In Scottsdale, I stayed at the Homestead Suites. It was half a block away from the Scottsdale Artist School and within easy walking distance of the Main Street Galleries. I had a refridgerator and a microwave in my room, so I could eat breakfast in, then make a quick run to Starbucks before class began. After class, I would whip home, change into shorts and tee shirt and hit the galleries before they closed between 5:00 and 6:00. On the first day I visited Gallery Russia, where Marci had her show (see workshop show for link) and the Legacy Gallery, where I was very impressed by an artist from Australia — sorry, I mean Traverse, Michigan — named Jacquelyn Bischak. The painting “Velvet Cape” was especially stunning. I don’t think the image online does it justice.

On my second night out, I popped into Scottsdale Fine Art to see Tim Perkins work (see workshop blog for link) and again into Legacy to take another look at Jacquelyn Bischak. The Gallery had just mounted a new show of Daniel Gerhartz though, which was hanging in the same spot. I LOVED these paintings, especially “Their Journey Together.” I was thrilled to learn he was from Wisconsin. I also discovered Romel de la Torre at the Willow Gallery. I thought his flesh tones were lovely. He reminded me of Richard Schmid, painting the figure more tightly, then semi-developing the rest of the painting with bravura brushstrokes. I met Marci, Elizabeth Pollie and Catherine Mamola at contemporary restaurant called AZ88 and we talked art on the patio…..It was in the 70s in Scottsdale. Sigh. The restaurant was especially memorable for the johns. They were difficult to find, first of all. The door was set into the wall without a frame. From a distance you don’t even notice it except that across the foot of the door in red letters it is labeled SHE. Once inside the stall, you can view yourself on the throne from three walls of floor to ceiling mirrors. An experience.

On my third evening I retraced my steps to Main Street to check out the paintings of Michael Malm at the Trailside Gallery. His subjects were very appealing, but more loosely painted than Dan Gerhartz, whose work I like more. I discovered an absolutely stunning painting by an artist named Bryce Cameron Liston in the Rive Gauche Gallery. It was called “Gather Ye Rosebuds”. Look on his website for a girl holding a backet of roses with candlelight glowing through her hair. That painting, in person, will stop you in your tracks. I liked the fact that he borrows themes from myth and literature for his paintings, as I do. All in all, I would say that “Their Journey Together” at the Legacy was the painting I would have taken away with me from Scottsdale. If only I’d had $34,000 in a bank account at home….