Immerse

March 9, 2022

The Cactus Collective exhibition is running through March 31 at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

Scottsdale Public Art Consults on ‘The Cactus Collective’ Exhibition

This spring, Scottsdale Public Art had the opportunity to consult with Scottsdale Fashion Square for The Cactus Collective, an exhibition featuring 15 saguaro artworks that each depict at least one of the traditional five C’s of Arizona’s economy: cattle, citrus, climate, copper, and cotton.

The artworks are on view in Fashion Square’s luxury wing on the west side of the mall through March 31 at part of Fashion Square’s 60th anniversary celebration. It also commemorates the Cactus League’s 75th anniversary with a special saguaro artwork by Diane Rogers, called Take Me Out to the Ball Park, dedicated to the 15 Major League Baseball teams that call Arizona their Spring Training home.

The Five was designed by artist Paige Reesor. The citrus fruit, coppery flowers, and sunny climate are visible on top while depictions of cotton and cattle are on the bottom part of the saguaro-form artwork. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

Scottsdale Public Art used its website, email newsletters, and social media channels to spread the word about the open artist call for the exhibition and consulted with Fashion Square staff about best practices for the exhibition. The selected artists and artist teams had less than a month to complete their full-size saguaro artworks.

The exhibition was unveiled during a special event at Fashion Square on March 2.

The Good. The Bad. And The Copper., right, was named Best in Show in The Cactus Collective exhibition by a panel of judges from Scottsdale Arts. It was designed by the Perry High School Advanced Sculpture class. Take Me Out to the Ball Park, by Diane Rogers, is also shown to the left. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

Scottsdale Arts staff then played an additional role in the exhibition as judges, bestowing the Best in Show award on The Good. The Bad. And The Copper. (above), an artwork created by students from the Perry High School Advanced Sculpture class, led by instructor Sharon Biemond. The student artists include Madison Brittner, Andrew Ehrhard, Danielle Mendrick, Soren Snideman, and Jaymie Wollert.

In their artist statement for the piece, the students wrote that they intended “to capture the natural beauty and historical importance of copper as it relates to our pioneer boomtowns and Indigenous cultures.”

Student artists from the Perry High School Advanced Sculpture class pose with officials from The Cactus Collective exhibition during the show’s opening night on March 2. Photo: Scottsdale Arts.

Others at the opening event also had the opportunity to vote for the People’s Choice Award, which went to Hug a Cactus (below) by artist Catina E. Crum, who designed a woven cotton wardrobe for the saguaro form.

Other contributing artists include Adam Jackson and Arcelia Borbon, Ashley DuRard, Jacx, Jo Ho, Jordan Ragland, Justin Pye,  Maria Madrid Reed, Nathaniel Lewis, Paige Reesor, Rachelle Olsen-Veal, Rita Toikka, and Shari Keith.

The exhibition was also supported by the Arizona Office of Tourism. See full details about each artwork on the exhibition page here.

After the exhibition ends on March 31, most of the saguaro artworks from The Cactus Collective will be available to bidders in the silent auction at Scottsdale Arts’ 2022 The ARTrageous Gala | Luminescence. Learn more about the gala here.

Hug a Cactus by artist Catina E. Crum won the People’s Choice award at the opening for The Cactus Collective exhibition on March 2 at Scottsdale Fashion Square. Photo: Scottsdale Arts

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