Scottsdale has long been known as a world-class art destination. More than 60 galleries, most concentrated in the downtown Arts District, showcase works from internationally known artists and local favorites. But virtual galleries are changing the way art is exhibited and purchased. Many collectors are also seeking that perfect painting or statement sculpture online.
One of the largest and most prominent digital art platforms is Saatchi Art. More than 94,000 artists from over 110 countries display everything from paintings and photographs to sculpture, textile art, and ceramics. Prices range from less than $500 to upwards of $10,000.
At the helm of this global gallery is Arizona native Sarah Meller. Meller, who has been with Saatchi since 2018, was appointed CEO in 2023.
“In the past, if you wanted to collect great artwork, you probably had to be in the right place, know the right galleries and the right people, and have a good amount of cash. Now that model has been upended,” she explains.
Meller fell in love with art during an AP art history class.
“Before that, I had no idea that you could study the world and understand its history though that arts and culture lens,” she recalls.
After graduating, Meller studied art at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and then Hunter College in New York City. Before joining Saatchi, she worked in the marketing department at the famed Whitney Museum of American Art.
“It all comes back to that classroom, though,” she says. “It was just so illuminating and captivating to me, and it changed the directory of my whole life.”
Meller focuses on supporting artists who don’t have an exclusive relationship with a gallery. One such artist is sculptor Kevin Caron.
Caron is a well-known name in the Arizona art community. His imaginative metal works are found in public and private landscapes across the country, while his 3D printed creations decorate some of the Valley's most luxurious homes. Caron has been selling his art on Saatchi for more than 10 years.
“Saatchi has been a very productive gallery for me,” he says. “Over the years, many other online galleries have approached me, and I have used a couple, but none was a real gallery. Saatchi is. They have curators and work with both patrons and artists to facilitate sales. Saatchi has opened the world to my work.”
Dozens of Valley artists, from top names to emerging talents, display their artworks on Saatchi. “We have some really great ones. I think there’s something to Arizona’s landscape or the incredible light that really seems to awaken in people a creative way of seeing,” Meller says. “There must be something to it, because we have a lot of stellar artists who are really popular with even international collectors.”
Andrea Merican, Michael Paul, Leslie Singer, Jamie Lynn Nuzbach, and Brandon Petrykowski join creatives from around the globe, making it easy for collectors to discover artists whose works they previously may never have had an opportunity to view and to find that perfect piece for their home.
"You can fall in love with an artist in Nigeria or even a local artist from your own city, all while you’re having your morning coffee,” Meller says. “That’s what we’re all about—this belief that everyone deserves to live with art that speaks to them.”
"I think there’s something to Arizona’s landscape or the incredible light that really seems to awaken in people a creative way of seeing,” Meller says. “There must be something to it, because we have a lot of stellar artists who are really popular with even international collectors.”