Photos courtesy of Arizona Fine Art Expo
The Arizona Fine Art Expo is back for another spectacular spring. The event runs through March 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily under the “Big White Tents” at 26540 N. Scottsdale Rd. and Jomax in Scottsdale. For the ninth year, Peoria resident Arthur Benjamins is one of the featured artists at the Expo.
Originally from the United Kingdom, where he worked in Formula 1 management, as a child, Benjamins longed to be a race car driver. Although his dad discouraged race car driving as a future career path, Benjamins worked in Formula 1 management back in the United Kingdom. It was watching an artist being interviewed on a late-night talk show who painted race cars that sparked a passion in Benjamins. He’s been painting race cars ever since, focusing on making sure even the smallest details are accurate.
His focus is on making the details of each car exact. He particularly enjoys painting older cars because they have “technology that’s tangible.” While it used to be difficult for him to find reference material for the cars he wanted to paint because the races weren’t on TV in England at the time and there were no specialty magazines, since moving to the Valley his art has grown an international following. In the ensuing years, he has sold his work at 11 Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions in Scottsdale.
The Arizona Fine Art Expo combines the aspects of a juried fine art festival, the elements of a gallery, and the inner workings of an artist’s studio. Today, the event reaches artists around the globe and provides an outlet for the community to appreciate art and to help educate children about fine art as well. During the Expo, guests have the opportunity to meet the artists, watch them in action and learn about their inspiration, techniques, and spirit, as well as stroll throughout an enhanced two-acre sculpture garden, which features stone, metal, glass, and mixed media sculptures.
When asked how the Expo originally came to be, Judi Combs, founding partner of the Arizona Fine Art Expo, shares, “Actually, Jess Davila (stone sculptor) talked to me about doing a 10-week show for over a decade. It took 10 years to make sure I had someone who I could depend on, and it was my brother, Denny Long and his wife, Judy. I approached them and we all chose Scottsdale for the venue as it is well known in the art world.”
Throughout the Expo, artisans will sketch passionately in radiograph, pencil, charcoal and pastels; sculpt and fire clay; chisel, carve and shape stone; and saw and carve wood sculptures and fine furniture. Artists also will paint in all media; stain and etch gourds; design lost wax casting; solder and weld jewelry; and assemble mosaics. Art is for sale and commissions are welcomed.
For more details about participating artists or events during the show, call (480) 837-7163 or visit arizonafineartexpo.com.
