Arizona Artists in The Public Art Collection		Print This Page Email This Page

Arizona Artists in the Public Art Collection

19 January 2006

• More than half of the public artworks commissioned through the Scottsdale Public Art program are by Arizona Artists. We believe Arizona artists are very competent, competitive, and well represented in the Scottsdale’s public art collection.

• Integrated works require the project artist to have a proven track record of design team projects similar in scale and scope, which is important in selections. This program makes efforts to include Arizona artists and provide mentorship opportunities for artists new to the complexities of producing permanent outdoor art.

• Not all art funds go into the artist’s pocket. Fabrication, engineering, and materials often come from in-state providers. For example, Carolyn Law’s Bridge over the Crosscut Canal at Oak Street was fabricated and installed by Tempe fabricators.

• Historically, 41 out of 61 permanent and temporary commissions have been awarded to Arizona artists. Some of our most visited and celebrated projects were created by Arizona artists including:
• Kevin Berry, Tributary Wall or the “fish wall” near Fashion Square Mall and also numerous downtown transit shelters, noise abatement walls, and the Hummingbird Sanctuary Garden pocket park.
• Paul Edwards and Chris Tanz, Water to Water at the Water Treatment Campus.
• Laurie Lundquist, art in education video for the water treatment campus.
• Rita Maria Magdaleno, poetry workshops for the poetry bus in 2003.
• Ed Mell, Jack Knife in downtown Scottsdale.
• Joe Tyler, Lizard Acres on McDonald Drive just west of Pima Road and the unique Shea Blvd transit shelters.
• James Turrell, Knight Rise sky space at SMOCA.

• About a third of Scottsdale Public Art programs current public artworks in development are with Arizona artists, including:
• 2006 Arts Festival featured work by Arizona artists.
• Al Price is creating a floor to ceiling honeycomb wall panels for the marshal way Bridge underpass.
• Mark Rubin Toles created a public artwork for the 30th anniversary celebration of the SCPA.
• Paolo Soleri is working with a team of designers and engineers from Arizona for the Sundial Bridge over the AZ Canal.
• Studio MA with Laurie Lundquist, Crosscut Canal improvements
• George-Ann Tognoni, Winfield Scott Memorial, which is partially funded by public art funds.