It was exciting to be selected to exhibit Totem: Los Animales in this year’s Moab ArtTrails. The 12 new sculptures in this year’s exhibition were installed on October 11, 2025 and will be on view for one year. Although it rained during the install, the rest of the day was sunny and perfect to experience the dramatic scenery in Moab. Thanks to Michael Ford Dunton for this wonderful event, now in its 8th year! Visit https://moabarttrails.org/ for info. on the artists, the sculptures and a map.
Friday and Saturday’s Open Studio brings new work, new energy and demonstrations about my art process to experience. Please support the Summer Food Drive again, and receive a free gift of boxed art notecards. There will be light refreshments, plus air conditioning! And, chill dogs welcome on leash. Looking forward to seeing you then!
Joan Waters Studio, 2141 E. Cedar Street, Suite 1, Tempe, AZ 85281
Tempe-based artist Joan Waters explores positive and negative shapes inspired by the natural world in this solo exhibition. 2- and 3-dimensional works created with a broad range of mediums, include welded steel, drawing, painting, ceramics and wood.
Opening Reception: Thursday, Oct. 19, 6 to 9 pm First Friday: Friday, Nov. 3, 5 to 7 pm Closing Reception: Thursday, Nov. 9, 6 to 9 pm Gallery Hours: Wednesday to Saturday from 12 to 4 pm, and by appt.
Location: Mood Room, Park Central, 3121 N. 3rd Ave, Ste 100, Phoenix, AZ 85013
The gallery is located on the west side of Park Central Mall, with easy parking. Please call or text me, 602-565-1358, if you would like me to meet you at the gallery, or to arrange to visit at another time.
Additional events and speakers on Saturdays will be posted here soon!
Next weekend—Saturday, July 16th and Sunday, July 17th, 2022
I’m looking forward to presenting new work, as well as the spruced up and re-vamped studio space. Please call or email me with questions, or if you’d like to make an appointment to visit on a different date.
We experience the world through our five senses—taste, touch, smell, hearing and sight.
This sculpture asks us to examine what happens when we limit our perception to only one sensory lens—the visual. This is essentially what cameras do when they record patterns of light with a mechanical or digital ‘eye.’
When we interpret and accept the camera’s images as reality, do we sometimes trust these superficial surrogates more than direct experience?
As we find ourselves mindlessly caught up in converting our days into a stream of mediated images, do we lose track of the main event: to be fully alive?
“the single-lens reflex” installed August 26, 2016 at Pima Community College East, part of the Sculpture on Campus juried exhibition (“ultimate reality show” on far left) copyright 2016 Joan Waters, all rights reserved.
The public is invited to the opening reception on October 20, 2-4 pm. As we walk around the campus we will visit each sculpture, and each artist will give a brief introduction to their work. PCC East is located at 8181 E. Irvington Rd, Tucson, AZ 85709-4000.
Special thanks to Mike Stack, Department Chair, Arts & Humanities, for the energy and vision behind the Sculpture on Campus exhibition which began in 2005. Thanks to Mike, the campus community is actively engaged in selecting, viewing, writing about and appreciating the wide range of sculptures that are installed on concrete pads located around the campus. Many classes use the sculptures as departure points for their learning and discussions. It’s a great example of building a community that appreciates and is enriched by art. I know I’ve had the idea for my latest piece for several years, and this opportunity gave me the impetus to finally build the work.
Mike Stack, Department Chair, in a photographic duel with the sculpture. “The Mothers: Las Madres” Project by Valarie James with Antonia Gallegos, Deborah McCullough & Cesar Lopez in the background
ultimate reality show installed at Shemer Art Center, Phoenix, Arizona
Special thanks to Hector Ortega, who has several works exhibited on the Shemer grounds, for his time and efforts pouring the slab and applying his hammer-drilling expertise, and Shonna James, Interim Executive Director, for coordinating the final installation. The sculpture is part of the recently installed Arizona Sculpture Showcase, juried by Mary Bates Neubauer, and will be on-site for two years.
Hector Ortega watches as the Craters and Freighters crew unloads the sculpture
Enjoy a stroll around the grounds, and the many new works recently added to the outdoor sculpture exhibition.
Thanks, Lynn Trimble, for covering “13 Cool Places to Visit on First Friday,” and including a stop at Oasis on Grand. We need more arts coverage in Phoenix, and Lynn single-handedly visits each venue, shoots great images and writes about what she sees.
Friday, July 27, 11 am–6pm and
Saturday, July 28, 9am–4pm 2141 E. Cedar St, #1, Tempe, Az 85281
Preview new work, including outdoor hummingbird flight sculptures, clay tile tables, garden totems and more in this working welding studio—with air conditioning.
Refreshments • free and open to the public • wheelchair accessible • dogs welcome!
Saturday, March 17th, 9 am-4 pm, Shemer Art Center
This is the 47th year of the Fine Art in the Garden exhibition and sale, hosted by this group of 20 artists. As members leave, new artists are invited to join the group. The first year they exhibit as a guest, and are then invited to become a permanent part of the group. This is my first year exhibiting at this show.
5005 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85018. Free and open to the public.
Installation views of new sculptures and paintings at Chandler Center for the Arts. Twelve of the pieces are new “hybrids” which combine an acrylic painting with a welded, patinaed metal panel. The exhibition opens with a reception this Friday, October 7th, from 7-9 pm, and continues through November 19th. Hours are Monday-Friday 10 am-5 pm, and Saturday noon-4 pm.
Thanks to everyone who made Saturday’s Open Studio a success. It was a hot day in Phoenix, so I had the a/c set low (and even had a couple of complaints that it was too chilly.) I appreciated the good energy, feedback and influx of new ideas that everyone brought to the studio. It was great to see people making new friends and sharing comments, too. Barney had his fill (almost) of attention and offers from many to go home with them. I’m possibly going to do another one in May and June, but will keep you posted. Much appreciated!
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Jan. 24th ~ Feb 16th
Photography Exhibition Celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve
The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy presents “Best Works of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve” at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts through Feb. 16. Photographer Marianne Skov Jensen, whose work is shown above, has pledged profits from the sale of her images to the Conservancy (contact Marianne directly for price information: marianne@ezpixels.com).
Joan Waters Blog 