Blog
Welcome to the archive of our Western Spirit Newsletter Blog! We’re thrilled to bring you updates, stories, and insights into the vibrant world of the Museum. As a cultural haven nestled in the heart of Old Town Scottsdale, we take pride in preserving and celebrating the rich heritage, art, and history of the Old and New West. Join us on this virtual journey as we explore fascinating exhibitions, upcoming events, educational programs, and the incredible stories that make our Western Spirit Museum a true treasure trove of discovery and inspiration.
Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West Makes Key Development Hire to Spur Future Growth
Dr. James Burns, Executive Director, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Michael Zirulnik as Development Director for the museum. In his new role, which began on February 2nd, Dr. Zirulnik will be responsible for engaging locally, regionally, and across the...
Back-Tracking In Memory – A new book sees Charlie Russell through Nancy Russell’s eyes and words
Here’s the truth: if Charlie Russell hadn’t married Nancy Cooper, he would not have become the Russell we know as one of the most important, prized, and beloved painters and sculptors of the rapidly changing West. Had he remained a bachelor—like the lone wolf in some...
Three Questions for Western Spirit, Board of Trustees Member, Joan Fudala
1. Can you tell us something about your background and how you became interested in the story and art of the American West? I was born in Ohio and came to Arizona for the first time in 1961. The wide open sky and landscape, not cowboys, that attracted me. That, and my...
Docent Profile: Howard Calvert
Howard Calvert is a former Scottsdale Unified School District Elementary Teacher, teaching for over 30 years. He has been a docent at Western Spirit since the museum's first year, starting in February of 2015. Howard engages and educates our visitor public with great...
Belle da Costa Greene and Edward Curtis’s The North American Indian
Belle da Costa Greene and Edward Curtis’sThe North American Indian J.P. Morgan may have funded Edward Curtis’s multi-decade ethnographic project, The North American Indian, but he might never have heard of Curtis or his dream have if Curtis hadn’t made it past...
The Foodways of Native Peoples in the Photographs of Edward Curtis
The Foodways of Native Peoplesin the Photographs of Edward CurtisAs part of Western Week, and in conjunction with The Arizona Native Edible Experience that was held at Western Spirit on Saturday, February 5th, visitors to the museum were able to experience a wealth of...
Western Spirit Board Member Joan Fudala is named first recipient of the Scottsdale Public Library Vision Award
Western Spirit Board Member Joan Fudalais named first recipient of theScottsdale Public Library Vision AwardScottsdale Public Library Adult Services Coordinator Erin Krause Riley wrote: “This is the first annual Scottsdale Public Library Vision Award, and we chose...
Noted Edward Curtis Authority, Richard Lampert, to whom Light and Legacy is dedicated, tours the exhibition
We caught up with Richard Lampert, of Santa Fe’s Zaplin Lampert Gallery, after his visit to Western Spirit to see Light and Legacy: The Art and Techniques of Edward S. Curtis. Lampert has been instrumental in the formation of The Peterson Collection and was one of the...
Edward Curtis and the Photogravure
Because photogravures ultimately derive from photographs, we tend to think of them as photographs, that is, printed images replicated from negatives. In truth, photogravures are created by means of a complex process involving numerous delicate, hands-on steps that...
An Encounter with Edward Curtis
An Encounter with Edward Curtis Come and hear Edward Sheriff Curtis (1868-1952) reflect on his adventures, tragedies, and triumphs in “An Encounter with Edward Curtis,” a living history bio drama. A self-taught photographer and prolific artist with boundless energy...