The Public Gallery @ Civic Center Library

Scottsdale Public Art in partnership with the Scottsdale Public Library present exhibitions and educational programming that strengthens awareness of the arts and stimulates community dialogue.

Flirting with the Desert

Koryn Woodward Wasson has a crush on the Arizona desert.

Every spring, while walking or driving around her central Phoenix neighborhood, Woodward Wasson is foraging for inspiration. Frequently, obsessively, she stops all activity to photograph her local nature friends, as they announce the season with explosive color, song, and flight. Her desert subjects are a visual mile marker in a bigger conversation about grief, love, and actively enjoying this life.

She paints these neighborhood obsessions in bright, clear watercolors—from verdant cacti and their fluorescent pink, yellow, and orange flowers to detailed birds, bats, and other pollinators of this desert city. Combining design elements like washes of color, ink overdrawing, and repeated spiral lines evoke the buzzing energy of her ardor. The artist is a native of Arizona, a watercolor instructor, and a mother of two lovely daughters.

Library Creatives | Draw What You See: Outdoor Watercolor and Ink with Koryn Woodward Wasson

Join Flirting with the Desert artist on Earth Day for an outdoor exploration of the beautiful plants and structures outside the Scottsdale Civic Center Library’s walls.

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Library Creatives | In the Round: Soft Felt Sculptures with Koryn Woodward Wasson

Turn photographic source material into 3-dimensional soft sculptures with Flirting with the Desert artist by creating some of our own soft felt sculptures.

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