New Scottsdale Arts exhibition showcases the artists of Cattle Track Arts Compound

CAPTION: "Forms of Life" by Mary Meyer is among the artworks featured in the ”Artists of Cattle Track” exhibition, which opens July 24 at the Civic Center Public Gallery inside Scottsdale Civic Center Library.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Scottsdale Public Art’s newest exhibition, “Artists of Cattle Track,” running October 6 through December 31, 2025, at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, features working artists who create in the studios of Cattle Track Arts Compound.

Cattle Track is a Scottsdale hidden jewel, an artist colony set on an 11-acre property that has been a gathering place for artists and creatives for nearly 100 years and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The rustic property’s artistic mission is guided by Janie Ellis, the daughter of George and Rachael Ellis, who built their home there in the 1930s.  

The studios there are both workplaces and showplaces, where creative cross-pollination, camaraderie, and opportunity are some of the benefits. Visitors can wander in and chat, see the artists at work and buy artwork directly from the makers.

“One of the things I love about the Cattle Track artists is how friendly they are,” said Wendy Raisanen, curator and collections manager for Scottsdale Public Art. “They’re the real deal. They’re working on their art there and open to sharing their art with people. The art in the exhibition reflects the unique and top-level talents of these folks. Ceramics, photography, sculpture, paintings, furniture, printmaking and artist books — it’s a great variety of media.”

Sculptor and mixed media artist Mary Meyer has lived in Arizona for 30 years and has been a resident artist of Cattle Track since 2023. She has exhibited extensively in the American West, and her most recent installation was “The Leaf Connection,” a community art project and installation at Phoenix’s Desert Botanical Garden in 2025.

Her artwork “Seed Case” is one of Raisanen’s favorite pieces in the exhibition. Meyer draws direct inspiration from the desert flora within the Cattle Track Arts Compound and sculpts clay versions of the seed cases of plants that are outside her studio door, including native species like creosote, mesquite and palo verde. For Meyer, these seed cases – which protect the seeds while they foster new life and growth – serve as a metaphor for the richness of history, place and the nurturing spirit of the Cattle Track community.

“Being at Cattle Track is a true privilege,” Meyer said. “The close friendships, generosity, support of the community and deep sense of belonging are what I value most.”

Recently, Scottsdale Arts and Cattle Track Arts Compound launched a new creative partnership. Through this partnership, Scottsdale Arts will debut supportive endeavors, including ArtSpark, which is a career-development program for emerging artists, and an Artists-in-Residence program for established national and international visual and performing artists.

A master plan for this partnership includes new art spaces to be constructed on the campus. Among them is a historic barn that will be repurposed for artist studios and gallery space, while additionally becoming the hub for ArtSpark. With this master plan, Scottsdale Arts will support increased programming, including the "Artists of Cattle Track” exhibition.

“Artists of Cattle Track” will run from October 6 through December 31, 2025, at the Civic Center Public Gallery, located inside Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3948 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85251. In addition to the exhibition itself, there will be an audio tour included in the new Scottsdale Public Art guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. The audio tour will include artists talking about their pieces alongside the history of Cattle Track. There will also be an opening reception to meet the artists from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 9, 2025, at the Civic Center Public Gallery.

Scottsdale Arts Learning & Innovation has organized a creative workshop in association with this exhibition. On Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, at 10:30 a.m., guests can join Cattle Track artist Aimee Ollinger for Whimsical Layered Paper Art Scenes. Participants are encouraged to use their imaginations to create 3D art. The workshop is free. Visitors can drop in at any time during the event; no registration will be required, but supplies are limited.

Learn more about the exhibition at ScottsdaleArts.org, and to get additional details about Cattle Track Arts Compound and events, visit CattleTrack.org.