Arizona’s largest and longest-running artist studio tour, Hidden in the Hills, returns for its 25th consecutive year! Coordinated by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, this year’s free, self-guided tour features 191 artists at 45 private studios throughout the scenic Desert Foothills communities of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale.
As one of the Hidden in the Hills original members, glass artist Carole Perry wanted to do something special to commemorate the tour’s silver anniversary. She began reaching out to original artists from the early years of the tour with the idea of collaborating on two legacy pieces. Within a few days, seven artists agreed to join her: painter Virginia Brooks; potter Judy Darbyshire; wood turner Morrie Elmer; ceramist Christopher Heede; sculptor Gordon Paul Mischke; pencil artist Dick Mueller; and ceramist/mixed media artist Robin Ray.
It was the perfect way to celebrate this milestone event. After all, they were there from the beginning, in 1997, when the studio tour was just 44 artists at 19 studios.
Ultimately, the artists decided on one wooden sculptural piece with eight built-in shadowboxes to display each artist’s work. Somehow, the topic of aging came up and the group decided to call the piece “Eight Shades of Gray.” The collaborative sculpture measures 3 feet wide by 2 feet tall and it can be anchored to the wall or set on a pedestal.
One of the two “Eight Shades of Gray” legacy project sculptures will be raffled on Dec. 3. Tickets can be purchased now online, at the Sonoran Arts League office and at select studios during the Hidden in the Hills tour. The Sonoran Arts League hopes to raise $10,000 through the raffle. The second sculpture will be on permanent display at the Sonoran Arts League in January.
Hidden in the Hills takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Sunday, Nov. 19-21 and Nov. 26-28. Taking the tour is easy. Look for the yellow Hidden in the Hills signs on the side of the main roads. These signs will direct you into the neighborhoods where you will find more signage that will help you discover each artist’s studio. Art directories are also available at the Sonoran Arts League’s Center for the Arts (Studio No. 1). The League office is located at 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Suite 144, at Stagecoach Village. Or, download a map and find more details at www.hiddeninthehills.org.
