Bad Boys
Laura Gruici
The owner/artist of Laura Gruici Art based out of Glendale Arizona.
Laura has worked with many different mediums including oils, acrylics, mixed
media and is now presenting a new medium to her work, collage. This latest work
was inspired by the southwestern desert where she was born and raised. Her love
of vintage items, desert landscapes, and humor makes-up this new body of work
that began in 2023. She is passionate about bringing beauty and originality to her
one-of-a-kind artwork.
https://lauragruiciart.com
lauragruiciart@gmail.com
623 241-2294
Boston
Shelley Koss
An award-winning fiber and watercolor artist. She resides in Phoenix, Arizona with her talented architect husband, Erik Koss of Koss Design +Build. She is a two-time spontaneous coronary artery dissection survivor (SCAD). In the past two years she has won 14 local and regional awards for her artwork and been juried into 24 local, national, and international exhibitions.
Shelley’s fiber art is driven by a modern aesthetic. Bringing a social issue to light by cutting the issue down into its most simplistic image challenges her. Allowing the simplicity to drive the viewer’s thoughts in directions that she did not anticipate pleases her. Creating an open-ended commentary so that art drives discussion signals her success.
Much of her thread and watercolor painting is guided by her perception of nature and a desire to realistically create an image solely with thread. Shelley zeros in on a detail getting to know the subject intimately. The density of the fur, the reflection in the eye, the wetness of a petal guide her curiosity and hands to create one-of-a-kind portraits. Her nature comes out in her abstract watercolor fabric portraits and abstract modernism.
Shelley’s fiber art can be traditionally bound or framed. She also paints in watercolor and in thread. Thread painting is a technique of painting on fabric with thread instead of oil or acrylic paints. The threads are densely free motion stitched to create a work of art. Frequent thread color changes create objects, shadows, light and intensity. Reflection and depth are created using different sheen threads with different thread weights and textures.
Each work of art is one-of-a-kind. Shelley accepts commission for people, pets and nature and has donated work to local animal 501(c)(3) charities.
(602) 526-7706
Lemon Muse
Jalila Jones
Artist, creator, and host of fun and inspiring paint parties. Through my art, I aim to bring beauty, boldness, and a little storytelling to every canvas.
Based in sunny Arizona, I proudly wear my geek badge with honor! I’m a lifelong comic book collector and a devoted Trekkie, and those passions often inspire the energy and imagination behind my work.
Whether you’re here to explore my gallery, join a paint party, or just vibe with a fellow art-loving geek—I’m glad you stopped by.
#ArtbyJalila
Artist ~ Creator ~ Geek ~ Soulful Expressionist
My art business has been designated as a “Trusted Art Seller” with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.
Entangled Path
Tal Dvir
My painting process is always pure and organic with efforts to draw and paint as the old masters did in their isolated ateliers. I never use any tracing, transferring or projecting when I start to work on a drawing or painting. I’m also keen to being honest with my process by avoiding any excessive measuring lines that need to be done using ruler or any precise method to be able and find correct proportions. Despite some historic assumptions of great known artists, using these assisting methods to complete some well famed masterpieces, I find these overly “engineering” processes to be a boredom, easy ways out of the artistic spirit, struggles and challenges artist must face in the eve of their forthcoming fantastic painting. These called methods are in no different then some famed artists funding young assistants to draw and paint, prior to the master touching up some “divinity”, finalizing and signing, while the outwards painters stewards are confined to be told or recognized. So much we read of history, so little the truth about it we truly know.
Kissing
Color Washes My Tears VII
Jill Friedberg
For nearly four decades following her education at Northwestern University and The School of the Art Institute Of Chicago, Jill Friedberg has established herself as a nationally recognized visual artist whose works have been exhibited extensively in museums, galleries and universities throughout the United States. A recent piece was accepted into The Archives of American Art of the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C. Her work was selected for the Arizona Biennial 2018 and 2020 at The Tucson Museum of Art.
In earlier years she was selected to be a member of ARC, an artist cooperative in Chicago which was founded during the women’s movement as an alternative to the mainstream galleries. It is one of the oldest co-ops of its kind in the country.
As a lover of foreign cultures, she has journeyed throughout the world to photographically capture native memories with the intent of manipulating and integrating these images with paint and repurposed materials to create compelling narratives.
In one of her current series, she addresses her concern for the world we are leaving future generations. To express this concept, she integrates more than 30 layers of her manipulated photographic images with acrylic paint and a multitude of repurposed materials that fill her studio to overflowing. Most works are on canvas mounted on wood panels. Typically, Friedberg works on a piece for at least a month.
livart4@cox.net
Lasso Lesson
Keith Stanton
My photography captures playful moments of defiance and unexpected softness: a pink cowboy toy holding a lasso, frozen in a stance of confidence and command. Through this image, I explore themes of identity, nostalgia, and the fluidity of cultural symbols. The cowboy, an icon of rugged masculinity and independence, is reimagined in bright pink, a color often associated with childhood, vulnerability, and femininity.
By juxtaposing these elements, I aim to challenge traditional narratives of gender and heroism. The toy’s plastic form evokes innocence and mass production, yet its pose suggests determination and purpose. The lasso, often a symbol of control or capture, here becomes a playful prop, inviting questions about power, performance, and who gets to be the hero in our cultural myths.
Working with pink cowboy toys is both humorous and subversive, a celebration of the absurd and a quiet rebellion against expectations. It’s a reminder that strength can wear any color, and that even the smallest figure can carry a big story.
(480) 544-5157
The Relevance of Ruin I & II
Kate Kolbrener
Painter and mixed-media artist whose work explores transformation, balance, and
the beauty found in imperfection. Drawing from a lifelong career in design and
marketing, I merge visual intuition with structured composition—layering color,
texture, and form to uncover what’s raw, enduring, and alive beneath the surface. My creative practice reflects both my roots in metalsmithing and my decades shaping visual narratives for brands and communities.
Currently, I’m working on a large abstract painting (84″ x 48″) called Journey of the Queens, which portrays a journey navigated without guidance across unfamiliar terrain—part desert, part city—a reflection on resilience, intuition, and emergence. My work explores the contradictions of being human, especially of being a woman in this moment. It lives between memory and transformation, where beauty and decay, order and chaos, stillness and motion coexist.
After earning my BFA in metalsmithing and design from the University of Michigan, in the 1980’s my creative path unfolded quietly alongside raising a family and building a long marketing career. Through every season, I made art in the margins—on kitchen tables and in windowless basements—until recently, when loss and transition pulled me fully into painting. I now paint to stay connected to the pulse of aliveness beneath it all, and to remind myself that transformation is rarely tidy, but always true.
The Puppy in the Pink Party Hat
Alaina Tesarek
I am a 20 year old indigenous artist studying interior design at Arizona State University. My main mediums are colored pencil, acrylic, ink, and oil pastel. I would consider my main style to lean more surrealistic but I also enjoy exploring as many styles as possible.
My past experience includes a several exhibitions and publishing within a couple magazines. I am currently working with the Burton Family Foundation, a non-profit foundation that provides funding and grants for organizations and institutions in Arizona, on a commissioned piece.
480-417-8807
Botas III
Josh Hernandez
American artist, Josh Hernandez, better known in the art world as Mad Charcoal, was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. He holds a BSD (Bachelor of Science in Design) from Arizona State University and currently resides in Phoenix.
From a young age, Josh created pencil drawings with passion and determination, creating chaotic yet mesmerising sketches infused with elements of realism. Seeking avenues for his creative expression, he delved into graphic design, mastering digital illustration and branding.
After a successful career as an art director for prestigious brands and music artists, Josh rekindled his passion for drawing and painting, sharing his work with the world through social media. He is an emerging figure in the realm of expressive abstract realist portraiture. His distinctive style, characterised by a harmonious blend of chaos and symphony, has quickly captivated audiences, amassing over 8 million followers. With worldwide acclaim propelling him towards his true calling, Josh has transitioned into a full-time pursuit of fine art, leaving behind his graphic design roots.
Josh Hernandez’s creations adorn exhibitions and collections globally, marking the beginning of a highly promising artistic journey.
The Duke
Michael Tucci
PART I. Roots
Born and raised in Central Islip, New York, Mike Tucci picked up a bass guitar at age four—and never put it down. Forgoing a college scholarship, he moved to Los Angeles to chase music on his own terms. There, he played bass on The Price Is Right, produced at Hollywood Sound, and directed music videos featured on Fuse TV and more.
But the stage lights faded. A growing battle with addiction led to time in jail, culminating in a near-death experience during a riot. As his cell filled with accelerants, Mike chose to smash his head against the concrete—opting to take his own life rather than be burned alive. Miraculously, he survived.
PART II. Transformation
He fled to Arizona. Not to restart—but to disappear. Yet, in a moment of chance, surrounded by recovery facilities, strangers, and the desert’s quietude, something changed. He found creation in destruction. Order in chaos.
With metal nails, acrylic, and wood, he began building again—not just art, but a life. Not because of the pain, but in spite of it.
Mike Tucci is now a full-time artist, designer, and maker. His work explores duality, mythology, rebellion, pop culture, and spiritual reckoning. Each piece is hand-crafted—driven by sound, shadow, and soul.
www.tuccinails.com
miketuccidesigns@gmail.com
(631) 644-0795
Ellipses 2
Daniel Moore
Graphic representations of Arizona’s unique plant life were the inspiration for his botanical themed panels, the first pieces created at The Oxide Studio. His photographic background influenced the choice to “frame” each design within the confines of a rectangle, producing a contemporary, somewhat formal presentation that contrasts well with the colors and organic forms in its environment.
The OXIDE studio has evolved over the years and Daniel Moore has been commissioned to create many works on all scales for both residential and commercial clients. The last few years have seen him move into the Public Art arena, an area he is strongly drawn to. His completed projects include inspired sculptural pieces, memorable freestanding works, gateways, enclosures, furniture and more. He has always thought that simple, elegant designs are the most impactful. His pieces reflect a desire to combine iconic design with a medium that reflects a sense of timelessness and permanence while expressing the visions of the client.
www.theoxidestudio.com
nina@theoxidestudio.com
602-614-2709
Between Words
Eric Shepherd
At Symm Concepts, we bring nature and creativity together to craft breathtaking 3D wood wall art sculptures. Rooted in a passion for design and craftsmanship, our mission is to transform spaces with striking, dimensional art that tells a story.
Every piece we create is meticulously designed and handcrafted, showcasing the beauty of natural wood while embracing innovative parametric patterns. From bold, contemporary statement pieces to subtle, elegant accents, our designs blend timeless materials with modern artistry.
We believe art should be personal, which is why we offer custom options to make your vision come to life. Whether you’re decorating a home, office, or commercial space, our sculptures are built to inspire, elevate, and connect.
Experience the warmth, depth, and creativity of Symm Concepts—where wood becomes more than a material; it becomes art.
https://symmconcepts.com/
eric@symmconcepts.com
Starving Artist
Mohan Toopal
I am an oil painter with an impressionistic realism style of painting. I try to capture light and the chiaroscuro effect in my paintings, making them luminous and dramatic.
I paint portraits, figures, still life and landscapes from life. I typically paint in the alla prima style and my paintings are generally depictions of everyday lifestyle of common people. This, I feel, would let people relate to what they are seeing, thereby creating a dialog with the painting.
I have evolved into painting in impressionistic realism style although lately I have been exploring abstractive impressionistic style. My paintings are done in broad minimal strokes maintaining form, vibrance and freshness.
I have been represented at various art galleries since 2017 and my paintings have adorned many residences in the community.
mohantoopal@gmail.com
@mohan_toopal
Endless Ash
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas (aka KT), founder of K Thomas Art, is a self-taught artist whose journey began in the suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland. From an early age, he was captivated by the beauty and complexity of the world around him, often sketching the details others might overlook. His passion for visual storytelling has since evolved into a vibrant body of work inspired by his travels across the globe.
Through K Thomas Art, Kevin explores a wide range of subjects—from industrial textures and rustic landscapes to beaches, figures, and abstract forms. Bold colors, striking perspectives, and meticulous detail bring each piece to life, offering viewers a dynamic, multi-dimensional experience.
For Kevin, art is more than expression—it is a way of preserving spirit in time. He views the world as a living canvas, filled with stories waiting to be told. Guided by faith and gratitude, K Thomas Art continues to share this vision, creating works that reflect both a unique perspective and a belief that creativity is a divine blessing meant to be enjoyed by all.
KThomasArt.com
Kvnthomas7@gmail.com
240-417-9217