45 She was thrilled to see crowds lining up before opening on Friday morning and overwhelmed with joy when she saw how many were buying art within the hour. Even after day two, when torrential rains had blown a tent into a nearby lake and Judi was holding the ropes of another artist’s tent, she insisted on opening on Sunday – when it rained again. “Eventually the artists were selling out of their vans,” she recalls. But – and this is key – they were still selling. Over the years, participating artists have reveled at the high sales volume, the quality of art, and the personal touch. “They embrace not only the arts, but the artists themselves – who become part of the family,” says watercolor artist Peter Freischlag, who moved to Arizona because of Thunderbird Artists. Photographer Kristen Kabrin loves that “Denise walks the show every day asking how everyone is doing” and finding solutions to problems. “And they treat everyone the same,” she adds, “whether it’s your first show or your thirtieth.” Thunderbird has evolved from street-corner festivals with 25 artists to multi-block season highlights with 175 artists selling oils, acrylics, and watercolors; bronze, metal, glass, and mixed media sculptures; photography, jewellery, pen and ink drawings, pencil drawings, serigraphs, and more. And it is still growing. Last year, they added downtown Chandler to their festival repertoire; this year, they premiere a Sculpture and Wine Festival in Cave Creek, and in 2018 they opened the Thunderbird Artists Gallery in Carefree. But quality has always been their signature. “Even when we were small, I kept it juried and beautiful,” says Judi. “My goal is that every time people hear Thunderbird Artists, they think of the finest quality events with that special atmosphere.” Company president Denise Colter joined the business 32 years ago and has since taken the reins. “I love what my mother built, and I’m honoured to carry on the family tradition,” she says. “To give so many wonderful artists a platform like this gives us all so much joy.” “There is no way to describe just how much she has done for me, being by my side—for me as a business owner, and for me as a mother,” Judi says. “I’ve watched her handle serious situations with artists, with merchants, and with local government officials diplomatically. She’s very caring,” she adds. “And like me, she runs the business with her heart.” That’s Thunderbird Artists’ winning formula. Contact: Denise Company: Thunderbird Artists Web Address: www.thunderbirdartists.com Nov22269 Leading Premier Fine Art &Wine Festival 2022 – USA Thunderbird Artists takes LUXlife’s highest distinction, being named the premier fine art and wine festival in the United States. Founder and CEO, Judi Combs, tells us how she got her start and made her mark. Fifty years ago, Judi Combs was a stay-at-home mother of four who drove carpools and did macrame. Today, she’s the CEO and co-owner of the Arizona Fine Art Expo, founder and CEO of American Healing Arts Foundation, and founder and CEO of Thunderbird Artists, which presents annual fine art and wine festivals throughout Arizona, and which she now runs with her daughter, Denise Colter. Having LUXlife magazine choose these events as the United States’ Leading Premier Fine Art and Wine Festival is an honour that neither imagined. “We are proud to accept this award,” says Judi. “We promise to uphold the high quality and celebratory atmosphere festival patrons have come to expect.” Now, Judi is a giant in the Southwest art scene, but this was beyond comprehension back when she was making lunches and checking homework. However, when her beloved father died, she started taking her mother to art classes to help her cope. A beginner’s class on mixing colours led Judi to start oil painting, and a few years later she was selling at local shows. Through art, she found a profound sense of calm. Her first festival happened by accident, when an organiser asked for help and left Judi in charge for good. Already a seasoned exhibitor, she had observed how some promoters “used and abused” their artists and vowed to be different. “I don’t consider myself a promoter of shows; I’m a producer,” she says. “My motto is to make money with the artists, not off the artists.” But this producer is serious about promotion, approving all advertising copy and working closely with television directors with the goal of reaching the uninitiated. “I never select a new location and feed off their traffic,” she says. “Our festivals must support the communities with a fresh event and a new audience.” Indeed, internal market surveys show that 50% of each event’s crowd are new to the shows. Already known for creating a positive, nurturing environment for exhibitors, Thunderbird Artists sees supporting the communities they partner with as equally vital, having donated almost one million dollars to area nonprofits over their 41 years. And success was (almost) guaranteed. Before Thunderbird Artists’ first festival, Judi was anxious. “I knew if I hadn’t done my marketing well, it would affect the lives of seventy-five artists,” she recalls. Did everything go as planned? “Not really,” she recalls, laughing. “It was so much better!” “I became consumed with peaceful moments, minutes, and hours – like sleeping with my eyes open,” she says. “Painting was therapeutic.”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQxNTg3MQ==