Real Estate

LET’S CONNECT SCOTTSDALE NORTH!

By Scott Gaertner

Last month’s cover story “Scottsdale North: Connecting Forgotten Territory” described how the very best part of Scottsdale has been ignored and neglected (check out ScottsdaleNorthNews. com if you missed it). That story was really just a description of something I perceive as an injustice. The purpose of this article is to try and do something about it.

This is an appeal for your help to create an identity for the furthest most beautiful section of North Scottsdale - Scottsdale North.

Consider the comparison to Arcadia in Phoenix. Those who know the valley hear the name Arcadia, and it immediately calls to mind gorgeous, mid-century homes built on grassy lawns with mature landscaping and lots of foliage set in the middle of the city. Arcadia was built on citrus groves and low scrub desert that was scraped and bladed 100 years ago. If you were magically transported into Arcadia, you would have no idea where you were - it could be anywhere in the Midwest or even California.

Scottsdale North is not that.

Scottsdale North is the thickest of High Sonoran Desert that has been carefully preserved in a rural setting, with lighting restrictions to protect the starry dark sky nights.

Apart from the city, Scottsdale North is a place of majestic beauty, quiet solitude, abundant wildlife, ancient artifacts, exhilarating exercise and, most of all, community pride. Transporting you here would leave no doubt where you landed.

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If you love SN and believe that it hasn’t gotten a fair shake - or maybe you just want people to know that you don’t mean McCormick Ranch when you tell them that you live in North Scottsdale – please, join our cause. Help the rest of the world to recognize the unique and extraordinary qualities that we all love and cherish about this area. This is a call to Connect Scottsdale North to the rest of the city by creating a new, distinct identity – let’s become Scottsdale North!

While we love that Scottsdale North News has been generous in sharing our plight, we need a bigger platform than our beloved community newspaper. We have started contacting the media, requesting to get this story told and begin the word of mouth we need - but it will be much more powerful coming from you! If this issue resonates with you and you would like to see a change, ask the media outlets that you enjoy to help. You could say something like, “We are here too! Despite what the mapping programs show, we are here. We are Scottsdale North.”

GET A FREE CONNECTING SCOTTSDALE NORTH T-SHIRT!

Let the media and the world know that Scottsdale North is here and then tell us who you notified. The first ten people to notify us will get their own Connecting Scottsdale North t-shirt. Some Media Resources to reach out to:

KPHO-TV CBS 5 And KTVK 3TV

Kevin James General Manager kevin.james@azfamily.com Facebook.com/arizonasfamily

KSAZ - FOX 10

Steve Levi Assistant News Director steve.levi@foxtv.com Facebook.com/fox10phoenix

KPNX 12 News

George Davilas News Director gdavilas@12news.com Facebook/12news

ABC15, KNXV-TV

PatrickCostello - News Director patrick.costello@abc15.com Facebook.com/ABC15

Arizona Republic, azcentral, USA Today

Greg Burton Executive Editor greg.burton@azcentral.com Facebook.com/grburton

Scott Gaertner is an Associate Broker with Keller Williams Northeast, who for the past 25+ years has helped more people to find their lifestyle niche in the Scottsdale North area than anyone else. He also contributes his thoughts on lifestyle interests in the area.

SCOTTSDALE NORTH ZIP CODES SOME OF THE “MOST EXPENSIVE” IN METRO PHOENIX

In a new ranking released by Prop- of the 100 most expensive zip codes in ertyShark, the company analyzed the U.S., we were curious to see what residential sales between January 1 the priciest desert states zip codes were and November 5 of 2019 to determine in 2019. After all, Arizona made its the most expensive zip codes in the way into top 100 for the first time ever metro area. Median sales prices were with Paradise Valley’s 85253, while calculated for each zip code. Nevada was represented by two zips for Naturally, Paradise Valley’s 85253 Lake Tahoe enclaves of Glenbrook and ranked #1 among the valley’s most Crystal Bay, respectively. expensive zip codes but it also broke a record by edging into the top 100 most Maricopa County nabbed 25 of the expensive zip codes in the country. Ac- state’s most expensive zip codes, while cording to PropertyShark, PV’s 85253 Pima County filled two other spots on took the 93rd spot with a median sale the list. Scottsdale North’s 85262 zip price of $1.46 million. code took the fifth most expensive on Following 85253 were some of Scott- 85253 ZIP code also ranked No. 3 on sdale North’s most prominent areas. the list of most expensive desert states Scottsdale North’s 85262, 85266 and zip codes, as the only Arizona zip code 85255 came in second, third and fourth with medians above $1 million. respectively on the ranking list. Homes in the 85262 zip code sold with a medi- Other fun facts by the numbers, accordan price of $815,000; homes in 85266, ing to PropertyShark: $728,000; homes in 85255, $650,000. • With seven each, Phoenix and ScottA few other notable rankings include expensive zips per location 85259 with an average of $625,000; • Paradise Valley remains home to AriCarefree’s 85377 at $606,000; and zona’s priciest zip code, up 40 percent 85258 with a median of $480,000. The in two years “magic zip code” of Scottsdale’s 85254, • Arizona’s most expensive zips are which lies along the Phoenix/Scottsdale almost exclusively in Maricopa County border, holds the #10 spot with a medithe first time: 89413 and 89402 in the the desert states list. Paradise Valley's sdale tie for the highest number of an sales price of $451,000, while North PropertyShark calculates medians based Phoenix’s 85050 is holding strong at on sale prices rather than asking prices No. 24 with a median of $361,000. to more accurately reflect the reality on the ground, as the final sale price can PropertyShark also ranked 50 of the easily be higher than the initial asking most expensive zip codes in the “desert figure in competitive markets. It also states” of Arizona and Nevada. Ac- circumvents properties that linger on cording to the company’s report, “After the market for extended periods of time releasing our traditional year-end report from skewing the figures. Legal Loophole Costs Local Homeseller $3,742 in the Sale of Their North Valley Home

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COVER STORY

Arizona FINE ART EXPO RETURNS TO SCOTTSDALE

Come January 10, a dedicated parcel of desert in North Scottsdale will become a temporary arts community for the following 10 weeks as the Arizona Fine Art Expo returns to the valley. Renowned artists from across the globe will set up their studios and create original pieces of fine art in what has come to be known as Arizona's premier venue for collecting fine art.

Celebrating its 15th year, the Arizona Fine Art Expo combines the aspects of a juried fine art festival, the elements of a gallery and the inner-workings of an artist’s studio. Today, the event reaches artists around the globe and provides an outlet for the community to appreciate art and to help educate children about fine art as well. During the Expo, guests have the opportunity to meet the artists, watch them in action and learn about their inspiration, techniques and spirit, as well as stroll throughout an enhanced two-acre sculpture garden, which will feature stone, metal, glass and mixed media sculptures.

When asked how the Expo originally came to be,

By Molly Cerreta Smith

Judi Combs, founding partner of the Arizona Fine Art Expo, shares, “Actually, Jess Davila (stone sculptor) talked to me about doing a 10-week show for over a decade. It took ten years to make sure I had someone who I could depend on, and it was my brother, Denny Long and his wife, Judy. I approached them and we all chose Scottsdale for the venue as it is well known in the art world.”

The event features 124 patron-friendly artist studios within a 44,000 square-foot space, where guests have a rare chance to meet the artists, see them in action, and learn about their passion, inspiration and techniques. While the fine art show features several local artists, some artists will travel from Israel, Zimbabwe, Mexico, Holland, China, Canada, France and throughout the United States to participate in the show. Part of what makes the Expo so unique is the friendships and community that develops during the course of each show. “The camaraderie among the artists is very special. The local patrons in Scottsdale and surrounding areas love our show and return every year to support them,” says Combs. Artist Beth Hyatt, who has lived in Arizona since 2002, has been participating in the Expo for more than a decade and loves the family element that is created during each season. “For ten weeks, I’m surrounded by fantastic artists who are like my extended family. Not only do we have fun together, we learn from each other,” she says of the Expo experience. “I’m also grateful for their support. Sometimes, if I’m getting too close to my work, I can ask for and receive honest feedback and helpful suggestions.”

Hyatt is best known for her portraits of people and animals, which focus on faces, but her new abstract work focuses on the female body and motion. “With my facial paintings, I was capturing emotions through the eyes, but now I’m having fun discovering how I can capture emotion through body movement,” she says. “With my faces, I would often include subtle colors that in some ways would appear invisible, and with my fashion series, the figures are not outlined – I create patterns that trick the brain into thinking there is an outline of

CRAIG BERGSGAARD

COVER STORY

CHARLES HUCKEBA

BETH HYATT

the figure.” Hyatt will be showcasing her fashion paintings during this year’s Expo.

Prescott resident Charles Huckeba is a contemporary painter who will be showcasing three distinct styles of paintings this year: one that focuses on rock art, another that is abstract, and a third style featuring his Chroma Textures of southwestern animals. A participant in the Expo since the very beginning, Huckeba says, “The Arizona Fine Art Expo provides a platform of exposure like no other… it’s an art destination that gives us a unique opportunity to connect face to face with collectors. We’re not just there to show and sell our work…we’re there to get to know the patrons. It’s a reciprocal relationship. I also enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie among the artists. We sometimes experience ups and downs during the 10 weeks of the show, and everyone is always very supportive.”

This year, Huckeba is set to exhibit a new series of his hand-painted containers featuring the colors of nature…deep burgundies, deep blues and greens with a plant flora theme. He is also drawing inspiration from the Hopi culture, but taking artistic and archaeological license inserting his own style into his paintings of petroglyphs and pottery shards. His will also exhibit his popular “Chroma Texture” assemblage paintings of wildlife and flora on small and medium-sized canvases. William Daggett, a wood sculptor residing in Paradise Valley, will be showcasing his art for the fourth time at this year’s Expo. “I couldn’t be more excited! The Combs and Longs [show founders/organizer] are experts at setting us up for success and having it all run smoothly for all of the 100+ artists and patrons that are at the show. The 10-week show gives the patrons multiple opportunities to revisit the Expo through special events to see their favorite artists. Wonderful friendships are developed and shared through art.”

Daggett creates sculptures from ancient Juniper. Of his artistic process, he says, “Using multi hand and machine tools, I let the wood tell me what it wants to be. It is a collaboration of what I see and the spirit of what Mother Nature has already given me to work with, bringing it back to life.” For the upcoming Expo, Daggett will be featuring Juniper sculptures including hummingbirds, swallows, eagles, fire, elephants, horses, ocean waves, and abstracts as well as patina and colored bronzes of four of the most popular sculptures including hummingbird, swallows, eagle, and horse.

Throughout the 10 weeks, artisans will sketch passionately in radiograph, pencil, charcoal and pastels; sculpt and fire clay; chisel, carve and shape stone; and saw and carve wood sculptures and fine furniture. Artists also will paint in all media; stain and etch gourds; design lost wax casting; solder and weld jewelry; and assemble mosaics. Art is for sale and commissions are welcomed.

The Expo begins Friday, January 10 and runs through Sunday, March 22 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily under the “festive white tents” at 26540

N. Scottsdale Rd., on the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Jomax Roads, next to MacDonald’s Ranch. Season passes cost $10; season passes for seniors and military are $8; and children under 12 are free. Parking is free. For more details about participating artists or events during the show, call (480) 837-7163 or visit www.ArizonaFineArtEXPO.com.