The Joy of Summer
It’s June in my hometown of Phoenix, which means you can, depending on your appetite, bake cookies in a car or fry an egg on the sidewalk. No one actually does this, but it’s the thing us Phoenicians like to brag about when the temperatures soar to 115 degrees and beyond. The Arizona galleries and museums are still open, but the excitement in the art world largely shifts to cooler, more hospitable destinations like Montana, Colorado, Northern New Mexico, Idaho, Wyoming or Oregon. This is one of the great joys of the art world: it’s always gorgeous somewhere.
Summer also goes hand-in-hand with summer vacations, which is how many people first explored this beautiful country. Every family is different, though there are certainly many who can relate to the way that vacations are lodged in our collective consciousness: stuffed station wagons, spilled snacks rolling around on the floor, ice chests in the back with questionable smells, fighting over control of the radio and the freedom of the open road with the wind in your hair. We still have young kids, so our trips always resemble Norman Rockwell’s Going and Coming, which is to say that vacations are still a little chaotic and wonderful.
As you plan your summer vacation—and yes, you deserve one, or several—please consider some of the shows and events in this issue. (And every issue.) The opportunities in front of you are remarkable: Prix de West in Oklahoma, La Luz de Taos in New Mexico, and auctions and gallery shows in places like Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Hamilton, Montana; Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The shows this month are phenomenal, and worthy of your time and attention. Whether you hit the road in the station wagon or catch a flight (let someone else drive!), the art world is calling to you this summer. Go get it!
Michael Clawson
Executive Editor
P.S. Our Collector’s Focus: Women Artists is very special this year, with nearly 40 artworks and more than two dozen artists. Some of the best painters and sculptors working today are in the 12-page special section. Start reading on Page 134.
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