Alfred Newman (Al) Beadle

Ziggy’s Sister

Ziggy’s Sister, circa 2000, by Alfred Newman (Al) Beadle, welded and painted 1/2-inch steel (base is two layers of 1/2-inch steel), 96 x 52 x 36 inches, accessioned into Scottsdale Public Art Collection, February 14, 2017. An anonymous gift in honor of the Beadle Family.

Scottsdale Public Art has installed this work on the property of the historic Loloma School, which is now operated as the Scottsdale Artists’ School.

Alfred Newman (Al) Beadle is considered one of the most important architects of the post-World War II generation in the Phoenix area. The current enthusiasm for Arizona’s Mid-Century Modern architects places his efforts in the forefront of Arizona’s unique history. He has designed many homes and commercial buildings in Arizona—mostly in Phoenix, Paradise Valley, and Scottsdale—and was also a prolific sculptor.

Beadle began his career as designer and builder in Phoenix in 1950 without attending any school of architecture. He designed single-family houses, multi-family complexes, high-rise apartment buildings, warehouses, commercial retail spaces, and office buildings. His approach has always included simple modernism with affordability and good design.

Beadle’s architectural projects nearly always came with one of his sculptures on the property, usually in red, yellow, or rusting steel. This sculpture, Ziggy’s Sister, is one of two sculptures he painted blue; the other is installed at Upper Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa. Ziggy’s Sister was originally part of a residence in Paradise Valley.

Beadle created 43 maquettes, or models, of larger steel sculptures, which are still used today by his authorized constructor, Gary Slater of Tempe, Arizona, to fabricate full-size pieces. Proceeds from the posthumous sculptures built using Beadle’s original maquettes benefit the artist’s family.

Beadle is featured in these books: Midcentury Marvels, Commercial Architecture of Phoenix by City of Phoenix Historic Preservation Office and Ryden Architects Inc.; Case Study Houses by Elizabeth A. T. Smith, Taschen publisher; Houses Architects Design for Themselves, Walter F. Wagner, editor; A Guide to the Architecture of Metro Phoenix, Central Arizona Chapter American Institute of Architects; Constructions: Buildings in Arizona by Alfred Newman Beadle and Bernard Michael Boyle.

His archive, documenting more than 40 years in architecture, is at Arizona State University’s Library of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. He died in 1998 at age of 71. He and his sculptures are featured in the February 2018 issue of Phoenix Magazine.

This bright blue Beadle sculpture will be a colorful and locally significant artwork on 2nd Street and Marshall Way, bringing attention to Scottsdale Artists’ School at the southern end of the Scottsdale Arts District.

Scottsdale Artists’ School
3720 N. Marshall Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85251