Thursday, February 26, 2015

Discover Your Talents at Scottsdale Artist’s School

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Are you looking to develop and refine your artistic skills? Learn from artists specializing in drawing, sculpture, oil and pastel, and more! The Scottsdale Artist’s School, the only school of its kind in Arizona located in the heart of the Scottsdale Arts District, offers a fun and relaxed environment for enthusiasts seeking professional art training.


The Artist’s School focuses on developing the capabilities of artists and aspiring artists of all ages by teaching the applied fundamentals of fine art. Approximately 3,000 visitors come to the school each year, with repeat visitation from both domestic travelers and foreign students who continuously return for classes and workshops.


The Scottsdale Artist’s School occupies the historic Loloma School, the second grammar school established in Scottsdale, and has six fully equipped studios. A variety of learning opportunities are available, so find one that’s right for you!



  • Workshops: From October-May, the School offers more than 100 three- to five-day programs in the areas of painting, drawing and sculpture. All of these workshops are led by professionally working artists who travel to Scottsdale from all across the United States. Class sizes remain small (fewer than 20 students) and allow students to get one-on-one attention, critiques and guidance from the instructor. Workshop range in price from $500 to $800 depending on the length of the workshop and subject matter.

  • Weekly Classes: Featuring prominent local instructors, weekly classes range from four to six weeks and are offered morning to evening, all week long. Classes are arranged to fit even the busiest of schedules and are geared towards all types of artists – from beginner to advanced. Weekly classes slightly range in price from $50 to $350 depending on the length of the class.

  • Youth & Teen Academy: Youth & Teen Academy provides a stimulating fine art program for youth, ages 6-18. Children are taught to develop critical and conceptual thinking skills while expressing their artistic creativity. The School offers year round weekly classes and action-packed weeklong summer programs, all of which are taught by professional artists. Youth and Teen Academy range in price from $90 to $200 for mid-year classes and $275 to $300 for week-long summer programs.

  • Open Studio Sessions: Open Studio provides an opportunity for artists to practice their skills independently, outside of the classroom. The School provides the model and students bring their own supplies to paint, draw or sculpt. Open Studio ranges from $10 to $15 per session and is offered four times per week.


Guests are always welcome, so stop in for a visit and take a tour of the property. Go to http://ift.tt/17Msqo1 for more information.






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Award-Winning Scottsdale Arts Festival Returns for 45th Year

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The Scottsdale Arts Festival has been recognized as one of the nation’s top arts festivals, and 2015 marks the acclaimed event’s 45th anniversary. Held annually in the Civic Center Park in Old Town Scottsdale, this gathering of artists and vendors offers fun for the whole family!


The event features 175 jury-selected artists from North America who create art in many forms, from paintings and sculptures to glass, ceramics, jewelry, photography and other media. Artworks are available for purchase directly from the artists during the event and through the Festival’s online art auction.


In addition to works by various artists, Scottsdale Public Art will reveal the newly commissioned interactive piece, Shifting Sand Land by artist Bobby Zokaites. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) is also offering free admission all weekend. Check out murals by James Marshall (aka Dalek), James Turrell’s Knight Rise skyspace, and much more!


Guests can enjoy continuous live music and entertainment on two stages, including blues, country/folk, jazz, R&B, rock and much more. Among the musical acts are ’56, Alan Jones Jazz Quintet, Ashley Wineland, Big Nick & the Gila Monsters, The Blue Goats, Blues Review Band, Carmela y Mas, Jan Sandwich Band, Str8 Up Band, Robby Roberson Quartet, Teneia Sanders, Traveler and Whiskey Kiss. Kids can enjoy the family area where they’ll have the opportunity to engage their creativity through free arts activities, storytelling, dancing and more.


Delicious dishes from around the world will be available at gourmet food trucks throughout the weekend. Participating mobile eateries include The Grilled Cheese Truck, The Maine Lobster Lady, Paletas Betty, Short Leash Hotdogs, The Traveling Monk and Whiskey Ranch BBQ.


Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students, and kids 12 and under get in free. Two-day passes are $15. Tickets are available in advance or at the Festival entrances.


For a full list of artists and a complete schedule of events, visit http://ift.tt/1Bh6xu5.






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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

A Walk in the Park

distrito crop If you know anything about Scottsdale, you know it’s easy, care-free and particularly gorgeous this time of year. So gorgeous in fact that even I, who eats lunch at her desk every day, can’t stand to be cooped up inside. Can you blame me? It’s literally 75 degrees and sunny as I write this, while the northeast is about to get hit with their, I don’t know, hundredth storm in two weeks. No thank you! To take full advantage of the warm “winter” temps, I’ve been patio dining and outdoor exploring every chance I get. Recently, I spent time exploring Scottsdale Civic Center Park, a total gem, tucked right into the heart of downtown Scottsdale. This lush oasis covers 21 acres and has businesses tucked around the outer edges, making it the perfect place to get some relaxation while still being able to shop, dine and browse museums. Here are a few of my top picks from my most recent stroll around the park. Trailside Galleries: This gallery has been going strong since 1963. It features artists who specialize in western, wildlife, landscape, figurative and impressionist works. But don’t let all those art terms scare you – as they sometimes do for me. While offering the highest quality art, Trailside Galleries is open and friendly. They’re eager to talk to you about the artists, explain the stories behind their works and give insight into the different shows (which change on a regular basis). When I visited the gallery, both Coastal Connections and Family Expressions shows were on display. Each was beautiful in its own right and left me longing for a piece above my own mantel someday. AZ88 & Distrito: There isn’t anything much better than sitting on an outdoor patio, soaking up the first warm days of the year – especially when it’s only February. Both AZ88 and Distrito restaurants offer sun-drenched patios with great views of the Park. Stop by AZ88 for the open-air space, the eclectic food (Bigger Mac and China Lil’s Chicken are just two of the items you’ll find on the menu) and the cocktails. Oh my goodness, the cocktails! During my last visit, I had to indulge in both the Moscow mule and the key lime martini – neither disappointed. Just across the way from AZ88, is Distrito at the Saguaro hotel. This brightly-colored, Southwestern-inspired restaurant is a departure from AZ88 in every possible way, with the exception of amazing food, drinks and a patio. I ordered up a blood orange margarita, Carnitas tacos and guacamole with crab (hey, when in Rome). I’m only slightly embarrassed to admit that I was nearly licking the plate for more. When you’re longing for a little sunshine in your life (I’m sure everyone east of the Rockies is in that boat at the moment), head to Scottsdale and carve out some time to discover Scottsdale Civic Center Park.



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Arizona Bike Week

Get ready for the streets of Scottsdale to start vibrating March 25-29, as over 40,000 bikes roar into WestWorld of Scottsdale for Arizona Bike Week. This year’s event features everything from stunt shows to the Miss Arizona Bike Week Pageant. Harley Davidson will be debuting some of their newest bikes to take a look at and test drive. Nightly concerts feature names like Randy Houser, Social Distortion, Stone Temple Pilots and Ted Nugent. 5 Day passes are $60 and single day tickets start at $15..



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Monday, February 23, 2015

Flavors of Scottsdale: Barrio Queen

Flavors of Scottsdale takes a look at one of the top Mexican restaurants in Scottsdale, Barrio Queen. Check out this behind the scenes look!



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Flavors of Scottsdale: RA

The popular sushi spot, RA, has expanded across the country, but it all started here in Scottsdale. Take a behind the scenes look in this episode of Flavors of Scottsdale!



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Flavors of Scottsdale: Virtu

Flavors of Scottsdale gives you a closer look at Virtu, one of the highly rated restaurants in Scottsdale! Check it out!



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