When you go on vacation, it isn’t all about going to the beach or drinking with your friends. Sometimes, you want to learn more about the local culture, see interesting attractions, and broaden your horizons. If you are interested in seeing works from local artists, viewing immaculate sculptures, and learning more about the artists’ life experiences and inspiration, then you will never run out of places to go in the burgeoning town of Scottsdale, AZ.
Altamira Fine Art
Head to Altamira Fine Art to view local artists and exhibitions that also take place in the Scottsdale Art Walk. You can see some famous artists, such as Tony Abeyta and James Bason, along with eye-opening exhibitions. Some of the current exhibits currently for you to view during your summer in Scottsdale include the ‘Spectrum’ exhibit by Ben Steele, ‘The Ethereal’ exhibit by David Frederick Riley, ‘The Days of Future Past’ exhibit by Bradford Overton, and many more!
American Indian Art Gallery
Another must-visit art gallery in Scottsdale is the American Indian Art Gallery in Scottsdale and Santa Fe, NM. Not only can you view elaborate and picturesque jewelry that was once worn by the Native American people, but you can see paintings, incredible sculptures, and much more.
Art One Gallery
We also love going to the Art One Gallery while we are visiting Scottsdale, featuring local, young, and up-and-coming artists from the local area. This gallery showcases works from nearby high school and college students, as well as pieces of art from local artists over the last 20 years. Some upcoming gallery events that are fun to attend include the 30th Anniversary party on October 27th, featuring auctions, drinks, snacks, raffles, live music, painting, food, and music!
ASU Kerr Cultural Center
The ASU Kerr Cultural Center is a fun place for you to wander around and visit on a rainy day! We love this eclectic and interesting space, featuring the ideal haven for music lovers and artists. Some events coming up that we highly recommend include the Summer Sessions, featuring new live music artists every Friday throughout the summer. For example, this Friday is the Moabi Kotu Experience, featuring a South African international recording artist who combines drum, bass, jazz, afrobeat, and gospel.
Bischoff’s Gallery
Bischoff’s Gallery is a famous art gallery that opened in 1999, showcasing artworks and decorations by Western influences and Native American traditions. You can head here to view the amazing jewelry, southwestern paintings, southwestern sculptures, Native American silverwork, headdresses, spears, war shirts, and Native American pottery. We love the Native American pottery collection, featuring works from the Pueblo and Navajo tribes.
Cartsten’s Fine Art Gallery
No visit to Scottsdale is complete without a visit to the Cyndy Carstens gallery, featuring amazing landscapes, skyscapes, and modern art paintings. This gallery focuses mainly on the nearby landscapes, taking in the red rock desert, ever-changing skies, and lush greenery as inspiration. Every piece of art here is original, created by the always-inspired Cyndy, who uses tranquility, peace, and light to make her paintings.
Expressions Gallery
The Expressions Gallery in Old Town Scottsdale is the perfect stop-off during a rare rainy spell in Scottsdale for you to see modern and old-school works featuring the lifestyle and traditions of the Native American tribes that lived in this area. We love going here to see the colorful and inspired paintings of the mountains, deserts, and light that captured the mind of the Native American people.
Heard Museum Scottsdale
Along with visiting art galleries, we love going to the Heard Museum on a cold, windy, or rainy day in Scottsdale. The Heard Museum has changing exhibitions that ensure you will always find something that catches your attention!
The current exhibitions for you to check out during your visit include the ‘In Service Of,’ an exhibition for American Indian Veteran Artists and Tributes that reflect on the Native American history and tribes. There is also the ‘Substance of Stars,’ which is a collaborative work with the nearby Indigenous communities that provides a different viewpoint on the latest decades. We also recommend taking a stroll through ‘The North Star Changes: Works by Brenda Mallory,’ an exhibit with large sculptures and installations.
Furthermore, the signature exhibitions cannot be missed during your full-day visit to this immersive museum! We love the ‘Home: Native People in the Southwest,’ which lets Native people tell their history and story in their own words. Make sure you also carve out time to walk around the ‘Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories’ to learn more about the installation of schools, scholarships, and educational tools in the area.
After a few hours of walking around the exhibits and taking a self-guided or professional tour, you can end your day with a visit to the Heard Museum Shop to see the fine art gifts, collectors’ room trinkets, books, baskets, jewelry, kachina dolls, Navajo folk art, Navajo textiles, pottery, and carvings.
Feeling hungry? Head to the Courtyard Cafe to have a light snack from their seasonally changing menu that features local and fresh produce, such as Tepary Bean Hummus and Southwest specialty dishes. We recommend trying the guacamole and tortilla chips as a starter to split with the table. If you want an easy meal, we love avocado toast with olive oil and toasted sourdough as a light meal. For a Southwestern specialty dish, you can’t go wrong with the street tacos with sauteed shrimp, pico de gallo, lettuce, and a three-cheese blend!
