Meet Althea Sassman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Althea Sassman.

Although raised in the mid-west, Althea was drawn to the warmth and beauty of the Sonoran Desert. After graduating from Arizona State University, she soon embraced a successful career in graphic design/art direction for advertising agencies in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area.

After settling down to raise a family, Althea returned to her roots as an artist. Now residing over 25 years in Arizona, Althea enjoys creating what connects her to the desert environment and wildlife. Working out of her home studio in far north Scottsdale, she surrounds herself with not only her love of botanicals, critters and furry friends, but family, who provide inspiration, motivation and even welcome critiques!

Please tell us about your art.
I consider my artwork to be desert contemporary. Handmade papers from across the world are integrated with my own hand-painted papers, along with decorative and found recycled papers from books, maps, and stamp collections. Each paper piece is specifically chosen and torn before gluing onto canvas, often including text references unique to each subject. Possibly viewed as a painting at first glance, the vibrant details and distinct textures of these papers lead the observer in for more detail, only to discover an intriguing and organic form of torn paper collage.

Each day in our Sonoran Desert, there are simple moments that enlighten me. Small details can have profound impact on an average day. My goal is to capture these moments and ideas and translate them through such fabulous papers available today, ultimately creating my journey through bold color, unique details and organic texture.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing artists today?
With social media, standing out from the crowd!

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
Hidden In The Hills Art Show and Studio tour (November)
Festivals such as the Thunderbird Artists Art and Wine Festivals
Workshops scheduled in Cave Creek, AZ January-March

Contact Info:

• Address: Scottsdale, AZ
• Website: ArtAlthea.com
• Phone: 480-277-7219
• Email: althea@artalthea.com
• Instagram: artalthea_artist
• Facebook: ArtAlthea
• Pinterest: Althea Sassman

Image Credit:
I took all original photos to create my art. Completed pieces professionally photographed by Bob Grebe, except the Saguaro by Cloud Watchers

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.