Phoenix Art Galleries, Museums, Supplies & More

Best art galleries Phoenix museums supplies classes your area

Art in Phoenix will be covered in full detail for you today and our opening section will discuss the best art galleries and museums near you.

After that we will get into a variety of other topics like local art supply stores, events, festivals, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures and statues, art classes, studios for rent, and the top frame shops in your area.

If you are after any specific section you can jump straight to it using the table of contents on the left and we are also including a Phoenix art map with all of the various places we mention throughout the post pinned on it covering the whole metro area including Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Tempe, Gilbert, and more.

Those who are interested can read our other posts about cities in the Southwest region right there.

Best Art Galleries & Museums In Phoenix

If you want to visit the best art galleries and museums in Phoenix you can go to:

The Heard Museum actively collects American Indian fine art and a variety of paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, and sculptures can be found throughout the museum’s galleries and grounds which are open to the public from 10am to 4pm every day but Monday. Fine art exhibitions reflect the scope of the museum collection which contains historic drawings more than a century old as well as contemporary canvases that have been gathered since it opened in 1929.

Phoenix Art Museum has opened doors to world-class exhibitions with its comprehensive collections. Considered the largest art museum in the Southwest it is home to more than 20,000 objects and more than 300,000 guests, lifelong learners, and art lovers visit each year both within the walls of the Museum and through their multidimensional community programs. Head over from 10am to 9pm on Wednesday or from 10am to 5pm Thursday through Sunday.

R. Pela Contemporary Art is an intimate showplace for work by established and emerging artists whose curator Robert Pela is a local arts writer that has curated at Willo North Gallery, the Herberger Theater Center Art Gallery, the University Club, and Bragg’s Pie Factory among others.

Modified Arts is a gallery that seeks to present conceptually rigorous work and strives to connect and cultivate regional, national, and international artists and collectors. Exhibitions include contemporary paintings, sculptures, works on paper, photography, multi-media, and installation but be warned they are closed Sunday through Tuesday.

Eye Lounge is a collective artist-run contemporary space committed to fostering emerging and established visual artists in the downtown area that is generally only open Friday through Sunday.

Throughout the history of Bentley Gallery a diverse range of mediums have been represented including paintings, sculptures, photography, drawings, textiles, installation art, and video. The gallery also has a long tradition of offering ancient art and artifacts including Chinese bi and cong from the Neolithic period which provide a rare glimpse into China’s history and all works are authenticated and certified by academic experts. Visit Bentley from 10am to 5:30pm Tuesday through Friday or until 4pm on Saturday.

Monorchid is open from 7am to 6pm every day and has quarterly exhibitions that feature a wide variety of artistic mediums and styles that re-imagine the space.

Obliq Art is a start-up gallery founded downtown at the Arizona Center that you can check out from 6pm to 10pm on weekdays.

Lisa Sette Gallery exhibits paintings, sculptures, photography, installation, and performance pieces from an impressive roster of emerging and established artists while also maintaining a clientele of local and international collectors devoted to its founder’s adventurous curatorial vision. The gallery is open to the public from 10am to 4pm Tuesday through Friday and starting at 11am on Saturday.

Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum (MCA) is the exciting visual art exhibition space at Mesa Arts Center and with five stunning galleries the MCA showcases curated and juried exhibitions of contemporary art by emerging and internationally recognized creators. The doors are open from 10am to 5pm Tuesday through Saturday and starting at noon on Sunday as they offer lectures by significant artists and professionals along with workshops and a volunteer docent program.

The Shemer Art Center in Phoenix has become a cultural center for all ages and provides a unique and inviting atmosphere for residents and visitors to enjoy and learn about visual art through classes, lectures, workshops, exhibits, and events. Additional features of the Shemer Art Center which is open from 10am to 3pm Tuesday through Saturday include a boutique gift shop plus an outdoor sculpture garden both featuring beautiful one-of-a-kind works created by some of Arizona’s most talented artists for viewing and for sale.

William Barnhart Studio is open from 9am to 5pm on weekdays and strives to unravel and engage the viewer in universal truths.

OneoOhOne Art Gallery provides executive suites for businesses, an art gallery, Studio 101 for meetings, classes, lessons, is home to 2nd Friday Night Out Event, and so much more.

The Gallery at the Chandler Center for the Arts hosts exhibitions in your area for visitors that feature regional and national artists which rotate on a regular basis throughout the year and can be viewed from 10am to 5pm on weekdays while starting at noon on Saturday. Visitors will discover a varied palette of original works from oil and acrylic canvasses to ceramic works, sculpture, jewelry, photography, mixed media, and textiles.

Vision Gallery is a welcoming space for art aficionados and casual visitors alike to experience and interact with art. Along with the Gallery at the CCA it is the only space of its kind in the Chandler area to feature a wide variety of media from local and regional artists. The gallery is open from 10am to 5pm on weekdays and until 4pm on Saturday featuring diverse and evolving exhibitions in a variety of media including ceramics, printmaking, drawing, photography, textiles, painting, sculpture, and multi-media.

The Eddie Basha Collection is a vast composite of oil paintings, watercolours, acrylics, pastel and charcoal drawings, pen and inks, bronze, wood and natural stone sculptures, wood-turned bowls, basketry, pottery, and jewellery. There are well over 3,500 pieces depicting numerous mediums displayed throughout the gallery which you can take a look at from 9am to 4pm on weekdays.

Materials & Supplies Near You

There are quite a few stores to buy art supplies and materials in your area like:

Artists have relied on Arizona Art Supply for high-quality art materials and technical information for over 65 years.

Paper Source is a great place to buy specialty paper, personalized invitations, gift wrap, craft supplies, and other items that stimulate creativity.

Crayola Experience is where Crayola’s magic comes to life and is a great colorful family destination for interactive creative play with 20,000 square feet of attractions.

You probably already know what the chain stores like the Michaels, Joann, and Hobby Lobby near you have to offer.

Shows & Events

There are some great local art shows, events, and festivals in your area like:

The three-day Scottsdale Arts Festival offers 170 amazing artists from all around North America selling their work on the magnificent grounds of the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall where works can be purchased directly from the creators as well as through the Festival’s online auction.

The Arizona Fine Art EXPO is an annual festival held from January to March where you can explore art from throughout the country and around the world.

The Phoenix Festival of the Arts is thrilled to be returning to Hance Park with an arts and cultural festival suitable for the entire family. The ninth annual event will feature over 150 art merchants and cultural organizations and is the ideal opportunity to interact with the local creative community and celebrate the holiday season.

We briefly mentioned it before but the 2nd Friday Night Out is a monthly event held at the OneOhOne Gallery in Mesa where you can head to Main Street between Center and Robson to find 50 or more local artists and creators showing off their latest works.

You can also expect to find live music, food trucks, and even a trivia contest.

Art Dealers & Appraisers

If you want to add a new piece to your collection or find out how much a piece is worth you can go to art dealers and appraisers near you like:

Savvy Collector is an online art gallery that specializes in Native American art, handcrafted jewelry, ceramics, baskets, paintings, other ethnic artists, and more.

Nature, abstract, and landscape photography are available at Thomas Watkins Fine Art where you will find wall art to motivate and persuade others to live a better life.

Walking Tours

Mesa Comunity College Art Walk at 1833 West Southern Avenue has over 30 permanent public art exhibits created by MCC students and teachers as well as well-known artists. You can attend the Art Walk at any time but they recommend starting at the Veteran’s Blue Star Memorial and working your way counterclockwise around campus.

Sculptures & Statues

You can also find some really cool sculptures and statues around town like:

  • Her Secret Is Patience at 424 N Central Ave
  • Release the Fear Sculpture at 116 W Roosevelt St
  • Twilight Garden at 22 N Morris, Mesa

Her Secret Is Patience is a public art sculpture in Phoenix that was commissioned by the city of and designed by artist Janet Echelman.

Local artist Robert John Miley constructed Release the Fear in this little public park in 2005.

Joe O’Connell published Twilight Garden in 2015 with human scale sculptures that have shapes that stimulate interaction by asking people to touch, lean against, sit on, look through, and congregate around them.

Don’t forget about the great sculpture garden near you at the Shemer Art Center either.

Phoenix Art Classes

Framing art supply stores Phoenix lessons near you studios

We are all at different levels and sometimes a lesson or two can give us the boost that we need. Some of the best Phoenix art schools and classes can be found at:

The Phoenix Center for the Arts opened in 1975 and through education, programming, and advocacy they make arts and culture accessible to all in your area.

The Arizona School of the Arts ASA was founded in 1995 and is a non-profit charter school downtown that serves students in grades 5 through 12. ASA has over 800 students and is located in the center of the local downtown arts district forming strategic alliances with the Valley’s most famous cultural and performing arts groups in order to provide Arizona students with the best possible teaching and opportunities.

Ceramics, mosaics, painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, youth art, and more classes are available at Thunderbird Arts Center.

Valerie Toliver’s Watercolor Classes will help you learn to paint for the first time or brush up on your abilities as beginners through expert students are all welcome to join in on the fun.

Redfox Artist offers painting and drawing classes in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media.

Craft Nights is a BYOB DIY arts and crafts studio that offers instructor-led courses, private parties, corporate events, and team building activities. Birthday parties for all ages, bridal showers, and a unique ladies’ night out special are also available.

Mesa Arts Academy provides a rigorous K-8 academic program with a focus on the arts and technology. They find that incorporating the arts and technology into their academic program for kids creates a more hands-on learning atmosphere that better fits the different learning styles of their student population.

Burst Of Butterflies offers a joyful and social atmosphere for a wide range of social meetings, parties, and events like couples night, ladies night, meetup groups, corporate parties, team building, and more.

LDVinci is a one-of-a-kind art studio that teaches painting, dance, and music to both children and adults in a beautiful, comfortable, and roomy setting.

Studios For Rent Near You

Those of you who are ready to start a big project can try to rent art studios near you at:

First Studio was remodeled and returned to its original usage in 2002 and is home to several of the Valley’s most creative enterprises. Whether you’re searching for a private office to set up as your own, a flexible co-working space, or a studio for a photography or video shoot, they’ve got you covered.

Lively Mind Art Studio in Phoenix is a full-service creative and ceramic studio that provides acrylic painting, various classes, and other services.

New City Studio exists to serve and grow the downtown cultural scene making a point of fostering local art and creators across as many mediums as they can support from their strategic location on Central Ave in the heart of the Central Arts District.

Framing

A frame can take a normal looking picture a long way, and some of the best shops for local art framing are:

Atrium Gallery & Custom Framing is committed to providing the highest level of personal service and attention to each and every project received. Whether framing a valuable original piece or a simple snapshot they design your framing to best compliment your work and treat each piece as a treasure.

At Framin’ Works they strive to make sure that every project exceed the customer’s expectations by combining fine craftsmanship with quality materials and personal service with their more than 1,000 wood mouldings.

Art Of Framing provides custom framing for home decor, corporate framing business and office decor, conservation framing, canvas stretching, fabric wrapping for mats and liners, and more.

Esprit Decor offers unique and creative picture framing designs to showcase and preserve your memories and artwork.

Express Art & Frame can do services for residential and commercial customer’s valley wide led by a skilled design team that can frame anything not just pictures and posters.

Matage Framing provide clients with the finest quality products at the fairest prices because they know that beautiful art and framing has the ability to change the entire atmosphere of a room.

Custom Art Designs has over 25 years of professional picture framing experience and can do give all of their customers expert creative design consultations and the highest quality custom framing.

Celebrity Framing specializes in framing valuable collectibles and memorabilia in your area like documents, signed sports jerseys, guitars, autographed photographs, 3D items, and more.

You can get both style and substance in the form of custom framing, printing, bathroom mirrors, and pretty much anything else you can display on your walls at Hall of Frames. In order to make complex designs feasible, inexpensive, and memorable, they combine old-school workmanship and attention to detail with inventive use of technology.

By the way we have also written lengthy posts on:

Have Fun Enjoying The Phoenix Art Scene

Well guys, we tried to cover the full art scene near you to the best of our abilities. We listed the best local galleries, museums, events, shows, supply stores, dealers, appraisers, walking tours, sculptures, classes, studios, and framers in your area.

Those who made it all the way to the end probably love being creative as much as we do. You can let us know about any of your own tips and tricks in the comments at the end of the post, or please also let us know if we got anything wrong or if anything we posted has become dated.

Have fun going to the galleries, museums, buying supplies or doing anything that has to do with art in Phoenix!

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This post and all of the posts on our site are edited by Dan Soloman who has been a huge fan of art since he was a little kid. His mother was a good local artist, and she taught him the trade from a very early age. He studied art and its history in both high school and college, has worked at multiple galleries, and recently has begun creating and editing online content for this site and some other online media platforms.

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