Art In The Desert

What is it about the Southwest that attracts artists -- the mountains, desert landscapes, the light, the accomodating weather? Whatever it is, there is a thriving art community throughout Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah and California. It is one of the things that drew Carolyn and me here.

Scottsdale and Sedona are well known Meccas, but Prescott also has a thriving art scene and a number of galleries.

Recently we had the pleasure of meeting Charles Huckeba, a local artist, who has a gallery in town. Charles and his wife, Jill, travel the Southwest studying ancient petroglyphs left by native populations. This prehistoric rock art infuses his contemporary abstract and representational work.

We purchased two of his works. It was hard to choose from the many wonderful works in his studio. This is "Miro's Magic," an abstract inspired by petroglyphic and pictographic images as well as by the Spanish surrealist painter, Joan Miro. Typical of Charles' style, this painting has many layers. Under the surface is another other abstract work. By etching through the top layers, colors and shadings show through from below.

The second piece is "Hunter's Rain," a more representational work inspired by rock art Charles saw in Horse Canyon, Utah. Surrounding the petroglyph is an abstract border suggesting rain, a sacred element in desert life.

Charles was kind enough to spend time showing us his studio and talking about his art and the process he uses to produce it.

On Friday, Carolyn and I went down to Scottsdale to see the Arizona Fine Art Expo.

115 artists participate in the event which lasts 10 weeks!

Many not only display and sell their works but also work in a studio-like environment.

We enjoyed talking with so many artists in an unhurried atmosphere. They were all enthusiastic to share their art and experience.

The talent was incredible. There were so many whose work we loved. Here are just a few we met:

Robert Burt from Santa Fe, NM paints warm vibrant works with acryllic.

Dwight Bennett, from Phoenix, sculpts with Ironwood and other woods then inlays silver in his pieces.

Lance Headlee, from nearby Anthem, AZ, paints cowboys usually with yellow slickers.

His work is always big and bold and sometimes whimsical as here with "The Long Ride West."

It was a treat for Carolyn and I to meet Bob Coonts from Ft. Collins, CO. a wonderful man and artist. We first saw his work on display in Charles Huckeba's gallery in Prescott.

Bob does landscape and animal pictures that mix realism and abstract art.

We are now saving our money for one of his paintings which we will pass on to Ben someday.

We had a lunch in the statuary garden where many of the scultors display their work. We soaked in the strong sun of a January day on the desert floor.

There were so many other artists we had the opportunity to meet and enjoy their creativity. We will undoubtedly go back several more times before the Expo closes in March.

On Sunday, we headed south again to go to the Carefee Art Fair and Wine Festival. Leaving our neighborhood, we could see snow on the San Francisco Peaks in Flagstaff 90 miles away.



In Carefree, which is just north of Scottsdale, it was a warm sunny day in the low 70's.


There were artists from throughout the Southwest as well as from the Phoenix area.



Nearly every media was represented from watercolor to concrete.



We even met an artist named Sara Lawless.


The hit of the day, however, was the Great Dane. Big crowds gathered wherever he was.


We had another great day and were reluctant to head home.


But the most beautiful picture of the day was the sky on the way back to Prescott.