State of the Art: Arizona

Tourists from all over the world seek out Arizona to gaze upon one of the seven natural wonders: the Grand Canyon. Artists are compelled to capture its splendor, while visitors treasure their experience at or beyond the canyon’s rim for years. This vast, geological fascination is enough to knock the socks off any aspiring Western or landscape artist, yet the state of Arizona has so much more to offer. Traveling south from the canyon, there are dozens of national parks and monuments, cultural richness and such diverse landscapes that you question whether you’re in Arizona at all.

Thomas Moran (1837-1926), Zoroaster Temple at Sunset (Temple de Zoroastro al Atardecer), 1916, oil on canvas. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Kieckhefer. © Phoenix Art Museum. All rights reserved. Photo by Ken Howie. 1969.1.

Places like the Grand Canyon have been expressed through the eyes of some of the greats, such as landscape painter Thomas Moran (1837-1926). Famous for his involvement with the Hudson River School in New York, Moran became compelled by the West. He brought his colorful palette and romanticism to epic pieces like Grand Canyon of Arizona at Sunset, 1909. As part of geologist John Wesley Powell’s government survey, Moran depicted the canyon in many pieces.

His most popular, and widely known piece, Chasm of Colorado (1873-1874), is a scene from Powell’s Plateau. Moran sketched and photographed these scenes and upon returning to his studio back east, he got to work in oil. The piece was purchased by the United States government, was displayed in the Senate lobby and is now displayed at the U.S. Department of the Interior Museum.

Scenic view in Sedona. © Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau.

Another famous, yet more contemporary artist, Ed Mell, grew up in the Phoenix area and remained inspired by visions of the West in his illustrative style, even when he left to work as an art director at an advertising firm in New York. His connection to Arizona and time spent with the Hopi tribe on the Colorado Plateau fueled his career in sculpture, print and oil paintings. His work can be found in many Arizona museum collections, and an eight-foot public sculpture of his piece Jack Knife, can be seen in the middle of Main Street in the Scottsdale Gallery District in Old Town Scottsdale.

Arizona is also known for its many Native American tribal lands such as the Navajo and Hopi to the northeast, the White Mountain Apache tribe and San Carlos Apache tribe to the east, the Tohono O’odham tribe to the south and the Havasupai and Hualapai tribes to the Northwest, among many others. Such Indigenous diversity has given rise to organizations like the Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix, dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art, and the Museum of Northern Arizona in Flagstaff, preserving the history of the Northern Arizona region.

There are many prominent Native American artists from Arizona that work in mediums ranging from pottery and textiles, to jewelry and painting. Hopi/Navajo jeweler Jesse Monongya is based in Scottsdale and is known for his highly technical designs of the night sky, along with simple, yet lavish cut turquoise pieces. He produces gorgeous, one-of-a-kind necklaces, rings and bracelets, while using an array of gemstones and high-end materials.

Shonto Begay is a member of the Diné (Navajo) tribe and grew up near Shonto, Arizona. He is known as a poet, illustrator and painter, with storytelling as a key component of his work. Representatives at the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian, where Begay will soon close a solo show for his neo-impressionist paintings, notes that “his [autobiographical] paintings visually narrate his connection to the Navajo landscape, personal histories and cosmology.” The works also serve as objects of healing, as the artist addresses issues of trauma in the Native community.

Continue reading through this section to further explore what many Arizona galleries, museums and artists have to offer in the Western genre. You’ll find inspired imagery, along with art adventuring ideas for when you plan on visiting this warm and welcoming Southwestern state.

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Brian Lebel’s Old West Events
1041 Westend Drive, Suite 107, Greensboro, GA 30642, (480) 779-9378, contactus@oldwestevents.com, www.oldwestevents.com

The Mesa Old West dealer show.

Brian Lebel’s Old West Events will host the 32nd annual Mesa Old West Show & Auction January 21 to 23 at the Mesa Convention Center and the adjacent Delta Marriott Mesa hotel in Mesa, Arizona.

Brian Lebel’s Old West Events, Upper Missouri hide and quilled men’s coat, ca. second half of the 19th-century Estimate: $10/15,000

Composed of a weekend dealer show and a two-night live auction, the event features authentic Western American art, antiques and collectibles for public sale. The weekend Old West Show hosts hundreds of vendors in antique, vintage and modern Western art and collectibles. The auction is held live on Friday and Saturday night starting at 5 p.m., with the Dick Flood Sr. & Daro Flood Collection selling on Friday. Bidding is available live, online, mobile, by phone or absentee. An auction preview will be held at the Delta Marriott hotel; both the auction and preview are free and open to the public.

Brian Lebel’s Old West Events, Lord of the Southern Plains (Quanah Parker), bronze, 35 x 18½ x 19”, by Joe Beeler (1931-2006). Estimate: $10/14,000

“Working with the Dick and Daro Flood Collection for the Mesa Old West Auction has been an education and a privilege,” says show founder Brian Lebel. “The sheer volume of drawings, paintings, writings, sculpture, [etc.] represents an absolute trove of ephemera from the most important era of cowboy art in America…Consisting of the Flood family archives and the Joe De Yong Estate, it is an explosion of art from the likes of Russell, Borg, De Yong and Borein, much of which has never been seen outside of the Flood family. My advice for anyone wanting to purchase some of these ‘new to market’ pieces is to find a great framer because, if you have the vision and patience, there are beautiful works to be brought to life...”

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Darcie Peet
www.darciepeet.com

“A desert treasure to explore is Saguaro National Park West outside of Tucson, Arizona,” says artist Darcie Peet. “Golden Gate Road winds and meanders up and down, bisecting a huge corner of the park between Picture Rocks and Sandario Roads. Winter in the desert means lower sun, longer shadows and rich color creating bold cloud formations, especially when a storm rolls through.”

Darcie Peet, Painted in Storm Glow, oil, 20 x 24.” Available at Settlers West Gallery, Tucson, AZ.

In Peet’s painting Painted in Storm Glow, pictured here, one can almost hear the rumble from the ominous clouds while the welcome relief of light and warmth from the West filters through. The squall recedes across distinct Safford Peak and the Picacho Mountains disappearing in the distance. “Recent rain has left rivulets of water spider-webbing and threading the dirt road and reflecting the brilliant sky,” the artist adds. “There’s nothing quite like the smell of the desert right after a rain!”

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Desert Caballeros Western Museum
21 N. Frontier Street, Wickenburg, AZ 85390, (928) 684-2272, www.westernmuseum.org

Embark on a genuine Western experience at Desert Caballeros Western Museum in the heart of Wickenburg, Arizona, where world-class art collections meet immersive historical exhibitions.

Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Sundial Dreams, oil on linen canvas, 16 x 16”, by Linda Glover Gooch.

DCWM’s galleries and free guidePORT audio tours tell the fascinating stories of explorers, cowboys, miners and others who lived and worked in the American West. At the core of the museum’s art collection are works by George Catlin, Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, the Cowboy Artists of America and the Taos Society of Artists. Recent additions to the museum’s collection include pieces by New Mexico artists Michael Naranjo, Kim Wiggins and John Nieto.

Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Moon Rising Over Joshua Tree, oil and acrylic on canvas, 30 x 48”, by Naomi Brown.

The museum hosts its nationally acclaimed Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West invitational exhibition and sale each spring. Since 2006, this exhibition has been featuring the talents of the country’s best Western women artists. Cowgirl Up! turns the spotlight squarely on both traditional and contemporary women’s perspectives, revealing a new, deeper understanding of the American West. The 17th annual Cowgirl Up! runs from March 25 through September 4 and will kick off with three days of festivities from March 25 to March 27.

Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Julie’s Comfort, oil, 23 x 27”, by Julie Nighswonger.

Pictured here is work from past Cowgirl Up! participants, including Linda Glover Gooch who earned herself Best of Show at the 2021 event, along with the Museum Purchase Award.

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K. Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden
15 Tubac Road, Tubac, Arizona 85646, (520) 398-9662, info@newbygallery.com, www.newbygallery.com

Join Gary Lee Price, world renowned sculptor, for the 62nd annual Tubac Festival of the Arts! Price will be sculpting live February 10 to 12, 2022 from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Come hear him share stories of what inspires him to bring to life each sculpture as he creates them.

K. Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden, Amelia Earhart – Great Contributors Bench, bronze, various sizes, by Gary Lee Price.

Prices relates: “Several years ago, I created a sculpture of two people climbing a cliff, one reaching down helping the other. The focal point was the interlocking hands. This sculpture, titled Ascent, was inspired by some of my personal challenges and my desire to depict how my friends had stopped in the middle of their climb and reached back to lift me to higher ground. Many life experiences later, I realized I had to depict another truism of life in sculptural form, and several pieces have been inspired by this, including the Statue of Responsibility. I hope I can assist the world in visualizing a place where fences and boundaries, both real and imagined, are non-existent...A place where mutual respect and love are everyday happenings.”

K. Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden, Soul Mates, bronze, various sizes, by Gary Lee Price.

Tubac Festival of the Arts, Southern Arizona’s longest-running festival, draws tens of thousands of visitors each season. The juried event showcases the work of visiting artists from around the country and as far away as Canada. Each year, approximately 200 visiting artists exhibit their works along the village streets, mixed in with the more than 100 shops, fine art galleries and working artist studios.

K. Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden, Statue of Responsibility, aluminum, multiple versions, by Gary Lee Price.

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King Galleries
7077 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, (480) 481-0187, kgs@kinggalleries.com, www.kinggalleries.com

Roseta Santiago, Kwani Povi-Winder and Andrea Vargas are three exciting artists exploring Western, landscape and regional art through their oil paintings. King Galleries is pleased to represent their work exclusively in Arizona, so their work can be seen year-round.

King Galleries, Clouds Over the Mesa, oil on canvas, 36 x 51”, by Andrea Vargas.

Each artist has a distinctive style, which has continued to bring new collectors to their work, and there is a refreshing voice they bring to the genre as female artists. Their paintings are a reflection of their lives, background and connections to people and place.

King Galleries, Afternoon in the Aspens, oil on canvas, 30 x 30”, by Roseta Santiago.

Santiago is known for visionary interpretations of the West and Southwest. Vargas paints plein-air, capturing the landscape with depth and shadows of her painted surfaces. Povi-Winder is from Santa Clara Pueblo, and her work provides a Native perspective on the landscape and Pueblo culture.

King Galleries, Gia’s Pot, oil on linen, 30 x 20”, by Kwani Povi-Winder.

“As these artists continue to evolve the discourse of their genres, each piece is unique,” says gallery owner Charles S. King. “Acquire pieces with not just depth in the art style, but depth in the stories the artist is telling.”

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Legacy Gallery
7178 Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, (480) 945-1113, www.legacygallery.com

The Legacy Gallery is proud to represent more than 100 nationally known artists. Located in Scottsdale, Arizona, Legacy Gallery offers the finest in representational and impressionistic art. Since 1988, the Legacy Gallery has specialized in paintings and sculptures in a wide variety of subject matter, including Western, figurative, wildlife, still life and landscape. Some new works they are excited to feature in the new year are from artists John Moyers, Kenny McKenna and Bill Anton.

Legacy Gallery, Cold Front, oil, 48 x 36”, by John Moyers.

Moyers, the son of cowboy artist William Moyers, grew up in New Mexico surrounded by paintings and sculpture. When asked about his work, Moyers said, “I paint what excites me. Maybe for two months all I want to do is landscapes, then maybe Native Americans and then Mexican pieces.”

McKenna strives to capture the feel of the landscape by location painting, quick sketches and photographing with the finished piece completed in his studio. Whether painting the vastness of the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains or a sunset on the Great Plains, his objective is to create a piece that comes together by knowing what to paint in and what to leave to a viewer’s imagination.

Legacy Gallery, Sonoran Moon, oil, 36 x 33”, by Bill Anton.

“The focus of my work has always been mood and passion,” reflects Anton. “If I’m recording anything, I’m recording how I feel about the West. I want the viewer to feel the drama of atmosphere and the mystery of a Western night.”

Legacy Gallery, Clearing Over Vishnu, oil, 48 x 50”, by Kenny McKenna.

“When searching for your next piece of art,” the gallery notes, “consider the artist’s inspiration and the story behind their brushstrokes. With many of the great Western artists, you can see a glimpse into their heart and what pulls them to the American West.”

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Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery
6872 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite 130, Tucson, AZ 85750, (520) 722-7798, www.medicinemangallery.com

Arizona continues to see new collectors relocating to the state who find a natural embrace of Western and Native arts in their home decor. Whether a Howard Post landscape, Bill Anton cowboy, or Ray Roberts portrayal of Native peoples, the collectors of Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery are seeking high-quality works that celebrate the Southwestern lands, wildlife, flora and people. Investments in artists and art of the great American West continue to remain relevant and the market strong. Larger paintings are finding homes along with small gems and sculptural works.

Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Stirrup Deep, oil on canvas board, 46 x 48”, by Bill Anton.

The gallery notes that younger collectors continue to emerge into the Western and Native art market with interest in historic jewelry, Native art, and southwestern contemporary paintings and bronze that convey a sense of history or the freedom and natural beauty of the outdoors. They are unafraid to mix modern with the historic, and collect works that move or interest them, rather than collecting a particular name. Internet traffic continues to boom, with collectors of all ages feeling more confident purchasing art online, preferring to develop long gallery relationships.

Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, The South Face, oil on canvas, 48 x 48”, by Howard Post.

“Collectors have embraced the importance of an inspiring home environment as a priority in our post-lockdown recovery,” says the gallery. “We are confident in the longevity of the market and the continued interest during one of the most difficult times in modern history speaks volumes.”Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Canyon Inspiration, oil on linen panel, 40 x 30”, by Ray Roberts.

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Mountain Trails Gallery
336 SR 179, Suite A201, Sedona, AZ 86336, (928) 282-3225, fineart@mountaintrailssedona.com, www.mountaintrailssedona.com

“We are fortunate to live in such a beautiful state that offers memorable sights and resources including expansive landscapes, a variety of deserts, mountains and canyons, wildlife and recreational opportunities, as well as fascinating geology,” says Julie R. Williams, director of Mountain Trails Gallery in Sedona, Arizona. “And that’s even before one can appreciate the climate and the variety of cultures.”

Mountain Trails Gallery, Legacy, oil, 20 x 20”, by Marcia Molnar.

Mountain Trails Gallery, Echoes Through Time, oil, 18 x 24”, by Sue Krzyston.

Williams adds, “Our artists are here to remind us of Arizona’s remarkable treasures and opportunities through their paintings, sculpture and mixed media fine art. We are honored to exhibit all of our intrepid artists, including 20 who live here and those who love to come here for inspiration. We appreciate all of them for their skills as well as their spirit as they continue to receive awards for their ability to capture a marvelous marriage of form and essence in what they create. These offerings continue to attract our collectors who come from all over the world to experience what our artists are able to convey in their work, from the freedom of being in wide open spaces that twinkle in the clear night skies and sun filled days, to the variety of cultures that has made Arizona a unique place to be, and especially to experience the defining spirit that settled the West. From the beauty of traditional ways of seeing to the dynamic, contemporary expressions of color and place, our artists convey an exciting heartbeat that defines the new West.”

Mountain Trails Gallery, One of Those Days, bronze, ed. of 30, 5 x 14 x 6”, by Raymond Gibby Bronze.

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Naomi Brown
www.naomibrownart.com

Artist Naomi Brown loves painting the simple beauties of the desert and magnifying them in each of her paintings. “In a sense, it’s putting them in a spotlight to show the viewer these hidden, delicate beauties found in the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts,” says Brown.

Naomi Brown, Arizona Evening Display, oil and acrylic, 24 x 36.” Available at Marshall Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ.

She gets her inspiration for her work by walking out into her backyard and taking pictures of her many mature saguaros.

Naomi Brown, Just Peachy in Joshua Tree, oil and acrylic, 24 x 18”. Available at Marshall Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ.

“I love the difference of morning light versus the evening light that makes them glow,” she furthers. “I also enjoy taking a road trip back home to Twentynine Palms, California...and going for long walks in the Mojave Desert to study all those long shadows that show up as soon as the sun goes down. It’s those simple beauties that give me the inspirations for my paintings.”

Naomi Brown, Desert Roadrunner, oil, 15 x 30”. Available at the Good Art Company, Fredericksburg, TX.

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Settlers West Gallery
6420 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85718, (520) 299-2607, www.settlerswest.com

Settlers West Gallery of Tucson, Arizona, has been offering the public fine American art, Western and wildlife art since 1971. As of December 4, the gallery closed The Great American West 50th Anniversary show, as a celebratory exhibition for the gallery’s 50th year of business.Settlers West Gallery, Winter Canopy, acrylic, 24 x 36”, by Daniel Smith.

The gallery feature’s significant works by prominent painters and sculptors such as Daniel Smith, Scott Tallman Powers and Kenny McKenna, all with pieces pictured here. Smith showcases his highly realistic wildlife pieces seen in Winter Canopy, depiciting a mountain lion. He stays close to nature at his home in Bozeman, Montana, on the edge of a national forest.

Settlers West Gallery, The Guardian, oil, 30 x 22”, by Scott Tallman Powers.

Powers garners his inspiration from his many travels, painting many different cultures from around the world. His goal is to express stories and experiences with integrity and honesty. This can be seen in piece The Guardian, of a colorful sky that highlights a stand-alone tree surrounded by grazing cattle.

Working exclusively in oils, Kenny McKenna utilizes an impressionistic style for his landscape scenes. The painting Canyon Life-Past and Present shows his breadth of skill and dedication to creating works depicting canyons and colors of the Southwest.

Settlers West Gallery, Canyon Life-Past and Present, oil, 48 x 36”, by Kenny McKenna.