The Artists' Loft by Natalie Keller - A Peek at the Peak Magazine

Posted By Natalie Keller on Nov 30, 2014

I wanted to know about the Scottsdale Artists’ School so I sent an email to them and Carly Jarvis answered. She is the marketing director and was kind enough to give me a tour and some information about the school. I was very impressed that the school has been active for 30 years! Why didn’t I know about them? It looks like a great place to study and progress in your art and it had something for everyone!

In 1983 a group of dedicated artists and community leaders wanted to have a place where artists could learn their craft. After much discussion and work they founded the Scottsdale Artists’ School and for ten years they only had one classroom. In the beginning, they have had financial support from the Scottsdale Artists’ league and many noted local artists have taught or studied at the school.

The Scottsdale Artists’ School is now located in the heart of the Scottsdale’s art district at at 3720 N. Marshall Way in the vacated Loloma grammar school, which was built in 1928 and is on the city’s historic register. The large white stucco building with a gabled red tile roof and glazed Saltillo tile floors sits on the corner of 2nd street and Marshall Way with a modest “Scottsdale Artists’ School” sign out front. The building has provided a very functional and beautiful home for the artists school. There are six large art studios, a reference library, kitchen and retail store which has art supplies and art books available. There are also smaller clerical offices and other work rooms for more intimate art instructions. The art studios have numerous easels, taborets and sculpture stands provided for the students and the best news is they have free parking behind the building!

It’s a wonderful hidden treasure that many individuals don’t realize they have available…especially for the budding artists looking for training and guidance! The school has a national reputation that attracts known artists from all over the US and other countries. Many of these artists travel to Scottsdale to conduct intensive workshops and lectures which usually last three to five days. The school also conducts destination workshops in beautiful areas such as the Grand Canyon, San Francisco and San Diego California.

The school features live demonstrations through out the year with featured artists showing their talent. There are other special events such as the Beaux Arts Silent Auction in November and the Best and the Brightest Juried Art Show and Sale featured in January until March.

The youth academy (ages 6-18) offers weekly classes and summer day camps where the young they can express their artistic creativity. There are weekly classes from local artists for four to six weeks offered from morning to evening. These week long classes are for the beginner to the professional artist. The schools holds over 200 art programs and they are going to offer a new certificate program this coming season. It will be a 22-week program on classical drawing that can be earned over a period of time. The goal is to produce a professional level portfolio upon completion.

Studio time is offered to other artists who just want one drawing or painting session with use of the model or still life set up and the cost is a modest ten dollars. Also, anyone can join the Circle of Friends Membership at different levels (5) which has various benefits…donations begin at $75 and go up to $5000.

I found myself wanted to join this outstanding school…wanting to start painting a new canvas or drawing another sketch…making new artists friends…all the things that make us “feel good” artists!