Events: Arizona - Phoenix - Scottsdale

Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona is hosting its Annual Art Auction on April 4, 2020 at Saks Fifth Ave, Biltmore Fashion Park, located at 2446 E. Camelback Road in Phoenix. The event will take place from 4:30-7 p.m. and will feature hors d’oeuvres, a signature cocktail, live D.J., a silent auction with masterful works of art from featured artist John Nelson and other prominent Arizona artists. This year’s event is made possible by Edward Jones, presenting sponsor, and event chairs Elizabeth Shabaker, Lisa Portigal and Lisa Greve. 

John Nelson is one of the Southwest's most recognizable artists. Inspired by American Outsider Art, he creates a visual folklore in his collaged paintings and sculptures with a menagerie of figures and symbols, from dancing jackrabbits and swaggering cowboys to lucky wishbones.

His mythical vocabulary is a personal one that reflects “all the places I’ve lived and all the art that I’ve been drawn to, distilled through my own filters,” Nelson explains. His paintings have the rare ability to appeal to sophisticated curators and collectors, and still fascinate the general public. 

John Nelson is represented by notable galleries throughout the U.S. including locally at Gebert Contemporary in Scottsdale. His work is in the collections of Apple, Nordstrom, SMOCA, ASU, The United States Postal Service, Perrier, Intel, Disney, the Museum of American Folk Art, Target, Sky Harbor, the musicians Danny Elfman and John Legend, Wells Fargo, and numerous others.

Tickets are $125 each and can be purchased online at www.freeartsaz.org. For information regarding event details, tickets, or sponsorships please contact our Development Officer, Vince Evans via phone at 602-258-8100 ext. 26 or via email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .