Pinal Mountains

The Painted Cats of Miami, Arizona

Miami (pronounced "My Amma"), Arizona, sits nestled at the edge of the Pinal Mountains and beneath a massive copper mine. It's a quiet, dusty town, so small you could blink and miss it. But those are some of the best towns around, and I found if you pull off the main road, Route 60 (see my previous blog post on this drive), there is a charming strip of antique stores along with a couple bars and a couple restaurants. Quiet, dusty, small, but with some flair. You will find, if you take the time to stop, that the town is covered in public art. Of particular delight to me were the countless cat paintings found on street corners, shop fronts, nooks and crannies.  

The Painted Cats of Miami, Arizona

Arizona Route 60 between Superior and Miami

This winter before some shoots in Sedona, I traveled up the Arizona Route 60 highway through the Pinal mountains between Superior and Miami (pronounced "My Amma"). With the altitude the desert there in the Tonto National Forest can get more moisture than the valleys and so it bursts full of life. It is a rugged, rocky area, home I'm told to some of the world's largest tin and copper deposits. 

Arizona Route 60 between Superior and Miami