THE ART LOVER’S GUIDE TO COLLECTING FINE ART IN SCOTTSDALE & VICINITY
Scottsdale, Arizona, is home to numerous landmark properties developed in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and continues today to be a beacon for culture, history and the arts. The city itself is located in the Salt River Valley in the northern reaches of the Sonoran Desert, sharing borders with Tempe, Phoenix, Paradise Valley, Carefree and Tonto National Forest. Much of the city, including historic Old Town Scottsdale, is a popular tourist destination, particularly in the winter months. And part of the allure of Scottsdale and the surrounding areas is the wide range of fine art, historical and performing arts organizations that call this city home.
Public art installations, both permanent and temporary, play a significant role in shaping the city of Scottsdale. There’s a precedent of appreciation for the importance of art in all its various forms—nearly everywhere you turn a gallery, museum or work of art is on display for passersby to view and admire,
especially downtown. In Old Town Scottsdale alone, visitors can find the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, as well as a haven of galleries on Main Street including T.H. Brennen Fine Art, Paul Scott Gallery, The Marshall Gallery of Fine Art and Bonner David Galleries. In addition, the Scottsdale Artists’ School is located nearby on Marshall Way. The Scottsdale Gallery Association holds its Gold Palette ArtWalks on Thursdays eight times per year with a new theme each time.
Other events not to be missed in the area are two that run mid-January through March 24: Celebration of Fine Art, located off Hayden Road and the 101 Highway, and the Arizona Fine Art EXPO. The latter event is produced by Thunderbird Artists Inc., which after 37 years of producing award-winning, juried fine art festivals, recently opened its first fine art gallery, Thunderbird Artists Gallery.