Art, Western history to meld throughout Wild West Days

By Curtis Riggs | October 29, 2008

Tour ten Cave Creek galleries
CAVE CREEK – David Lewis was back in front of the planning commission with yet another request to reclassify residential land to commercial.

The Cave Creek Merchant’s Chamber of Commerce and owners of local art galleries are encouraging Wild West Days visitors to stop at the ten Cave Creek art galleries located within a half mile of one another, during the Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 event to see how local artists have contributed to the community over the years.

“It’s a good fit with Wild West Days,” CCMCC board member Annette Spino said. Tours from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. include Level 9 Gallery, Camarena Art Gallery, Steven DeWitt Perrin Gallery, Blue Coyote Gallery, Galeria Bellas Artes, D. Lyon Art Gallery, Kevin Harris Gallery, Nickel Creek Gallery, Blue Sage Gallery and sculptor Robert Thornley’s studio and sculpture garden.

Since the galleries are located so close to one another it is an easy walk to take all of them in. Information and maps to all ten galleries will be at each gallery.

“Since Cave Creek has long been known for its art community and many of the galleries have Western and Native American art, it fits in well with Wild West Days,” Spino said.

Spino and the CCMCC board were able to put the gallery tour together with the help of Karen Ladron de Guevara, who co-owns Galeria Bellas Artes with her husband Sergio.
Sergio will be drawing quick sketches of horses and the Cave Creek landscape from the new patio at the gallery.

Blue Coyote owner Gary Fillmore will be showcasing his new book about Arizona frontier artist Marjory Reed during the gallery tour.

A silent auction will take place during the tour at the DeWitt Perrin Gallery and Robert Thornley will be working on his new Cave Creek Cross that will be installed at the Christ Anglican Church in Carefree.