Scottsdale, AZ
Hayden Road & Loop 101, January 14-March 26
Kirk Randle, Fall Shadows, oil, 10 x 18.
This story was featured in the January 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art January 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
The longest art show in Arizona—it spans 10 weeks—opens its 27th year with nearly 100 artists showing off their skills and artwork. The Celebration of Fine Art opens Saturday, January 14, in a tented exhibition hall on the southwest corner of Hayden Road and Loop 101 in Scottsdale, AZ.
The event features fine artists and artisans from around the country working onsite in individual studio spaces. Attendees wander through 40,000 square feet of space filled with artwork in a variety of styles, mediums, and subjects. The show includes fine art, such as painting and sculpture, as well as fine craft, such as jewelry and basketry. Styles of work include realism, impressionism, western realism, abstraction, and more.
“The most compelling thing about the show is meeting the artists producing such fine art and craft,” says Susan Morrow Potje, owner and show director. “On any given day when you walk through, you can watch and talk with any artist about technique and subject.”
Potje says that even though the event is held in a tent, people often forget about the venue. “It’s really like walking into a large studio or gallery space, but it doesn’t have that intimidating feel,” she says. The event draws seasoned collectors as well as those just beginning their collections.
The show features several special events, including panel discussions and demonstrations of bronze pours. An outdoor sculpture garden features nearly 100 life-size and monumental sculptures.
Potje says one of the most exciting parts of the event is seeing young and emerging artists grow and excel during their participation in the fair. “I used to think we would run out of artists who would want to be involved,” she says. “But there are more and more artists coming out and liking it because they get to bring their art and display it how they want.”
This year, she says they expect around 50,000 visitors to attend, as the event has continually fostered a community of both artists and collectors who appreciate, and celebrate, the creation of fine art. —Mackenzie McCreary
contact information
480.443.7695
www.celebrateart.com
This story was featured in the January 2017 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art January 2017 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story.
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