Why Arizona is an Ideal Artist's Location: Artist Home Possibilities

 

When most people think of the Southwest and artists, Santa Fe comes to mind immediately. And, while it's a gorgeous location with a lot of artists, it has become more of a mecca or mini city of artists. It might be good for sales, but what about for inspiration and practicality? Having an ideally priced studio, great vistas, and absolute peace and quiet are what an active artist most needs.


And Arizona provides that!


The quiet mining towns of Arizona have for the greater part emptied out, leaving historic buildings, winding streets, and amazing vistas. The cost of property is impressive too! Imagine buying a cottage that you could drop money into converting into something quirky and inspiring?


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Given that downtown Scottsdale, downtown Phoenix, Sedona, Tucson, and many other cities offer great locations to sell art, our mining towns offer places to create it at low cost and great inspiration.


SUPERIOR, AZ

Apache Leap


Picketpost Mountain

With around 3000 residents, this easy-to-get-to location about an hour east of Phoenix can be arrived at on a straight shot highway with amazing vistas. 

The town is a quiet retiring mining town with loads of cottages on foothills that afford views of 180 degrees of sky with the Apache Leap formation to one end and Picketpost Mountain to the other end. 

It also has very affordable small homes that are in need of an artist's TLC.  The climate is dry, hot, with mild winters and 180-degrees of blue sky. 


For example, here's a cottage with two beds and one bath, built in 1936. Yes, it needs a serious reno, but imagine if you were to line the outer walls with cob (mix of dirt, sand and straw with water)? How about a bright tin roof? Add some colorful murals and you're feeling right at home!



We were envision a conversion like this - 


Go for total southwest style




BISBEE, AZ


Found in southeastern Arizona, Bisbee is just miles away from Tombstone. This very charming mining town has taken on the umbrella of a great getaway with specialty shops of wine, cheese, olive oils, art, and fantastic coffee. It feels like a European town. It's a fantastically inspiring place. Population is around 5200. 



How about taking it to a total artist's colorful cottage look? 



GLOBE, AZ



This town about 90 minutes east of Phoenix, just past Superior (above), is unbelievably adorable. The historic district is intact and harkens to an old west vibe. Population is about 7400. There are plenty of saloons, restaurants, antique shops, and grocers to not feel isolated, but the older constructions and hillsides are gorgeous. 


Let's see ... two dormers on a cottage...


How about going Cape Cod style? 





TUBAC, AZ


Tubac, AZ in South Central AZ has about 1200 citizens. It is like a little Santa Fe of AZ. Lots of artisans live there and it has an old Spanish vibe that is graceful and relaxing. 

If you're not handy and want move-in ready, this house below in Tubac has an amazing interior reno. But if you're a gardener, the outside could be really cool. 



Outside could be really cool with a Spanish courtyard - 



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If this inspired the artists out there, here's some great YouTube vids we enjoy where artists make their own small spaces. 


(fashion artist)




AirBNB designed by artist



(artist's bungalow studio)




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