The Moment of Art began April 2015. Artist(s) or arts organization are invited to perform 

or present at the first City Council meeting every month, which falls on the second

Tuesday at 4:30 pm. The public is welcome and encouraged to join us.

For information on the Moment of Art, please contact Nancy Lattanzi,

Arts & Culture Coordinator at NLattanzi@sedonaaz.gov or 928-203-5078.

Pash Galbavy, performance artists and mask maker, performs a piece

in April 2016, honoring Spring and Earth Day.

March 2021 Women's History Month

Due to Covid-19, we were unable to have a public recognition for the 5 women artists we celebrated for Women's History Month. The Mayor announced the artists at the first City Council meeting in March, a press release was published and the information was virtually available on Facebook, Twitter and Broadway World. 

In honor of Women’s History Month, the city of Sedona and its Arts and Culture Program are following the lead of the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA) in Washington, D.C., to celebrate women artists for the second year in a row.

The NMWA notes that most people have a difficult time calling to mind five female artists, but can recall five male artists with ease. Because of this, since 2016, the museum has issued a challenge via social media throughout the month of March, called #5womenartists in which it invites art organizations to nominate five women artists to be celebrated that highlight gender imbalances in the art world nationally and internationally, increasing awareness of women in the arts. Organizations participating in this campaign include the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the Getty Museum.

Joining in this effort, the city honors the following five Sedona female artists, whose work spans multiple mediums:

• Susan Kliewer - sculpture
• Betty Carr - painting
• Syri Hall – painting and sculpture
• Grazina Wade - photography
• Sumati Colpitts - ceramics 

Kliewer sculpting at Tlaquepaque. Photo credit: Derek Von Briesen.

In 1993, Kliewer won a competition to create a monument of Sedona Schnebly for the city of Sedona. The ten-foot high sculpture of the city’s namesake was installed in front of the Sedona Library in 1994. Since then, many more of her monuments have been commissioned and installed in the U.S. and Europe. She has been a recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the Governor’s Arts Award at the Cowgirl Up! Show in 2007 and 2012 and the People’s Choice Award at Cowgirl Up! at the Desert Caballeros Western Museum, Wickenburg, Arizona. She also received first place for her sculpture work in 2008. She is represented by Mountain Trails Gallery in Tlaquepaque.

Carr painting in Mountain Trails Gallery. Photo credit: Christine Trcic.

Since 1980, Carr has devoted her life to painting. It is no surprise she is considered by many to be one of the foremost watercolorists of the Southwest. Her signature work embodies energetic, brightly colored watercolor still life, as well as landscapes in oil. She is known for her skillful use of light, color and shadow in her floral paintings. She has been featured in numerous publications including Art of the West, Southwest Art, American Artist, Art Talk, American Artist and Vitality magazines, and was accepted to the Knickerbocker Association of New York City. Carr is also represented by Mountain Trails Gallery.

Hall sculpting a donkey. Photo credit: Rachel Tucker. 

Hall’s rich sculptures and paintings are a reflection of her deep connection to the natural world and in particular the Southwest landscape and animals she loves. Her paintings are full of depth, color and movement. Captivated by the red rocks of Sedona, Hall has spent years watching how the play of light across the rocks reveals a multifaceted dimensionality. As a result, her paintings mesmerize viewers. Hall’s bronze donkey sculpture was awarded second place in the general membership for the Women Artists of the West show, at the Museum of Western Art in Kerville, Texas. Her work is represented by Goldenstein Gallery.

Wade with camera in stream.

Photo credit: Douglas Wade.

Wade has used her camera for decades as a way to capture and interpret the visual drama of the Southwestern landscape. She calls her work “the melody of light.” Whether it is a sun-washed, snow-capped, thousand-foot butte backed by ominous black thunderclouds, or a feathery mist floating through a canyon, Wade feels compelled to share the sense of other worldliness she sees in the surrounding landscape. Her work is represented by the Village Gallery.

Colpitts working with clay. Photo credit: Creative Gateways.

Colpitts, a ceramicist, channels joy into each piece she creates. Through touch, her hands “talk,” both taking in information and communicating back to the world via sculptures of animals. Her work is a visual display of her love for the creatures of the world, powerfully capturing their essence. As she sculpts, she deftly captures their personalities, actively working to create pieces that dynamically engage and bring joy to the viewer. Her work is represented by Kuivato Gallery.

January 2020 - Film

    Patrick Schweiss              Rob Reiner                     Bella Gaia - Beautiful Earth

Patrick Schweiss, Executive Director for the Sedona Film Festival, led an animated presentation sharing highlights of the exciting films and events for the upcoming 26th annual Sedona Film Festival in February. He announced the prestigious Lifetime Achievement award will go to Rob Reiner, honoring him for his outstanding work and commitment to Independent filmmaking. His romantic comedy-drama, "The American President" will be shown before the awards followed by Q&A. Pat also shared a preview from the award winning Bella Gaia, a unique performance directed and composed by Kenji Williams, which combines music, dance and visual effects. “Inspired by astronauts who spoke of the life-changing power of seeing the Earth from space, Bella Gaia successfully simulates this overview effect from space flight, in a tone of communion and celestial wonder,” the Bella Gaia website states. “The audience will experience a visceral flow of unencumbered beauty that manifests for all the senses by combining supercomputer data-visu­alizations from NASA, high-fidelity orbital views of Earth, cultural photog­raphy and stirring live performances of music and dance from around the world.”

February 2020 - Black History Month

                 Camilla Ross                                   Quartay Denaya  Gabriel Grier  Leon J.

Camilla Ross, Founder and Director of Emerson Theater, presented actor Gabriel Grier who performed a monologue from the upcoming play, Vivian's Music 1969. This compelling true story written by Monica Bauer, is a provoking production inspired by real events in 1969 about a 14 year old black girl named Vivian, who was tragically killed by a white cop in a segregated city in the American Midwest already bursting with racial tension, igniting one of the worst race riots in American history. No one knew anything about her; just her name, her age and how she died. This fantasia for two actors gives Vivian a life, a family, a love of music and a reason to live. Starring LA Actors Quartay Denaya, Gabriel Grier and Leon J.

March 2020 - Women's History Month

In 2016 the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC asked the question, "Can you name 5 women artists?" Surveys revealed most people could rattle off 5 male artists, but stammered naming 5 female artists. This led the organization to start the annual campaign on social media every March for Women's History Month. The question is posed using hashtag #5WomenArtists. The campaign calls attention to the fact that women have not been treated equally in the art world and today remain dramatically underrepresented and undervalued in museums and galleries. From 2016–2019 more than 1,500 cultural institutions from seven continents and 54 countries have participated! Now in its fifth year, #5WomenArtists recognizes how women are using art to make change and drive awareness about globally relevant issues and topics. NMWA is asking museums, galleries and other cultural institutions to share art and information about artists who explore key social issues, including gender equity, immigration, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, climate change and more. In the spirit of this campaign, the the City of Sedona's Arts & Culture program joined forces hash-tagging 5 women artists on our Instagram and FB accounts every week in March. The 5 Sedona visionary artists we honor include: Dorothea Tanning posthumously, Ruth Waddell, Theodosia Greene, Jacque Jordan Jackson and Harriet McInnis.

         Dorothea Tanning                             Eine Klien Nachtmusik

“Art has always been the raft onto which we climb to save our sanity.” 

“In beginning each new painting, pastel, drawing or sculpture there is more unknown than known. My wish is to deliver the emotional impact that the subject has on me.” 

"My muse is the beauty, spirit and humor of the world"

“My work reflects the mystery of both my inner and outer landscape.”

"When I approach a painting I am eager to express what I see and feel."

Harriet McInnis, majored in Art and design but like many female artists of her generation ended up putting her creative vision on hold when she got married. Her pieces depict a soft resonant style. Haystacks in particular being reminiscent of Monet, with a soft use of light and gentle strokes. She was a Fine Arts major at Syracuse University, specializing in Art History and Graphic Arts.