Art and passion arguably go hand-in-hand. For sculptor Paul Rhymer, the passion for art was something innate from childhood – perhaps sparked by his grandparents and parents who were all artists.

“I’ve been doing [art] since I can remember,” Paul said. “I started out doing a lot of painting and drawing, then got into sculpture.”

After graduating with an associate’s degree in art, he took a job with the Smithsonian Institution doing taxidermy and model making. Paul held this position, doing three-dimensional work for the museum, for more than 25 years.

His time at the museum coupled with his passion for birding and waterfowl hunting has shaped his artistic style and inspires his sculptures today.

“I love translating my experiences with animals and wildlife, and seeing what I can do with that in creating sculptures,” Paul said. “I like the creative process…and I love the influence of other artists and how that’s changed my work.”

Paul uses the labor-intensive lost wax process to create his bronze works, and it’s evident passion is behind each masterfully crafted piece. Aside from his love for art and wildlife, Paul said being around other creative minds also fuels his passion.

“Being here at the Celebration of Fine Art is wonderful because there’s all of these incredibly talented people here, and I’m already working on some collaborative pieces,” he said.

For those who may need a break from the golf action, we invite you to come on over to the Celebration of Fine Art where you’ll find 100 artists who are at the top of their game waiting to share their works of art with you. Including Ron Anderson from Santa Barbara, California who created this great mixed media piece called “Tropical Links”

Tropical Links by Ron Anderson

The weather promises to be absolutely beautiful. The energy and the passion of the artists is contagious. You’ll watch them at work and share in their creative vision. The season pass allows unlimited visits through March 25. Visiting the Celebration of Fine Art is like hitting a hole in one for art lovers! So, enjoy some golf and then enjoy some art and make your stay in Scottsdale one to remember! We will be open from 10 am to 7 pm on Thursday, 2/2 through Saturday, 2/4. Normal hours are 10 am to 6 pm, seven days a week.

Look for our big white tents and one-acre sculpture garden just of the Loop 101 at Hayden. Hope to see you soon!

New location map. SW corner of Hayden Rd and Loop 101, off exit 35.

If you wish to use MapQuest to find the show site, please use the address of our neighbor about 1/2 mile south of us. Sheraton Desert Oasis at 17740 N Hayden Rd. Our tent is about a 1/4 of a mile to the north of this property.

The 2012 Celebration of Fine Art is in full swing. All we can say is “wow”! The show looks spectacular! The artists have definitely brought their very best works of art. In addition, they all did an amazing job with their studio set up. The transformation is completely awe inspiring! The response from our visitors has been overwhelmingly positive!

We are proud and honored to represent such an elite group of artists and thrilled to share this experience with YOU! Please do whatever you can to get here to see this show. You’ll be glad you did. If you are in the area on Saturday, January 21 you’ll enjoy seeing a live demonstration of the lost wax bronze casting technique presented by artist Paul Rhymer. There will also be ceramic firings along with all of the with the usual painting, sculpting, glass blowing and fusing and jewelry making and much more! Everyday offers a chance to make a new memory!

Hope to see you soon!

Locator Map for Celebration of Fine Art

If you wish to use MapQuest, the nearest registered address is 17700 N Hayden Rd. This is about 1/2 mile south of us. Look for our big white tents. We are just off the Loop 101 at exit 35, on Hayden Rd.

Well, maybe even a better experience!! We are over the moon about the 2012 Celebration of Fine Art collection of artists. We believe it is the strongest group of artists that we have ever had. The range of work is impressive and the quality is exceptional. We can’t wait to share it with you. The artists are busy finishing pieces created just for this show – just for you! I’ve been hearing from a lot of them that they are burning the midnight oil as they turn their creative ideas into magnificent works of art! Excitement is building. The artists will be arriving in a short time to prepare their studios, display their work and set up their work space for the 10 weeks of the show. You’ll find them creating new works every day January 14 through March 25.

We are putting the finishing touches on the new site at the SW corner of Hayden Rd and Loop 101. We are thrilled with the new site and eager to share it with you. Without a doubt one of the greates bonuses of the new site is the spectaular view of Scottsdale’s Mc Dowell Mountains. The way the light plays off of the contours of the land and the colors play across the peaks is sure to inspire some great works of art and some peaceful moments for all of us.

Moon Over McDowells

We wish you all the best in 2012 – health, happiness and abundance. See you at the Celebration!
Susan, Jake and the Celebration family!

Location map of Celebration of Fine Art

If you wish to use mapquest, the nearest registered address is 17700 N Hayden Rd. This is about 1/2 mile south of our location. Look for our big white tents.

Happy Holidays!
The holidays are upon us! As all of us make our lists and check them twice for all of the holiday festivities, that also means that artists around the country are making their lists and checking them twice to make sure all of the supplies are loaded as they begin their trek to Scottsdale for the Celebration of Fine Art! They come from near and they come from far! Cars and trailers are filled to the brim with paintings, sculpture, brushes and more! In just a few weeks the building of studios will begin! The transformation will be complete and we will all be waiting to welcome you on Saturday, January 14, 2012 for the best show yet!

At this special time of year, we want to take a moment to wish each of you the best of holidays and a new year filled with health, happiness and precious times with those you love. We are grateful for so many things in our life. Especially for having a business we love, having the joy of working with great artists and the privilege of knowing people like you. We celebrate all of this as we look forward to a new year! We hope to see you in 2012. Please “like” us on facebook to see what we are up to!

Merry Christmas from the set up crew!

All our best,
Susan and Jake and the entire Celebration of Fine Art Family

Location map for Celebration of Fine Art

Things are moving along at a rapid pace as we make the improvements to the new site and begin putting the tent up for the 2012 Celebration of Fine Art. We have an outstanding crew of guys working as a great team to make it happen. Meanwhile, at the office we are busy making lists, checking twice and preparing to send mailers to our client list and getting ready to check artists in for set up! It is just over a month until the premier of the 2012 Celebration and we believe it will be the best show ever! We can’t wait to welcome you to our new site on the SW corner of Hayden Rd and Loop 101 in beautiful Scottsdale, AZ. Please enjoy the photos of the transformation. We also invite you to click on the FaceBook link and follow us there. We’ll be posting photos there as the work progresses.

Blank Canvas

Ace Asphalt doing their work

New Floor installed

Tent Frame Up!

For those of you traveling from out of town, please click on the “Travel Help” link above to see our partner hotels. The Scottsdale Fairmont offers 5 star luxury featuring fabulous restaurants, and luxury rooms and amenities just minutes from the show site. The Hotel Valley Ho offers a hip retro vibe and a great downtown Scottsdale location, close to galleries and nightlife. Towne Place Suites by Marriott is perfect for longer stays with the comforts of home. Click on the links to see their special rates and offerings just for you!

We look forward to seeing you soon! Until then, be well and enjoy each precious moment!

The Celebration of Fine Art family

We look forward to welcoming you to our new location starting January 14, 2012. We will be open every day from 10 am to 6 pm through March 25, 2012. Please take a moment to click on the “Meet the Artists” tab above to get a sneak preview of what’s in store for 2012. We think it is the best collection ever! New location, same great experience!

Here is what the view from the new Courtyard will look like! Awesome!

*See our Travel Partners

Just as soon as the dust settles from packing up this show, we will start planning for 2012! We promise to do our best to put together another great collection of artists and art work and work towards another year to remember. Save the dates – January 14 through March 25, 2012!

With our deepest gratitude,
Susan and Jake and the entire Celebration of Fine Art family!

Amazing sunset in the courtyard

*See our Travel Partners

A visitor from Austin, TX recently shared in our comment book – “Awesome like every year! The artists are so amazingly nice. So much incredible talent.” Well, we must say, we agree – we have the nicest and most generous artists and the talent is off the charts! It is abundantly evident when you walk through the door that that artists love what they do and they share that passion through their works and their words and interactions!

Celebrating with the Artists of 2011

We invite you to come out one last time to share in this incredible experience. We are so grateful for the opportunity to bring the art lovers and artists together!

Tiffany Mulherin, who has worked as a professional photographer in Los Angeles and Denver, specializing in high-fashion and fine art photography for more than five years, found her way into fine art through a unique process – Polaroid emulsion and image transfers.

Tiffany Mulherin

“I taught myself how to do the Polaroid transfers in school for a project,” Tiffany said. From there a passion was born.

“What drives my passion is the final outcome, but it’s also being able to go out and shoot then turn the photography into something completely different through this process.”

Tiffany’s art is created using a dwindling and rare process of Polaroid emulsion and image transfer, a time-consuming technique that requires an adept touch because of the fragility of the medium. One misstep can mean the difference between a failed work and a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.

“Collectors are drawn to my work because of the soft peaceful feeling that it gives,” she said. “I think it fits really nice in a home environment because it gives that soft feeling.”

Sondra Wampler, a 6-year-show veteran, is more than a storied professional photographer. As she sees it, and her collectors would agree, she is an artist who simply uses photography as her medium like a painter who uses oil or acrylic.

Sondra Wampler

“It’s the making of art, the process of creating original pieces that makes me excited about this,” Sondra said. “The process of photography can be a very technical thing, but I’m more about what can I create using photography as my tool?”

So Sondra began photographing botanicals and taking the time to study each of her subjects individually.

“I photograph them in black and white, because without the color you are left with the architecture of the plant,” she said. “I’m also looking for the personality in each plant, so they’re a lot like portraits. I spend a lot of time trying to find that personality and if it comes through then I photograph it. If not, I don’t.”

Sondra also recently began creating photomontages, using her original photographs and the photo transfer process to create the pieces.

“These montages are more in the realm of surrealism,” she said. “I’m able to create these fantasy-like places. A lot of these are inspired by my own dreams, fantasies or thoughts. I dream very vividly and I always have had very surreal dreams.”

“For my collectors, there is an emotional response to the work. They say the work has a lot of feeling in it. It stirs an emotional response in them.”