Why Art Shows Instead Of Galleries?

People at my art shows often ask me if I am in any galleries, as if that may be a measure of my artistry or prestige in some way, or that is part of my story about it anyway. I also realize when people ask me that, it is also a compliment, because they wouldn't ask unless they felt it was quality enough. I oftentimes lose sight of the later, and focus more the prior. I can certainly understand that, as I once felt I deserved to be in galleries. Actually, I still believe that, but for now it truly is not the best expression of who I am, what my artwork is, or why I create each and every piece.

<Continue reading for my explanation, or just scroll to the end to see my schedule>

As I evolved in my maturity as an artist, it was indeed an important step in my journey, so I pursued it a few years ago. I got my work hung in galleries in North Scottsdale, Jerome, and in Cottonwood...and in those places, while good for my Artist's Résumé, my artwork languished. Not because it wasn't worthy, but because for other reasons. One is that in order to overcome the 25-50% commissions taken from my fairly valued artwork, I had to mark the pieces up to price levels that were just too high. Or maybe the prices were not too high, and the commissioned sales people just couldn't talk about the work and feelings and meanings behind it in a manner befitting the work and the collector's wallet. And maybe due to economic conditions, people were holding onto their dollars for luxury expenses a little tighter. I saw it as a combination of the three, however the one that bothered me the most is not being able to effectively have my artwork, and the healing windows into our souls it provides, articulated in a way to inspire people to buy...and not just buy, but give people connection to what brings them joy, beauty, inspiration, and wonder, in the artwork and in themselves. What was missing was collectors being able to connect with me, my visions and words, and the heart and soul hanging on my sleeves, and most importantly how this was being expressed in my artwork.

At the end of 2022, I made a choice to pull the last of my artwork out of the galleries and other pubic display areas, and represent myself full time on the road doing art shows every weekend. In early January 2023, at my first road show in The Town of Cave Creek, I connected with the public finally and did more than all galleries combined! In the following weeks, I began to realize so many joys doing show after show...enough to outweigh the sheer dominating effort of work and inconveniences required. Truly the best gift I get is looking out or walking out my tent during a show and seeing a group of people just standing and smiling with joy at what they were viewing. And hardly a show goes by without one or more patrons to my tent, whether they buy something or not, giving me a hug for the difference and delight and connection made by being witness to my work and the energies behind it. Indeed this life I choose is the best way for me to perform my role in this world, which is as a healer and a teacher of sorts. Without being able to connect with you, the seasoned or new collector, my work is incomplete, because of the viewer's inability to connect to my 'meraki', so to speak. 

Since that first show, up till now, I've showed most every weekend since, over 80 shows all across Arizona and Colorado, and I'm just getting started! The 'resfeber' I experience in preparation and setup for each weekly event is significant. I almost get sick in exhaustion with all the restlessness...until that first interaction comes with you and I get settled.

This post will be periodically updated and refreshed to reflect my ongoing art show schedule through the rest of 2024, into the Spring of 2025, and beyond. Please, if you are intending on visiting me at any of these events, please drop me a note through email, text, FB messaging or whatever to let me know you are intending on stopping by, so that I can expect you, and also communicate booth number and directions.  I look forward to meeting you for the first time, or enjoying your visits over and over. Until then, I wish you daily connection to joy, beauty, and inspiration.

All the best,

John!

Traveling Gallery Arizona & Colorado Art Show Schedule

May 2026 till end of November 2026:

May 2026

5/23-5/25 – Prescott – Phippen Museum of Western Art’s Western Art Show & Sale @ Yavapai County courthouse lawn (Whisky Row) - 120 South Cortez Street Prescott, AZ 86303 - Booths 121/122 near corner of Cortez & Goodwin.

5/30-5/31 – Centennial, CO – Centennial Fine Art Festival @ The Streets At SouthGlen – 6902 S. Vine St. Centennial, CO

JUNE 2026

6/19-6/21 – Pinetop/Lakeside - An Art Affair In The Pines @ In Bloom Nursery - 1327 E White Mountain Blvd, Pinetop AZ 85935.

JULY 2026

7/3-7/5 – Flagstaff - Flagstaff Art In The Park @ Wheeler Park - 212 W Aspen Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 - Booth 44 along Birch St.

7/10-7/12 – Edwards, CO – Art On The Rockies @ Battle Mountain High School – 151 Miller Ranch Rd. Edwards, CO. 81632 – Booth 28

7/18-7/19 – Evergreen, CO – Center For The Arts Evergreen Summerfest @ Buchanan Park Field – 32003 Ellingwood Tr. Evergreen, CO 80439

7/24-7/26 – Pinetop/Lakeside - An Art Affair In The Pines @ In Bloom Nursery - 1327 E White Mountain Blvd, Pinetop AZ 85935.

AUGUST 2026

8/1-8/2 - Prescott – Prescott Summer Fine Art & Wine Festival @ Yavapai County courthouse lawn (Whisky Row) - 120 South Cortez Street Prescott, AZ 86303

8/6-8/8 – Breckenridge CO – Breckenridge August Fine Art Festival 2025 @ Village at Breckenridge/Main Street Station-Corner of South Main Street and Park Ave. at Main Street Station, Breckenridge, CO

8/14-8/16 (WAIT LIST) – Vail CO – Vail Fine Arts 2025 Festival 2025 @ Lionshead Village in Vail - 75 S Frontage Rd W, Vail, CO 81657.

SEPTEMBER 2026

9/5-9/7 - Flagstaff - Flagstaff Art In The Park @ Wheeler Park - 212 W Aspen Ave, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 - Booth 44 along Birch St.

9/19-9/20 (WAIT LIST) – Greenwood Village, CO – Art On The Green @ Curtis Park next to the Curtis Center For The Arts – 2323 E. Orchard Rd, Greenwood Village, CO 80121.

9/25-9/27 – Sedona – Red Rose Inspiration for Animals Art Show @ Stagecoach Country Roadhouse - 1405 West State Rt 89A, Sedona AZ 86336.

OCTOBER 2026

10/2-10/4 – Albuquerque, NM – 36^th Annual Rio Grande Balloon Fiesta @ Sandia Resort & Casino in the big white tent near I-25 & Tramway - 30 Rainbow Road, Albuquerque NM 87113. See https://riograndefestivals.com/balloon-fiesta-show/ for ticket info and other details.

AND…

10/9-10/11 – Albuquerque, NM – 36^th Annual Rio Grande Balloon Fiesta @ Sandia Resort & Casino in the big white tent near I-25 & Tramway - 30 Rainbow Road, Albuquerque NM 87113. See https://riograndefestivals.com/balloon-fiesta-show/ for ticket info and other details.

10/16-10/18 – Oro Valley – Kevin’s Art Attack @ S.W. corner of Oracle & Magee - 7951 N. Oracle Rd. Oro Valley, AZ.

10/23-10/25 – Sedona – Red Rose Inspiration for Animals Art Show @ Stagecoach Country Roadhouse - 1405 West State Rt 89A, Sedona AZ 86336.

10/29-10/31 – Green Valley – Kevin’s Art Attack @ Continental Shopping Plaza - 210 W. Continental Rd. Green Valley, AZ 85622.

NOVEMBER 2026

11/7-11/8 – Litchfield Park – Litchfield Park Festival of Arts @ Litchfield Square Park - 279 N La Loma Ave. Litchfield Park, AZ.

11/13-11/15 - Fountain Hills - Annual Fall Fountain Festival @ The Fountain - Saguaro & Avenue Of The Fountains roads, Fountain Hills AZ – Booths D22/D23.

11/20-11/22 – Tucson – Tucson 43nd Annual Fall Artisans Market @ The Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block - 140 North Main Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701.

11/27-11/29 – Albuquerque, NM – 26^th Annual Rio Grande Holiday Festival @ EXPO New Mexico - 300 San Pedro Dr NE, Albuquerque, NM 87108.

DECEMBER 2026

12/4-12/6 - Tempe - 58th Annual Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts @ downtown Tempe – Mill & 5th

12/11-12/13 – Anthem – Art at Anthem Holiday Festival @ Outlets at North Phoenix - 4250 W Anthem Way, Phoenix, AZ 85086

12/18-12/20 - Marana - Kevin's Art Attack @ Dove Mountain - 13900 N Dove Mountain Blvd. Marana, AZ 85658

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