Staff Reports | Happenings & Events
Scottsdale Public Art’s newest exhibition, “Open Spaces: Fiber Art and Landscape,” will be on display from July 9 through Sept. 30, 2026, at Scottsdale Civic Center Library.
The exhibition features fiber-based artwork that explores the significance of landscapes through depictions of natural elements such as plants, animals and stones. The exhibit also coincides with the 110th anniversary of the National Park Service and highlights the importance of open spaces and national parks, according to a press release.
Wendy Raisanen, curator of Scottsdale Public Art exhibitions and tours, said the exhibition showcases a wide range of fiber art techniques, including weaving, quilting, felting, fabric manipulation and mixed-media works incorporating fiber elements.
“The show is going to be really unique, and it’s going to show people fiber art techniques that they probably haven’t seen before,” Wendy Raisanen, curator of Scottsdale Public Art exhibitions and tours, said. “There is going to be everything you can think of, from intricate weavings with sticks and bones to an artwork that uses dried agave stock. As a fiber artist myself, I got to see new techniques and expand my understanding of what can be done with this artistic medium.”
The National Park Service was established in 1916 to promote public appreciation of the nation’s natural resources. Today, the United States is home to more than 400 national park units, including 22 in Arizona, such as Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park and Petrified Forest National Park.
Erika Lynne Hanson, an interdisciplinary artist, researcher and educator at Arizona State University, co-juried the exhibition with Ms. Raisanen. Ms. Hanson’s work is rooted in textile practices, and she teaches textiles and socially engaged practices.
“Open Spaces: Fiber Art and Landscape” runs through Sept. 30, 2026, at the Civic Center Public Gallery inside Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3948 N. Drinkwater Blvd. In addition to the exhibition, visitors can access an audio tour and a weaving instructional video by Samantha Vo through the Scottsdale Public Art guide on the Bloomberg Connects app.
A closing reception will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 24, 2026, at the Civic Center Public Gallery.
