Bold and Bright

Some of the best contemporary art on the market today is highlighted at Scottsdale Art Week.

By Alyssa M. Tidwell

Scottsdale Art Week, formerly Scottsdale Ferrari Art Week,is packing a major punch this year for Arizona-based collectors and beyond. And while the fair includes some historic pieces, it’s all about the contemporary art, with 124 booths representing 16 countries in a massive warehouse-style exhibition space.

Artwork on display at the Jason Jacques Gallery booth.

Attendees will also find a curated series of panel discussions and conversations that bring together museum directors, curators, artists, scholars, art professionals and market specialists. “These dialogues explore the ideas, practices and perspectives shaping the art world today, bridging institutional insight, creative vision and market expertise in a setting that encourages both reflection and discovery,” note fair organizers.

Collectors will find a wide variety of acclaimed artists throughout the fair including Peter Anton, Michael Carson, Max Hammond, Hunt Slonem, Ron Hicks, Maya Redzic, Serge Marshennikov, Peregrine Heathcote and many more.

Serge Marshennikov, Northern Crystal, oil, 26 x 46 in. Courtesy T.H. Brennen Fine Art, Scottdale, AZ.

“There are [also] a lot of really cool Native programs,” says Josh Rose, fair consultant. The inaugural Indigenous Artist of the Year Award will be going to renowned Chemehuevi photographer Cara Romero, who has also taken a booth at the 2026 fair. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a gallery owned by an Indigenous woman has taken a booth at a major art fair, so that’s huge,” Rose says. Starting at the end of February, Romero will also have a traveling solo show at Phoenix Art Museum titled Cara Romero: Panûpünüwügai (Living Light), which will overlap with Scottsdale Art Week.

Maya Redzic, Memories 06, acrylic on panel with vintage frame, 9 x 7 in. Courtesy T.H. Brennen Fine Art, Scottdale, AZ

“She was very excited about going to Phoenix because this is the largest institution in the approximate range of where her tribe is from in Southern California,” Rose adds.

Another major artist who will be exhibiting at Scottsdale Art Weekthis year is multi-faceted Tohono O’odham artist Thomas “Breeze” Marcus. “He’s curating a group show of contemporary Indigenous art, and it’s going to have some pretty incredible names. He’s also going to paint live during opening night,” says Rose. “He’s kind of become the Phoenix artist…He did that mural at Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, and he’s doing this huge mural project for the City of Phoenix, so to have him involved just strengthens what we’re trying to do.”

Hunt Slonem, Green Grassland Hutch, 2025, oil and acrylic with diamond dust on canvas, 57 x 93 in. Courtesy Bonner David Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ.

Scottsdale Art Week takes place at WestWorld of Scottsdale. A First Look event will take place on Thursday, March 19, from 1 to 6 p.m., followed by the Opening Night Vernissage from 6 to 9 p.m. The public portion of the fair officially kicks off on Friday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and continues through Sunday, March 22, closing at 5 p.m.

Collectors view artwork at the 2025 Scottsdale Art Week.

“On Friday we’ve decided it’s going to be a ‘design day,’ which means we’re inviting interior designers, architects [and other designers] for a reception around 5. [We’ll have] guest speakers Tyler and Naiomi Glasses, talking about their journey in the art world, as well as their two collaborations with Ralph Lauren,” Rose says. “There’s going to be quite a bit of Native representation throughout the fair. The way I see it, we are in the Southwest, so we need to be the fair in North America that shines a light on this.”

American Art Collector is a proud sponsor of Scottsdale Art Week. —