Sedona rivals Santa Fe and Scottsdale as a Southwestern art center. Many fine art galleries can be found throughout the town. Their greatest concentration is centered in the plazas of Uptown and in what I call the Gallery District, the area along Highway 179 starting with Tlaquepaque on Oak Creek and continuing south for a few blocks after you cross the bridge over Oak Creek. If you are entering Sedona from Interstate 17, this is the first area you will reach, just a few blocks before you intersect with Hwy 89A Uptown at the “Y”. The Gallery District has a surprising outdoor display of marble and bronze statues framing these fine art plazas and galleries. West Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, and the Village of Oak Creek also have their share of fine art galleries, some stand-alone and others tucked into plazas.
Old-timers know it as “the Art Barn”; today it’s called the Sedona Arts Center. This center has been the hub of Sedona’s serious art community since 1958. Their website has a comprehensive calendar of events that will keep you current on the various classes, workshops, international art expeditions, and exhibitions that they sponsor. Years ago the Art Barn was the hub of music and theater productions, too. In the early 1980’s my mother Dee sang the lead role in “The Merry Widow”. The Barn was packed night after night and I fondly remember how my mother smiled radiantly at her curtain call. She was a fantastic piano player as well and spent many nights singing or playing along with other locals at the Oak Creek Owl’s popular piano bar. Ah, those were the days.
Sedona Artists Co-op
At the “Y” – beneath the Book Loft 928.282.2778 – 928.284.0457
This is the original association
representing the finest Sedona art galleries. The
Sedona Gallery Association represents the collaborative
efforts of the premiere galleries in Sedona to ensure
that art lovers and artist alike experience the best
art environment imaginable. By working together to
support special art events and encourage strict ethical
business practices the association continues to cultivate
the visual arts and cultural life of Sedona. The association
provides a unified voice to advance standards of excellence
and raise awareness to ensure high aesthetic quality
for all our Sedona patrons.
When you see the SGA symbol, you can be confident
you are dealing with a Sedona gallery that will offer:
~ Assurance of a selection of quality artwork.
~ Commitment to integrity in all our business practices.
~ Guarantee of the highest level of service.
~ Knowledgeable staff always on hand to assist you
in your selection.
Sedona Visual Artists Coalition
Judy Mendoza
55 North Slopes Drive
Sedona, AZ 86336 928.204.2963 www.sedonaartistscoalition.org
A creative coalition of Sedona artists
who network and organize exhibitions, explorations,
and education. Sedona Open Studios, a two-day event
featuring top local artists in their studios, is just
one of their results. If you are serious about art
in Sedona and want to join with other progressive
artists, go here.
The purpose of the Sedona Visual Artists' Coalition
is to create a supportive community which is educational,
exploratory, and social in nature.
The Sedona Visual Artists Coalition is a Community
of 200 plus professional artists in greater Sedona
and the surrounding area, they work in different mediums:
photography, oil and acrylics, mixed media, watercolor,
fiber, wood, glass, ceramics, metal, and film. This
group comes together to share work and techniques,
opportunities and events, and in general have a friendly
inspiring experience. We work toward developing an
artist community, which is educational and exploratory
in the visual arts. Our community service is to raise
the consciousness in the community by choosing an
important and controversial issue and creating an
exhibition about it. This gives the opportunity for
the community to look at an issue "through a
different door…."
The Coalition is developing a mentoring program for
children of all ages and has been involved with designing
collaborative sculptures in the West Sedona Park;
painting an art car for the Scottsdale Contemporary
Museum Car parade, representing artists on the Sedona
Arts & Culture Commission, initiating and writing
art columns in the local newspaper. We also set up
visits to different artists studios and foundries
and are politically active in regard to the Arts.
Events and Classes
Art For Kids
West Sedona - Bashas Plaza
Sedona Art Supply
164-N Coffee Pot Drive
Sedona Arizona 86336 928.282.4009 www.artforkidssedona.com
"Where teaching art is a work
of heart".
Kids of all ages come here to explore their artistic
creativity and love of life. A tried and true curriculum,
affordable classes, qualified teachers, great art
supplies and resources, and lots of FUN guarantees
the kids a great time. Stop by and investigate for
yourself or call Zenna MacGregor for more info. Classes
are available in ceramics, oil pastels, watercolor,
acrylics, sumi painting, and colored pencil drawing.
Each unique 8-week session focuses on developing the
fine art skills of light source, drawing techniques,
shading, color harmony and perspective. It's self-discovery
and expression at its best.
Imagine Art
Near the "Y"
90 Brewer Road
11am - 5pm daily, closed Mondays 928.282.4236
Imagine Art is back! Henry Wingfield
has reincarnated one of Sedona's most unique businesses
to ever open its doors in the Red Rock region. Imagine
Art filled a wonderful need in Sedona when it opened
in the mid-90's as a place to spend an afternoon designing
and painting your own pottery and art. It was closed
for the last 5 years and sorely missed by all of us
until Henry returned to light the spark once more
and fire up the kilns. Yay!
For many years it was the place to take the
kids on a birthday for a special celebration. You
can paint pre-made white bisque pottery plates, shakers,
ornaments, cups, vases, and other assorted objects
d'art. I know, I took several mobs of laughing and
excited children to Imagine Art over the years with
the predictable result that they all couldn't
wait until the next time they could go back. Stopping
by a few days later to get the pottery they painted
after it was fired was an important event that occupied
their minds for days after their painting session.
Eventually once I knew the ropes I began taking adults
to Imagine Art for a session for the same magical
effect: intense FUN. What a great way to spend some
hours with people you care about. What a fantastic
method for getting friends to share ideas and artistic
inspiration and get closer. Want a idea for a date
guaranteed to impress your sweetie? You got it...
Henry's inspired business is simply a place you have
to experience for yourself. I have colorful pottery
sitting on shelves that made my kids happy to create
and me proud to accept as a gift of love. I even have
a few attempts by myself at making my mark in bisque.
It all adds up to time well spent and memories for
a lifetime. Thanks Henry!
A week-long open air festival dedicated to paintings created outdoors in the midst of Sedona’s beauty. Be prepared to see artists along Oak Creek, at resorts, and along back roads doing their thing during the festival’s duration. A national group of 30 impeccable painters selected from a large pool of applicants participates in this fascinating event. A talent-rich, rewarding art festival.
The Sedona Arts Center sponsors this annual outdoor festival and event in late April. More than 80 artists from around the U.S. exhibit their art and sculpture.
110 of the finest artists and craft persons
in America exhibit at this annual juried event. 2006
will mark the festival’s 15th year and the show
gets bigger and better each time. The festival begins
in early October and is presented at the Sedona Red
Rock High School.
