Many people know Patagonia as a birding sanctuary. Others consider it a stopover on a wine-tasting tour of nearby Sonoita and Elgin. Thru hikers on the Arizona National Scenic Trail use Patagonia as a quick refueling stop before getting back on the trail.
But for locals, Patagonia is a haven for creatives, makers and artists. It’s a place where you can be yourself, where you can chase a dream. It’s small — population 800 — yet it maintains all the big-city trappings: a thriving arts center, a radio station and a newspaper, an opera house and a theater, a live-music venue, galleries, shops, restaurants, fashion boutiques. Even a tattoo studio.
This episode of “Arizona Revealed” introduces you to four locals who share how Patagonia nurtures self-expression and ignites the creative spirit.
There’s Cassina Farley, executive director of the Patagonia Creative Arts Association. Farley and other passionate locals, like artist Martha Kelly, offer programming in all areas of the arts for children and adults. Their goal: Connect the community through creativity and provide a nurturing place to bring out the inner artist in everyone.
Emmett Rahn-Oaks is a winemaker. He and his wife, Lily Christopher, are co-owners of Queen of Cups, which he describes as a “village winery,” an eclectic space artfully designed to inspire, and to welcome. Here, guests discover Arizona-made wines and locally crafted art — each bottle dons a delicate paper tag that showcases an original work.
Cass Corona, tattoo artist and owner of Trippy Pains Tattoo, believes that tattooing is not only a personal creative outlet but also a beautifully collaborative experience between artist and client. Her studio makes its home next to other local businesses, such as The Quail Covey, owned by Gianna Luna, and Patagonia Threads, owned by Amy Krug.
For sculptor Keith Spooner, it’s Patagonia’s wild natural beauty that sparks her creativity. She says that being immersed in nature also allows her to connect to community, and when people feel linked to one another, there’s no limit to what is possible. This is most evident at the lively indoor-outdoor bar and music venue that Spooner and her wife, Wendy Spooner, own: Patagonia Lumber Co.
Jessica Dunham
Jessica Dunham is a travel, food and fitness writer whose work has been published in PHOENIX Magazine, Runner's World, Phoenix New Times, Valley Guide, Phoenix Travel Guide, Modern Luxury Scottsdale and more. She is passionate about all things Arizona, especially spontaneous Saturday daytrips around the state. She can be reached at dunham-media.com.
