PHOENIX — The Board of Directors of the Museum of Arizona Artists on Thursday announced the launch of a digital museum dedicated to celebrating the works of Arizona’s most celebrated artists.

To commemorate the occasion, a 50-year retrospective is planned for fourth-generation Arizonan and nationally acclaimed artist, Anne Coe.

MOAZA’s online platform provides a distinct opportunity for artists to showcase their work to a global audience. Through its rotating digital exhibitions, MOAZA aims to promote Arizona’s vibrant artistic community worldwide and encourage dialogue around the arts.

“MOAZA was created to focus exclusively on the rich history of art in Arizona and to showcase the depth and diversity of our artist community”, said William Jungermann, Chairman of the Board. “The Anne Coe retrospective is the perfect vehicle to launch the MOAZA digital museum and announce our intention to sponsor a variety of events celebrating Arizona artists as we endeavor to open a brick-and-mortar museum in the former Carnegie Library in downtown Phoenix.”

MOAZA’s inaugural exhibition, “Anne Coe: A 50-Year Retrospective,” will be featured on the museum’s website through Thursday, Aug. 31. The retrospective will be accessible via MOAZA digital archives. The exhibition features more than 50 works of art by Coe, including her paintings, drawings and prints.

With her colorful and whimsical paintings and works on paper, Coe’s passion for the West is evident in her artwork, capturing the beauty and spirit of the region she calls her home. Coe creates a world that is both nostalgic and contemporary, as seen through her use of vivid colors and playful imagery.

“Anne Coe was one of the first women artists to address Western subject matter with fresh ideas, a wry sense of humor, and a masterful painting technique”, said Julie Sasse, Chief Curator at the Tucson Museum of Art, who curated the MOAZA retrospective. “Her ability to tell a story through her art is admirable, and her singular vision of the American West makes her a trailblazer worthy of this retrospective.”

For more information, visit MOAZA.org.

Anne Coe book signing

Anne Coe will be appearing for an in-person book signing event 3-5 p.m. Sunday, April 16 at Bookman’s Phoenix Entertainment Exchange, 8034 N. 19th Ave. in Phoenix.

She will share about her artistic journey and read excerpts from her book, “Wisdom Of The Wild,” which is part biography, part career critique of her life. The artist passionately celebrates the land and its creatures leading us to a profound reconnection with nature and ultimately, with ourselves. Anne will also share Here Is The Southwestern Desert, a children’s book that she illustrated.

Editor's note: The above was republished from a Museum of Arizona Artists news release.