It may be the 21st century, but those looking for a little slice of the Old West need not look far in Arizona. The Grand Canyon State, known for its rich arts history and natural beauty, still has deep connections to the West made famous by lawmen Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday, Apache fighter Geronimo, Spanish conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado and infamous outlaw Billy the Kid, who committed his first murder in the little town of Bonita, Arizona.
Horseback riders in Monument Valley. Courtesy Experience Scottsdale.
Make no mistake, the arts scene is spectacular and worthy of your attention (see the rest of our destination guide), but if you want to pepper your Arizona visit with authentic Western experiences, then grab your hat, dust off your boots and get ready to explore the state.
For starters, don’t be afraid of the road trip. From Phoenix, the state’s capital, a majority of the state can be accessed within a (roughly) five-hour car ride. This includes Monument Valley in the Navajo Nation to the northeast and Yuma in the southwest. Phoenix and Scottsdale are massive and will have everything a tourist will need, but visitors looking for a more rustic and rugged experience should consider hitting out-of-the-way places like Jerome, the famous ghost town that saw a resurgence long after the copper mines closed in the 1950s; Bisbee, a mining town known for its quirky personality; or anywhere along Route 66 in Northern Arizona, where travelers can stay in classic motor lodges or rooms shaped like teepees. For those who want to get really off the grid, Arizona is full of odd little towns with remarkable histories: Superior, Show Low, Eager, Globe, Holbrook, Crown King, Chloride, Sonoita and a place literally called Nothing.
Rusty Spur Saloon in Scottsdale, Arizona. Courtesy Experience Scottsdale.
The authentic West can be accessed in nearly every city, whether it’s through dude ranches, horse-riding opportunities and other outdoor adventures. Consider the Grand Canyon, which still offers guided horse and mule rides into the canyon that run from one-hour trips to overnight journeys to the bottom of the canyon. The beauty of the state is remarkable, and in nearly every setting there are hiking, riding or camping opportunities, from Yuma’s sand dunes and the pine forests of the Mogollon Rim to the granite dells of Prescott and the Painted Desert near Four Corners. After a long day under the Arizona sun, nearly every city has watering holes that have Western character, including burger joints and steakhouses, honkytonk bars and classic cowboy destinations with swinging saloon doors. These venues were staples of every town 150 years ago, and still are today.
Ed Mell’s Jack Knife monument in Scottsdale. Courtesy Experience Scottsdale.
Arizona has strong roots in the Old West—see Tombstone, Prescott, Oatman, Tucson, Tubac—but there is even more Native American history (more than a quarter of the state is part of a reservation or Indigenous nation), which is reflected in the culture of the state and its arts, and even in the petroglyph-carved rocks. These places include the Navajo Nation and Hopi mesas in Northern Arizona, Apache tribes on the east side of the state, Tohono O’Odham Nation in the south, and the Gila River, Salt River Pima-Maricopa and Ak Chin in the Phoenix area. Visitors are encouraged to visit these destinations with care and respect.
As you dive deeper into our annual State of the Art: Arizona destination guide, we hope you experience all that the state has to offer. Come for the art, but stay for everything else.
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Altamira Fine Art
7038 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 949-1256, az@altamiraart.com
www.altamiraart.com
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.
Top: Interior view of Altamira Fine Art in Scottsdale, Arizona.Bottom: Altamira Fine Art, Arizona Biltmore, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 in., by Geoffrey Gersten. Altamira Fine Art, Desert Muse, oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in., by Dennis Ziemienski.
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.
Informed by the color, texture and mythology of the Southwest, each artist contributes to the “New West,” a movement that honors tradition while embracing evolution. Whether through the chromatic abstraction of the Sonoran Desert or the cinematic glow of a Western horizon, the works on view at Altamira Scottsdale bridge modern sensibilities with timeless themes, inviting collectors to experience the region’s beauty and complexity in an entirely new light.
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Art on the Wild Side at the Phoenix Zoo
455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix, Arizona 85008
(602) 286-3800
www.phoenixzoo.org/explore/art-on-the-wild-side
The Phoenix Zoo celebrates the splendor of animals and nature through Art on the Wild Side,a distinctive program that unites artistic expression with wildlife conservation. Established to inspire and educate, this initiative highlights the beauty of the natural world while deepening the zoo’s mission to empower people to care for it.
Top: Art on the Wild Side (Phoenix Zoo), Rainwalk, photography, 40 x 108 in., by Thomas D. Mangelsen. Bottom: An interior view of the Wild Side Gallery at the Phoenix Zoo. A guest looking at Pretty in Pink, oil, 18 x 36 in., by Lucy Dickens.
The zoo’s two dedicated art spaces, the Savanna Gallery and the Wild Side Gallery, provide ever-changing experiences for guests. The Savanna Gallery, located within the zoo’s casual dining space, the Savanna Grill, showcases rotating exhibits by talented artists whose work reflects the majesty and diversity of wildlife. The Wild Side Gallery offers a vibrant, creative space featuring artists who capture the spirit of wildlife and nature through photography, painting, mixed media and more—each piece offering a fresh and thought-provoking perspective on the beauty and wonder of the natural world. Recent exhibitions have featured work from comic legend Todd McFarlane, renowned photographer Pete McBride and fine art from the Society of Animal Artists.
Upcoming highlights include the breathtaking photography of Thomas Mangelsen, one of the world’s most acclaimed nature photographers, and Fly Away Home: Arizona’s Amazing Migratory Birds, an exhibition running February 26 to June 28, celebrating the incredible journeys of the state’s feathered travelers.
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Curt Walters
www.curtwalters.com
These past few years, Curt Walters has been concentrating on his new book, Resilience: The Life and Grand Canyon Art of Curt Walters.“As part of this project, I have spent a great deal of time creating several 8-by-10-inch paintings for the Collector’s Limited Edition part of the printing,” he explains. “With backpack and plein air easel, I have made several hikes into the chasm and along the rims, interpreting the moods and hopefully, my own feelings about the place.
Top: Curt Walters, On the Way to Plateau Point, oil on canvas, 8 x 10 in. Center: Curt Walters, Bright Angel Blooms, oil on canvas, 8 x 10 in. Bottom: Curt Walters, Facing Vishnu, oil on canvas, 8 x 10 in.
The first part of Resilience is a very honest and open discussion of the artist’s life, travels and awards. Walters also discusses his fascination with the Spanish conquistadors, the first Europeans to visit the Grand Canyon in 1540. “The second part of the book is dedicated to my muse, the Grand Canyon,” he says. “Spanning 55 years of observation and study are paintings of the Colorado River, the inner canyon trails and the seasons. I think the reader will very much enjoy my interpretations of atmosphere and the infinite moods of earth’s greatest landscape.”
With works such as On the Way to Plateau Point, Walters shares, “Fall color appears late at the bottom of Grand Canyon compared to the rims. After hiking down the trail to Plateau Point, just past Havasupai Gardens, the morning light illuminated the lush cottonwood trees near Bright Angel Creek. For Bright Angel Blooms, Walters says, “This prickly pear cactus awaited us at the base of the Devils Corkscrew, nine miles down Bright Angel Trail. Red flowers are rare on these cacti in the Grand Canyon, so I was compelled to record it.” And for Facing Vishnu, he describes, “I was in the heart of Grand Canyon after hiking down Grandview Trail and on the edge of Horseshoe Mesa. The late-afternoon sun illuminated Vishnu looking across the Inner Gorge, and I painted the wonder of complex geology—close and intimate.”
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Darcie Peet
www.darciepeet.com
Facebook: /DarciePeet
Darcie Peet, Saguaro Sundown– Saguaro National Park West, oil, 20 x 20 in.
Splitting her time between Arizona and Colorado, artist Darcie Peet explores and captures the many “wild places” of the West in her paintings.
“Just west of Tucson, Arizona, a late afternoon and sundown hike in Saguaro National Park West ended with this huge sphere of an eye-squinting and startling sun setting behind the muted and disappearing, golden Tucson Mountains,” says Peet of her oil painting, Saguaro Sundown– Saguaro National Park West. “Its blazing, dramatic radiance set off and silhouetted the myriad of desert shapes, especially the forest of saguaros, distinct prickly pear cactus and scattered, blooming brittle bush. Not a sound around. What a serene, yet bold evening to explore the desert.”
Find this piece at Newby Gallery & Sculpture Garden in Tubac, Arizona, or on the artist’s website.
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King Galleries
7077 E. Main Street, Suite 20, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 481-0187, www.kinggalleries.com
King Galleries celebrates its 30th year in Scottsdale, Arizona. Owner Charles King combines regional paintings and bronzes with important Native pottery from 1920 to the present. Each piece is curated to bring together the best in each genre.
Top: King Galleries in Scottsdale, Arizona. King Galleries, Twilight Serenade, oil on linen, 36 x 36 in., by Marcia Molnar. Bottom: King Galleries, Mill Canyon at Dusk, oil on linen, 36 x 48 in., by Mike Esch.
The gallery represents artists Marcia Molnar, Andrea Vargas, Andrew Roda, Mary Calengor, Mike Esch and Kwani Povi Winder (Santa Clara). Bronzes in the gallery are by Tammy Garcia (Santa Clara) and Autumn Borts-Medlock (Santa Clara). Among the leading contemporary potters are Nancy Youngblood (Santa Clara), Russell Sanchez (San Ildefonso), Les Namingha (Hopi), and others. Historic works by Maria Martinez (San Ildefonso), Margaret Tafoya (Santa Clara) and Tony Da (San Ildefonso), can also be found in the gallery.
While based in tradition, the gallery gives voice to younger artists including Jared Tso (Navajo (Diné)), Daniel Begay (Santa Clara/Diné), Stephanie Tafoya (Santa Clara) and Jeff Suina (Cochiti).
The Scottsdale gallery has been active for 30 years, and continues to have seasonal shows, art talks and artist demonstrations. Education and connecting collectors to artists remains a goal for the gallery.
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Legacy Gallery
7178 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 945-1113, www.legacygallery.com
The Legacy Gallery, located in Scottsdale, is proud to represent more than 100 nationally known artists across many genres. They offer the finest in representational and impressionistic art. Since 1988, the gallery has specialized in paintings and sculptures in a wide variety of subject matter, including Western, figurative, wildlife, still-life and landscape. In addition, the gallery offers works by deceased 19th- and 20th-century artists, such as Olaf Wieghorst, Charles M. Russell, Olaf C. Seltzer, Joseph H. Sharp, Frederic Remington and Taos Founders.
Top: A view of the Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Below left: Legacy Gallery, Treading Water, oil, 30 x 40 in., by Bill Anton. Below right: Legacy Gallery, Where Voices are Lost, oil, 40 x 46 in., by Don Oelze.
The gallery also offers consultations for the placement of life-size bronze sculptures for homes, gardens or corporate settings. “We look forward to assisting you with your fine-art acquisitions,” says gallery owners Brad and Jinger Richardson. “Our experienced and friendly staff will help you begin or expand your fine art collection. We are glad to provide information regarding our established and up and coming artists.”
The Richardsons have owned Legacy Gallery, located in the heart of the arts district, since 1988, and have more recently acquired Manitou Galleries located in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery
6872 E. Sunrise Drive, Suite 130, Tucson Arizona 85750
(520) 722-7798, www.medicinemangallery.com
Since 1992, Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery has been leaving a unique imprint on Western art. The gallery owners pride themselves on giving a platform to underrepresented Native American artists, honoring the fine-art careers of legendary and celebrated names, and welcoming highly skilled newcomers into the world of Western art.
Top: Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, His Last Days, oil on canvas, 36 x 30 in., by Billy Schenck. Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, You Can Play with Fire and not get Burned, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48 in., by Donna Howell-Sickles. Bottom: Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery, Fields of Home, Sedona, oil on mounted linen, 24 x 30 in., by Gregory Hull.
The year 2026 is no different. On February 6, there will be a 55-year retrospective of work by Billy Schenck. The book Billy Schenck New Wave Westerner is available while supplies last.
“Donna Howell-Sickles, a painter I have always admired, is now part of our gallery roster,” shares gallery owner, Mark Sublette. “You Can Play with Fire and not get Burned is quintessential Howell-Sickles, with a joyful sense of Western life through the eyes of her female heroine.”
Medicine Man Gallery continues to explore and embolden the Western artistic sensibilities in 2026 and beyond. “We welcome all to come see our gallery and museum complex in the foothills of this emerging locus of art and culture in Tucson, Arizona,” Sublette adds.
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Naomi Brown
www.naomibrownart.com
IG: naomibrownart
Top: Naomi Brown, Ironwood Forest Arizona, oil on canvas, 30 x 24 in. Naomi Brown, Borrego Springs with My Dad, oil on aluminum, 20 x 16 in. Bottom: Naomi Brown, Sonoran Desert Evening, oil and acrylic on canvas, 24 x 36 in.
“Living in the beautiful state of Arizona sometimes feels like I am living in a technicolor movie,” says artist Naomi Brown. “With its wide-open blue skies and out-of-this-world sunsets, I have to stop and pinch myself sometimes.”
The Wild West has drawn artists from all around for a very long time, and Brown feels fortunate to live in the East Valley of Phoenix, in the town of Queen Creek. “You can’t paint the Sonoran Desert without including the iconic star of the Wild West—the stoic saguaro, with their arm’s reaching way up in the Arizona sky,” she says. “They have stories to tell of the desert in which they stand; the years of withstanding the extreme heat, the droughts and the desert winds, not to mention all the desert animals that use them as their home and a place to feel safe. Some have lived to 300 years old. I feel it is an honor to be able to paint these beautiful sentinels of the desert...”
Find Brown’s work at The Russell in March 2026; Signature Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico; and Settlers West Galleries in Tucson, Arizona.
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Sanders Galleries
6420 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85718
(520) 299-1763, sandersgalleries@sandersgalleries.com
www.sandersgalleries.com
Top: Sanders Galleries in Tucson, Arizona. Bottom: Sanders Galleries, The Guardian, oil, 72 x 48 in., by Edward Aldrich. Sanders Galleries, The Reflection Pool, oil on panel, 30 x 40 in., by Adrian Gottlieb.
Located at the base of the Catalina Mountains in the foothills of Tucson, Arizona, Sanders Galleries has specialized in representing top American artists working in traditional and contemporary styles since 1975.
The gallery displays spectacular figurative works by icons like Mian Situ, Adrian Gottlieb and Katie O’Hagan; and exceptional wildlife and Western artists such as Matthew Hillier and Andrew Denman. “Our artists are encouraged to create meaningful works personal to them, not for any specific genre,” says owner Chris Sanders. “On any given day, you may walk in and see Western art next to world-class figurative nudes, or expressive colorist pieces by John Asaro. Turn the corner and see realist Greg Block do a spectacular still life of doughnuts so lifelike it is hard to believe. We celebrate art for the sake of art and that makes this gallery a wondaful place to visit for the best in American art.”
The gallery also represents Bonnie Marris, Edward Aldrich, Guy Combes, Joshua LaRock, Chris Mummert, Matthew Hillier, Amy Lay, Bryce Pettit, Paul Rhymer, Chauncey Homer, JR Hess, Aaron Westerberg, Keith Bond, Jerry Salinas and Julie Chapman, to name a few.
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Scottsdale Art Week
Westworld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260, www.scottsdaleartweek.com
The Scottsdale Art Week fair, celebrating its second edition in 2026, 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 striven 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.
Top: Visitors at the 2025 inaugural Scottsdale Art Week enjoy an array of artworks by renowned dealers. Bottom: Scottsdale Art Week, Indian with Feather, 1968, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 40 in., by Fritz Scholder (Luiseño, 1937-2005); Scottsdale Art Week, Evening on Orocopio, oil, ca. 1940, 10 x 14 in., by Maynard Dixon (1875-1946).
The art fair kicks off with the VIP Day and Press Preview on Thursday, March 19, with the First Look event from 1 to 6 p.m., and the Opening Night Vernissage from 6 to 9 p.m. Scottsdale Art Week is open to the public starting March 20 and will close March 22.
Exhibitors include Mark Sublette Medicine Man Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, showcasing historic, Western artworks like Indian with Feather, 1968, by Fritz Scholder (1973-2005); Sunset Sweep, circa 1993, by Ed Mell (1942-2024); and Evening on Orocopio, circa 1940, by Maynard Dixon (1875-1946).
Also find exhibitors Acosta Strong Fine Art, Arcadia Contemporary, Blue Rain Gallery, J Klein Gallery, Tony Abeyta Projects, Paul Scott Gallery, and many more.
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The Marshall Gallery
7106 E. Main Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85251, (480) 970-3111, www.themarshallgallery.com
For 26 years, the Marshall Gallery has been a cornerstone of Scottsdale’s vibrant arts district, celebrated for its refined curation and enduring commitment to contemporary fine art. The gallery features a dynamic collection spanning glass, sculpture and paintings that range from figurative and abstract to impressionist, modern Western and landscape works.
Representing acclaimed artists such as glass masters Peter Bremers, Thomas Scoon and Dan Friday, alongside celebrated painters Mark Bowles, B.C. Nowlin, Angie Haskell and Josh Hernández, the Marshall Gallery offers an ever-evolving experience for collectors and art enthusiasts alike. Each work is chosen for its craftsmanship, emotion and ability to transform space.
Top: The Marshall Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona. Bottom: The Marshall Gallery, High Line Trail, glass, 11-57 diameter and 22 x 13 x 4 in., by Peter Bremers; The Marshall Gallery, Viewpoint, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 60 in., by Mark Bowles.
For collectors, designers and first-time buyers, the Marshall Gallery provides a personalized and educational experience. Its knowledgeable staff assists with selection, placement and acquisition, ensuring each piece aligns with a client’s aesthetic vision and collection goals. From in-gallery consultations to custom commissions, the team’s thoughtful guidance fosters meaningful connections between clients and the art they love.
Light-filled and welcoming, the gallery is curated with purpose, a space where art inspires, challenges and moves. With more than two decades of excellence, the Marshall Gallery remains one of Scottsdale’s premier destinations for discovering exceptional art. —
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