and LED lights investigates infinite repetition and encourages you to “obliterate” your personality and become one with eternity.

Image courtesy Tucson Fine Mineral Gallery.

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase
Every winter nearly 70,000 people from around the world flock to the Southwest for the vast Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, a three-week extravaganza that transforms 40-plus venues throughout the city that into bustling marketplaces overflowing with dazzling gemstones, minerals and fossils. This year’s event consists of a series of shows running from January 28 to February 15, with the largest, oldest, prestigious 71st Annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show taking place at the Tucson Convention Center from February 12 through 15. This spectacle is legendary and a chance to explore geological wonders from every corner of the earth.

Courtesy Visit Arizona, photo by An Pham.

Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures’ collection includes over 500 antique and contemporary dollhouses and room boxes expertly displayed in over 10,000 square feet of exhibit space. Established by life-long miniatures collectors Patricia and Walter Arnell, the concept of “the mini time machine” was born out of the notion that the miniatures would transport visitors to different eras and lands by the stories and history of the pieces in the collection. Current special exhibitions center around toy trains and model railroads, Jorge Ruiz’s intricate miniature models of Tucson landmarks and more.

Image courtesy Downtown Flagstaff. 

The Great Pinecone Drop
A cherished holiday tradition, the Great Pinecone Drop is how Flagstaff rings in the New Year. Since 1999, when it was initiated in celebration of the Weatherford Hotel’s 100th anniversary and the new millennium, thousands gather in the streets for the midnight countdown and the lowering of an illuminated 6-feet-tall fiberglass pinecone in the heart of downtown, and the fireworks display that follows. For the little ones and those who want to celebrate East Coast-style, the giant pinecone will also be lowered at noon and 10 p.m. before the final drop in the last seconds of 2025.

Image courtesy Xanterra Travel Collection. 

Grand Canyon Railway 
Just a 40-minute drive west on Interstate 40 is the popular Route 66 town of Williams, where in addition to browsing the souvenir shops, and offerings of Native American art and jewelry, you can take the Grand Canyon Railway into the heart of Arizona’s most famous natural wonder, while being entertained by western musicians and cowboy antics on vintage rail cars. Out your window, the terrain changes from high desert to prairie, and prairie to pine, as you barrel toward one of the most epic vistas in the world. During the holiday season, Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express delights passengers of all ages with a nighttime journey destined for the winter wonderland of “the North Pole.”

Image courtesy Tlaquepaque Village. 

Tlaquepaque, Sedona
If you take a trip to Sedona, be sure to visit the renowned Tlaquepaque (pronounced T-la-keh-pah-keh), Sedona Arizona’s Arts & Crafts Village, a charming shopping district designed to give the impression of a traditional Mexican village. Stroll through arched entryways along cobble-stoned walkways under the shade of sycamore trees while browsing Tlaquepaque’s many boutiques, galleries and fine dining options. If you time it right, you might catch one of Tlaquepaque’s rich cultural events like the popular Dia de los Muertos celebration in the fall and the Festival of Lights in winter.

Image courtesy Visit Scottsdale. 

Verde Valley Wine Trail
There’s no better way to get a true taste of a region than through its local wines. In what was once a fledgling industry, wine-making in the Verde Valley has grown to include more than 25 wineries and tasting rooms, many of which are garnering national attention. To narrow down your options, tour the Verde Valley Wine Trail which feature seven Arizona wineries nestled throughout the red rock countryside and lush canyons surrounding Cottonwood, Jerome, Sedona, Clarkdale and Cornville. For a pastoral experience amidst the vines, don’t miss D.A. Ranch, a 170-acre former cattle ranch where a historic red barn is sounded by majestic trees, a pond, and fruit and olive orchard; and Page Springs Cellars, where you can sip finely-crafted wines over bistro-style small plates in an elegant setting overlooking the vineyard.

Image courtesy Historic Route 66 Association of America, photo by An Pham.

Road Trip!
While you may not be able to drive the entire 385-mile stretch of the iconic Mother Road that runs through Arizona, you can still get your kicks on Route 66 by taking a day trip that will hit many of the major attractions. From Scottsdale, head north on the AZ State Route 87 and pick up the historic highway in Winslow where it’s a rite of passage to take selfie at the Standin’-On-the-Corner Park. If you’re ready for lunch, the Turquoise Room at La Posada Hotel, once a Fred Harvey luxury railroad hotel, offers an elevated experience of Southwestern cuisine. Two ghost towns lie between Winslow and Flagstaff—Twin Arrows, marked by a huge arrow piercing the ground, and Two Guns, a notorious Wild West town in the late 1880s that fell to its demise when Interstate 40 diverted potential tourists from its main street.

Top, from left: Altamira Fine Art, Coloring an Arizona Cowboy, oil on canvas, 55 x 50 in., by Ben Steele. Altamira Fine Art, Route 66 Nocturne, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in., by Geoffrey Gersten Bottom: Interior view of Altamira Fine Art in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Altamira Fine Art in Scottsdale anchors the vibrant art scene of Old Town with a focus on the contemporary West, where the spirit of the desert meets the innovation of modern art. Altamira represents a dynamic roster of painters and sculptors who reimagine the region’s enduring subjects—cowboys, wildlife and landscapes—through fresh, contemporary lenses. From the bold Western pop compositions of Billy Schenck and Ben Steele, to the luminous desert scenes of Dennis Ziemienski and Jared Sanders, Altamira celebrates the dialogue between past and present that defines Arizona’s creative identity.

From left: Arizona Fine Art EXPO, Helos Hermana, oil, 40 x 40 in., by Ans Carnes. Arizona Fine Art EXPO, The Miles Between, photograph, 48 x 32 in., by Jon Linton. Arizona Fine Art EXPO, A Sergio Sunset, watercolor, 30 x 24 in., by Peter Freischlag.

Attendees can expect a captivating array of artistic mediums including acrylic, oil, watercolor, ceramics, sculpture and mixed media. Subject matter varies from traditional landscapes to contemporary abstracts, and intricate pottery to life-size sculptures.

Top, from left: Leah Kiser, Symbiosis, oil on linen, triptych, 72 x 36 in. Leah Kiser, Raven Cat Presiding, oil on canvas, 30 x 40 in. Bottom: Leah Kiser, A Daydream for Darwin, oil on linen, 48 x 48 in.

Kiser’s work inspires wonder in unexpected ways. Little hidden surprises are sprinkled into the compositions that viewers may not notice at first glance. Her detailed paintings invite viewers to slow down and look more closely at her work, and she rewards them for taking their time. Whether it’s with a bit of quiet humor or an invitation to ponder something unknowable, Kiser’s work encourages viewers to see everyday things as anything but mundane.

Top: Pamela Becker, Illuminated Desert, oil and copper on wood panel, 24 x 18 in.; Pamela Becker, Song of the Yellow Tanager, oil on wood panel, 36 x 24 in. Bottom: Interior view of Big Vision Arts.

Her practice now includes luminous figurative paintings and richly sculpted repoussé copper landscapes, highlighted by her acclaimed Copper Sedona series—dimensional works that capture Arizona’s radiant red-rock light. Whether exploring the bond between women and nature, or the mystical presence of the desert, Becker’s art offers collectors pieces of beauty, power and enduring vibrancy—works designed to inspire, illuminate and expand one’s sense of the “bigger vision.”

Top: Artist Tina Roy at last year’s Celebration of Fine Art. Bottom, from left: Celebration of Fine Art, AZ Lights, oil, 36 x 36 in., by Matthew Sievers. Celebration of Fine Art, Queen of the Night, watercolor, 24 x 24 in., by Heidi Rosner.

Now entering its 36th year, Celebration of Fine Art remains one of Scottsdale’s most remarkable places to admire and acquire original works. From January 17 through March 29, nearly 100 juried artists create in open studios beneath one expansive roof, transforming 40,000 square-feet of the iconic “big white tents” into a living, breathing art village daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Dale Terbush, Music From Heaven, acrylic, 16 x 20 in.; Dale Terbush, Blessed by the Light, acrylic, 48 x 36 in.

Today, his otherworldly, illuminated landscapes come from within his own imagination, flowing from his own sense of spirit and self. Each Terbush landscape is a unique dream world. Initially familiar, a closer look reveals a world of its own. The painting becomes an experience rather than merely a sensation. His romantic visions are often compared to those by the Hudson River School—the 19th century artists who glorified nature, creating Eden-like scenes of lakes, rivers, mountains and other pastoral subjects. 

Dale Terbush, Magic is Everywhere, acrylic, 36 x 24 in.

Terbush has shown his work at Mainview Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale for many years. You can also find the artist and his work at Celebration of Fine Art in North Scottsdale from January 17 through March 29.

Acclaimed portraitist Gustavo Ramos leads a workshop at Scottsdale Artists’ School. A demo in the beautiful courtyard of Scottsdale Artists’ School, housed in the mission-style historic Loloma Elementary School building in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale’s art district.

In 1983, a small group of Arizona artists and community leaders set out to create something extraordinary, where beginners to seasoned professionals could study with the nation’s finest working artists. From that vision, Scottsdale Artists’ School was founded, quickly becoming a place of creative growth and professional level training.

Students paint from life in a workshop at the Scottsdale Artists’ School.

Scottsdale Artists’ School also brings fine art education to youth and underserved communities, ensuring that creativity and artistic opportunity remain accessible to all. Rooted in its mission to enrich the community and develop the capabilities of artists of all ages, Scottsdale Artists’ School continues to shape future generations, one class, workshop and one inspired artist at a time.

Top: An aerial view of the inaugural Scottsdale Art Week in 2025. Bottom left: Scottsdale Art Week, Sunset Sweep, ca. 1993, oil on linen, 30 x 40 in., by Ed Mell (1942-2024). Courtesy Medicine Man Gallery, Tucson, AZ. Bottom right: People mingle at the fair, enjoying a variety of contemporary, historical and Indigenous artwork, as well as creative installations and special exhibitions.

Scottsdale Art Week is a reflection of today’s more dynamic and contemporary community but is rooted in Arizona’s unique landscape and history. To this end, show organizers have worked to create America’s first art fair with an emphasis on Indigenous expression, which is understood as artwork by any maker possessing a profound or authentic connection to the place.

From left: Vermillion Promotions. Artists create onsite at one of many of the Vermillion Promotions and Arizona Wine Events throughout Arizona and the Southwest. Vermillion Promotions. Wine and art make the perfect pairing at numerous festive fairs throughout the region. 

Adding to the growing momentum of art-centric celebrations, Vermillion Promotions and Arizona Wine Events partner to host some of the most well-attended festivals in the Southwest. With over 15 annual events, among the most notable are the Wigwam Holiday Festival of the Arts at the historic Wigwam Resort each December and the Tubac Festival of the Arts, which began in 1959. It is one of the longest running festivals in the Southwest—and often touted as among the top 10 among the nation—and features over 200 artists from across the globe.

From left: James Gucwa, Return to Fox, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 18 in. Available at K. Newby Gallery and Sculpture Garden, Tubac, AZ. James Gucwa, Starlite, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 in. Available at Xanadu Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ.

Arizona-based James Gucwa is a prolific, full-time professional painter. He’s had solo-exhibitions across the country from Scottsdale to Santa Monica, California, and San Francisco to New York City. Gucwa has also painted murals for the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis, and the Mesa Southwest Museum (now the Arizona Museum of Natural History). He’s been an officially licensed fine artist for Harley-Davidson, and Chevrolet Corvette. His limited-edition prints are circulated worldwide. Gucwa is best-known for his realistic paintings of the American roadside, specifically scenes of vintage neon signage. He travels the backroads searching for old motels, theater marquees, bars, diners and other interesting subjects. Gucwa is currently represented by Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, the K. Newby Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Tubac, Arizona; and by the online gallery, Leslie Levy Fine Art. He and his wife live in the beautiful White Mountains of northeastern Arizona, where they spend their days hiking, painting and writing. Visit the artist’s website to see more of his work. —