DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE

Galleries Feb 2014

January 30, 2014 |

ART HOUSE CENTRO Paintings by Jeff Ferst, Sunrise/ Sunset: An Exploration of Color opens with a reception from 7pm-9pm Sat, Feb 8. Old Town Artisans Complex, 201 N. Court Ave. 620-1725, OldTownArtisans.com

CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY Photo Friday: Ansel Adams Themes and Variations shows Fri, Feb 7. 11:30am-3:30pm. Free lecture by Marcos Ramirez on Wed, Feb 12; 5:30pm. Charles Harbutt’s Departures and Arrivals continue through June 2014. Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm; Sat & Sun, 1pm-4pm. 1030 N. Olive Rd. 621-7968, CreativePhotography.org

CONTRERAS GALLERY Frank and Owen Rose (Father and Son) Grand Canyon Paintings shows Sat, Feb 1- Sat, Feb 22 with a reception opening night; 6pm-9pm. Tues-Fri; 11am-5pm, Sat; 11am-4pm. 110 E. 6th St. 398-6557, ContrerasHouseFineArt.com

DAVIS DOMINGUEZ GALLERY Paintings by Tim Murphy and Debra Salopek continue through Sat, Feb 8. Paintings by Joanne Kerrihard and glass sculpture by Katja Fritsche opens Thu, Feb 13. Tue-Fri, 11am-5pm; Sat, 11am-4pm. 154 E. 6th St. 629-9759, DavisDominguez.com

DEGRAZIA GALLERY IN THE SUN Our Lady of Guadalupe continues through Sun, Feb 16. The Seri Inidans- A Primitive People of Tiburon Island in the Gulf of  California opens Sat, Feb 15. Silver Jewelry by Scott Owen shows Sun, Feb 9-Fri, Feb 21. Color pencil by Geri Niedermiller opens Sun, Feb 23. Daily, 10am-4pm. 6300 N. Swan Rd. 299-9191, DeGrazia.org

DESERT ARTISANS GALLERY Desert Spring featuring artists David Brown, Wanita Christensen, Paddie Flaherty, Darlene LeClair, Susan Libby and Margaret Shirer, opens Tue, Feb 11. Reception Fri, Feb 14; 5pm-7pm. Judith Probst Acrylic Demonstration on Fri, Feb 21. 11am-2pm. Mon-Sat; 10am-5pm. Sun; 10am-1:30pm. 6536 E. Tanque Verde Rd. 722-4412, DesertArtisansGallery.com

THE DRAWING STUDIO Beauty of the Beast shows Sat, Feb 1- Mon, Feb 24 with a reception opening night; 6pm-8pm. Tue-Sun; 12pm-4pm. 33 S. 6th Ave. 620-0947, TheDrawingStudio.org

ETHERTON GALLERY Danny Lyon: Memories of the Southern Civil Rights Movement opens Tue, Feb 4. Tue-Sat, 11am-5pm. 135 S. 6th Ave. 624-7370, EthertonGallery.com

FLUXX STUDIO AND GALLERY Lens on the Land- Rosemont: What’s At Stake, a photography exhibit, runs Sat, Feb 1- Wed, Feb 26. Rosemont Ours: A Field Guide, the film, shows Sun, Feb 16. Thu & Fri; 3pm-6pm. Sat & Sun; 12pm-6pm. 414 E. 9th St. 882-0242, FluxxProduction.com

FOUR CORNERS GALLERY Blue Skies, Desert Landscapes by Lou Heiser and Dark Skies: Desert Cosmos photography by Adam Block shows Fri, Feb 7; 5:30pm-8:30pm. Tucson Desert Art Museum, 7000 E. Tanque Verde. 202-3888, TucsonDart.com

JOSEPH GROSS GALLERY Culture Cache continues through Wed, Feb 5. School of Art Visiting Professors, Adjunct and Staff Exhibition opens Mon, Feb 10. Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm. 1031 N. Olive Rd. 626-4215, CFA.arizona.edu/galleries

"Simple Mysteries" by Gail Marcus-Orlen shows at Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery through March as part of the exhibit "Magical Realism."

“Simple Mysteries” by Gail Marcus-Orlen shows at Louis Carlos Bernal Gallery through March as part of the exhibit “Magical Realism.”

LOUIS CARLOS BERNAL GALLERY Magical Realism, featuring artwork by Gail Marcus-Orlen, Robert Cocke, Penny McElroy and Janet Prip, continues through March. Opening reception Thu, Feb 13; 5pm-7pm. Construct: Putting It Together continues through Wed, Jan 29. Mon-Thu; 10am-5pm. Fri; 10am-3pm. 2202 W. Anklam Rd. 206-6942, Pima.Edu/cfa

MOROCCAN TEXTILES & COSTUMES Displayed throughout February. The Arabian Oasis Cultural Center, 2102 E. Broadway Blvd. Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm. 624-1699, TheArabianOasis.org

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART Alois Kronschlaeger: Untitled (Basin and Range) continues through March. Dave Sayre: How to Kill a Marvin Gaye Song shows through Jan. 26. Wed-Sun, noon-5pm. $8, adults; free, children under 12, members, military; free to all last Sunday of the month. 265 S. Church Ave. 624-5019, MOCA-Tucson.org

OBSIDIAN GALLERY  “Natural Influences” featuring ceramic sculpture by Tom Kerrigan and Jose Sierra and fiber art and paintings by Jane Herrick. Shows through March 2, with the Artists’ reception on Saturday, Feb 1, 6pm-9pm. Wed-Sat; 11am-6pm. Obsidian Gallery, 410 N. Toole Ave. 577-3598, Obsidian-Gallery.com

PHILABAUM GLASS GALLERY & STUDIO Earth, Wind, & Fire opens Sat, Feb 1 with a reception from 5pm-8pm, shows through April. Tue-Sat;10am-5pm. 711 S. 6th Ave. 884-7404, PhilabaumGlass.com

"Red Brimstone" by Caleb Nichols features as part of the exhibit "Earth, Wind, & Fire" at Philabaum Glass Gallery and Studio.

“Red Brimstone” by Caleb Nichols features as part of the exhibit “Earth, Wind, & Fire” at Philabaum Glass Gallery and Studio.

PORTER HALL GALLERY Treasures of the Amerind continues through Mon, Feb 17. Paintings by Beata Wehr open Thu, Feb 20 with a reception from 5pm-7pm. Daily; 8:30am-4:30pm. $13, Adults; $12, student/senior/military, $7.50, children 4-12; free, children 3 and younger. 2150 N. Alvernon Way. 326-9686, TucsonBotanical.org

RAICES TALLER 222 ART GALLERY AND WORKSHOP Carnaval opens Sat, Feb 1 with a reception from 6pm-9pm. Fri-Sat, 1pm-5pm & by appointment. 218 E. 6th St. 881-5335, RaicesTaller222.webs.com

SACRED MACHINE  See website for information. Wed-Fri, 5pm-8pm; Sat, 4pm-9pm. 245 E. Congress St. 777-7403, SacredMachine.com

SOUTHERN ARIZONA WATERCOLOR GUILD 46th Annual Show Lightness and Shadow opens Tue, Feb 11. Tue-Sun; 11am-4pm. Free. SAWG Gallery, 5605 E. River Rd. 299-7294, SouthernAzWatercolorGuild.com

THE GALLERIA AT THE YW Featuring a joint exhibit of Western photography by Mia Larocque and Louise L. Serpa. Opens with a reception on Feb. 6, 6pm-8pm. Free. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. 525 N. Bonita Ave. 884-7810, YWCATucson.org

TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART A Show of Hands continues through Sun, Feb 9. Bob Kuhn: Drawing on Instinct continues through Sun, Feb 16. Rose Cabat at 100: A Retrospective Exhibition of Ceramics opens Sun, Feb 1. The Circle Game opens Sat, Feb 22. Trails to Rails: John Mix Stanley and the Pacific Railroad Survey of the 185. Tue,Wed, Fri, Sat; 10am-5pm; Thu: 10am-8pm; Sun, 12pm-5pm. $10, adults; $8, seniors; $5, students 13+; free, children under 12. Free to all the first Sunday of the month. 140 N. Main Ave. 624-2333, TucsonMuseumofArt.org 

WEE GALLERY Shana Zimmerman Show takes place Sat, Feb 1-Thu, Feb 27. Thu-Sat; 11am-6pm. 439 N. 6th Ave Suite #171. 360-6024, GalleryWee.com

"La Placita Detail'" by Shana Zimmerman shows as part of her exhibit "Personal Space" at Wee Gallery.

“La Placita Detail'” by Shana Zimmerman shows as part of her exhibit “Personal Space” at Wee Gallery.

WILDE MEYER GALLERY The Gem Show and The Wilde West open Thu, Feb 6. Native Spirits North and South opens Thu, Feb 27. Mon-Fri, 10am-5:30pm. Wilde Meyer Gallery, 3001 E. Skyline Dr. WildeMeyer.com

WOMANKRAFT ART GALLERY Fiber, Paper, Metal, Glass opens Sat, Feb 1 with a reception from 7pm-10pm. Wed-Sat; 1pm-5pm. 388 S. Stone Ave. 629-9976, WomanKraft.org

YIKES TOYS AND GIFT-O-RAMA Light Hearted Valentine Show by Sharon Holnback opens Mon, Feb 3. Reception Sat, Feb 8; 6pm-8pm. Mon- Sat; 10am-5:30pm. Yikes Toys and Gift O-Rama, 2930 E. Broadway Blvd. 320-5669, YikesToys.com

YOU AND YOUR BIG IDEAS GALLERY We Are All Containers by Bryan Crow shows Sat, Feb 1- Sun, Feb 23. 6pm-9pm. 174 E. Toole Ave. 629-9230, Facebook.com/YouAndYourBigIdeas

Lens on the Land: Environmental Photography of the Santa Rita Mountain Range

January 29, 2014 |
photo: Gooch Goodwin

photo: Gooch Goodwin

The beautiful Santa Rita Mountain Range in Southern Arizona is a tranquil and serene stretch of land that harbors a diversity of rare animals, plant species, water resources and communities that have inhabited the area for generations. Currently, the area is facing a threat in the form of a proposed copper mine that would cost $1.23 billion to dig the mile wide and a half mile deep area that will likely jeopardize the ecosystem and all of its regional inhabitants.

To help combat this, photographer Josh Schachter and Brian Forbes Powell teamed up with the Sonoran Institute and Save the Scenic Santa Ritas to compile a collection of stunning photographs of the region from 30 photographers of the area to be presented at the exhibit, Lens on the Land: Rosemont, What’s at Stake. Over the past two years, Schachter and Forbes Powell have narrowed over 500 photographs down to 50 for this special showcase to raise awareness of the need to save the area and its endangered species.

“Two years ago we went out there and started photographing and decided that we had to use art to help people understand how important the ecological resources are in that region,” says Schachter. “We decided that it would be more effective to partner with the organizations that were already working to protect that land of the Santa Ritas and surrounding areas. So we contacted them and then put a call out to photographers in the region and compiled hundreds of photographs. For me, it’s also exciting to have all of these artists come together and use their talents to explore and represent this landscape.”

Desert box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) looking at long-horned beetle. photo: Dennis Caldwell

Desert box turtle (Terrapene ornata luteola) looking at long-horned beetle.
photo: Dennis Caldwell

If the mine is allowed to proceed, it would operate for at least 20 to 25 years and could jeopardize nine endangered species, Southern Arizona’s $2.4 billion dollar tourism industry, the availability and quality of water for the area; it would darken the skies for the thriving astronomy industry, damage many cultural sites that reflect thousands of years of Native American habitation and could harm the rural economies including vineyards, pecan orchards and ranching.

“Throughout history, art has played a role on shaping our understanding of landscapes. Stories and visual stories can help solidify our community’s view of issues and policy maker’s perspective on these issues,” says Schachter. “Around the Rosemont [Copper potential mining] area and the water sheds and the Santa Ritas so many of the resources and species are so hard to see in passing, so photographs that illuminate them, like a jaguar in snow for example or rare flowering orchids, are amazing resources.”

The exhibit is showing at Fluxx Studio & Gallery, 414 E. Ninth St., and opens with a reception on Saturday, Feb. 1 at 6 p.m. The opening event and exhibit is free to the public and runs until Feb. 26 on Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m-6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 7 p.m. There is also a screening of “Rosemont Ours” a NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre video production that takes place on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. as a complement to the exhibit. The gallery will also feature dance, video, painting, poetry, audio interview and music that to help support the conservation of Rosemont.

“It’s very exciting because a collection of photographs such as these of this region haven’t been assembled like this before,” says Schachter. “It’s really an exciting celebration because it is such a unique region that has so many wonders that are rarely seen. Over all of the years of working on conservation issues, I’ve developed a deep passion for telling stories of species, people and land through art. It has allowed me to develop a vocabulary to be an photographer, as much of my own photography is focused on the designs of nature and without that I wouldn’t be an artist.”

Ofelia Uya Rivas, an advocate for the cultural and ecological heritage of her people and land for many years, sits by the proposed mine site after performing what she describes as “a ceremonial offering to the land and ancient ancestors in recognition of the sacredness of the significant O'odham legacy of survival since millennia." Behind Ofelia rest dozens of significant prehistoric sites, including an ancestral ball court site, traditionally used for games and ceremonies. Most of these sites, including much of the area shown in this photograph, would be buried under hundreds of feet of mine waste. photo: Josh Schachter

Ofelia Uya Rivas, an advocate for the cultural and ecological heritage of her people and land for many years, sits by the proposed mine site after performing what she describes as “a ceremonial offering to the land and ancient ancestors in recognition of the sacredness of the significant O’odham legacy of survival since millennia.” Behind Ofelia rest dozens of significant prehistoric sites, including an ancestral ball court site, traditionally used for games and ceremonies. Most of these sites, including much of the area shown in this photograph, would be buried under hundreds of feet of mine waste.
photo: Josh Schachter

For more information, and to RSVP for the opening, visit LensOnTheLand.com

Flame-Off Fuels Art Education for Local Youth

January 27, 2014 |
Giovanna Lossou, a senior from San Miguel H.S., uses a cold piece of metal to detach the still molten, newly formed paperweight from the rod. Once cooled, students keep their completed works. photo: Kyle Wasson

Giovanna Lossou, a senior from San Miguel H.S., uses a cold piece of metal to detach the still molten, newly formed paperweight from the rod. Once cooled, students keep their completed works.
photo: Kyle Wasson

After quickly evolving into one of Tucson’s hottest gatherings, the 13th Annual Flame-Off returns this month to the Sonoran Glass School (SGS) at 633 W. 18th St., nestled between Downtown and Sentinel Peak. The competition on Friday, Feb. 7 showcases 12 artists–many local, some international–during a two-hour torch working competition where, like every year, the biggest winners never touch the stage.

At the end of the night, Tucson’s under-served youth are the real winners. Hundreds of which, ages five to 20 who attend participating schools, will continue to receive funding towards learning and eventually creating glass-works in SGS’ shops; partially supported by the Flame-Off’s proceeds–garnered from ticket sales, a live auction and a two-day online silent auction of the competing artist’s creations.

“The most important part is promoting the glass arts, and letting people know that we’re here,” said Nick Letson, director of the award-winning Tucson Youth Development Program at SGS. “We want to show why we think we’re valuable to the community.”

Tucson’s own Micah Blatt, owner of Mr. Head’s Art Gallery & Bar and a previous first place winner, is one of 12 artists competing as both individuals and teams against the clock. The all-ages event brings together local food trucks, a flame shop-themed cash bar and four strategically placed high definition screens with a live feed of the on-stage action.

“It’s nice to return the competition to the school; we like to show people what we’re doing and there’s no better way than amongst all of the equipment.” Letson added.

Between balancing photography, graphic design, and public affairs, Letson plans and carries out the various youth development programs SGS offers; the newest experience being a week-long workshop graduating students from introductory mosaic and ‘warm-glass’ methods to the ‘Flame’ room, SGS’ highest level of glass creations.

“It’s important for a teenager to be able to get out of the classroom and see art, and see professionals making a living being an artist,” says Melissa Schwindenhammer, San Miguel Catholic High’s art instructor. “The glass medium is something we don’t have access to; it’s great exposing them to new media and new techniques. They’re taken totally out of their element.”

Last year, seniors from San Miguel High School, one of many schools benefitting from the program, compiled a 9-foot by 18-foot glass mosaic to be introduced as a campus beautification piece. Again this year, with the help of SGS, Schwindenhammer’s class will create something to be enshrined for future classes to aspire to.

However, without the donated materials, ranging anywhere from stained and broken glass to tools and mounting accessories, and costs fronted by SGS, these projects would not be possible.

Last month, from Jan. 21-23, Schwindenhammer and SGS delivered 34 students to all three studios (warm, hot, and flame shops) for what Letson calls the SGS Experience. The course allowed students to work from basic understanding of glass to eventually alongside the furnace in the flame shop.

In the flame shop, instructor Jill Justiniano guides San Miguel senior Daniela Duarte in one of the many exciting stages during her paperweight making process. photo: Kyle Wasson

In the flame shop, instructor Jill Justiniano guides San Miguel senior Daniela Duarte in one of the many exciting stages during her paperweight making process.
photo: Kyle Wasson

“I’m really excited about it,” Letson said. “As long as a school can get here, we want to give them a free field trip.”

Grants do not cover everything, Letson confirms. Yet, emailing and calling Tucson’s schools and art teachers have left him amazed at how hard it is to give their services away. All of the schools involved in the Youth Development Program are within walking distance from SGS since many institutions lack appropriate funding to even make the trips possible.

As is with any non-profit organization, the financial challenges are amplified by an outright expensive medium.

“Our gas bill last month alone was in the two-thousands; you can see how expensive everything can start to become,” Letson said with a chuckle.

Receiving a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts means SGS must raise $20,000 to receive the endowment’s $20,000. And with help, they do.

There are of course benefits of returning the event to SGS’ headquarters; one being ticket sales and host fees, a majority of their past losses. And second, the freedom of inviting spectators into a shop setting, showing how they make playing with fire friendly and approachable on a daily basis.

“That’s why events like this are so important,” says Letson. “Which, obviously we need all of the staff, equipment, and facilities to work in order to even bring in the classes.”

For now though, Letson and the undermanned, yet enthusiastic staff at Sonoran Glass School plan to keep making glass art accessible with what they have.

“This kind of experience changes you, no matter what you end up doing in the world,” said Schwindenhammer of the SGS initiative. “It’s great that there are programs like this, but even better to have people out there funding them.”

Flame Off 2014 is Friday, Feb. 7 from 6:30 p.m.-11 p.m. at 633 W. 18th St. Tickets, $15, are available at SonoranGlass.org. Questions can be answered by calling (520) 884-7814 or emailing info@sonoranglass.org.

A Festival of Musical Decadence

January 22, 2014 |
Kelley O'Connor is a featured performer at the Tucson Desert Song Festival. photo: Zachary Maxwell Stertz

Kelley O’Connor is a featured performer at the Tucson Desert Song Festival.
photo: Zachary Maxwell Stertz

The second annual Tucson Desert Song Festival returns from Jan. 30 to Feb. 16 and unites Tucson’s exceptional arts groups with world-renowned performers to celebrate the power of song. The 11-day festival takes on the theme of French composition, as the work of beloved composers Debussy, Ravel, Berlioz, Poulenc and others will be performed by the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Tucson Chamber Artists, Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, Tucson Guitar Society and Ballet Tucson – all being paired with some of the best vocalists in the world.

If you’re tuned into the world of opera, you will easily recognize the names of the singers. If you’re not tuned into the opera world, you’ll experience being in the room with a great voice,” says Tucson Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director and Conductor George Hanson. “You respond to it in a very direct, almost physical way. When someone is a gifted and well-trained vocalist, it can start the air moving in a room in a way that it almost connects directly with everyone’s soul who shares that space with them. There are only a few hundred people in the world that can sing as such and that’s what we’re tapping into.”

Kelley O’Connor, William Burden, Jordan Bisch, Jennifer Johnson Cano, Christine Goerke and Maria Jette are some of the prestigious singers collaborating with the Tucson ensembles, and special accompaniments have been prepared to showcase the virtuosic prowess and the wide range of the vocalists. It is a rare feat for a music community in any city to assemble such a remarkably talented cast, but this festival series stands as a true testament to the uniqueness of Tucson’s art scene.

“We’re honored to be part of this festival, which is quickly gaining national repute. It’s so special to have so many powerful stars coming to Tucson at one time and we’re thrilled to be one of the acts in the lineup,” says Eric Holtan, Tucson Chamber Artists’ music director. “This is a particularly special performance for us because we’re also celebrating the 10th anniversary of TCA. The festival this year has a French theme, so we’re doing an all-French program. We’re calling the event ‘Decadence’ which signifies our decade of excellence, but also there’s no more decadent music than French composition.”

The festival was sparked by the efforts of the event’s president Jack Forsythe, who – along with fellow co-founder Cecile Follansbee – had a vision to bring in the best musical voices in the world to pair them with the talent that resides in our desert city. After a highly successful initial run last season, Forsythe decided to take this year’s festival to a larger scale by bringing in bigger acts, utilizing numerous venues (Tucson Convention Center, Leo Rich Theatre, Temple of Music and Art, Crowder Hall, Holsclaw Hall, Fox Tucson Theatre, Tucson Symphony Center and Catalina Foothills High School Theater) and pairing with Casino Del Sol as the corporate sponsor to bring the cultural music to attendees who aren’t versed or exposed to opera or orchestra.

“I was on the Arizona Opera board for some time, and I had an idea to do something like this for a long while. I met up with George Hanson and we talked about it and decided that to get the funding to bring in major world singers we’d need to have more than a symphony to attract that kind of attention,” explains Forsythe. “We decided on a 10-day period centering around vocal pieces that would be selected through larger themes. There’s such a demand for this type of performance here in town and we’re just happy to be able to supply it.”

The schedule of performances, tickets and more information about the festival are available at TucsonDesertSongFestival.org and by calling 1-888-546-3305.

A Celebration of Notorious Tucson History

January 14, 2014 |

A long-recognized component of Tucson’s image has been colored by a rugged streak, in part because of its indelible perception as an outpost of the Old West (bolstered by decades of Hollywood productions at Old Tucson), but also thanks to the history surrounding the capture of one of the most infamously popular bank robbers that ever lived, one John Herbert Dillinger, at the Hotel Congress on Jan. 23, 1934.

photo courtesy Downtown Tucson Partnership

photo courtesy Downtown Tucson Partnership

Dillinger was the poster child for an era in which the exploits of criminals fast became fodder for an opportunistic national media eager to print lurid tales of larceny for an American audience hungry for anything to take their minds off the harsh reality of Depression-era economic woes. It was audience already primed for such stories by the explosive gang violence plaguing the country as bootleggers ran their illicit trade in bloody earnest thanks to Prohibition, which had been in effect since 1920.

Dillinger and other infamous scofflaws of the time had become escapist antiheroes for a populace that had grown restless and incredibly skeptical of its institutions. No drinks, no jobs, no fun. Dillinger himself gained fame as an absolutely brazen bank robber with balls of brass, executing a daring string of heists after leaving prison in May of 1933, after having served an eight-and-a-half-year stretch that turned him hard and mean. It was the lawless trail Dillinger blazed across America that actually spawned a federal initiative to form the Bureau of Investigation, which later became the FBI, as no law enforcement agency then had the power to seek justice across state lines.

This cavalcade of cutthroat crimes came to a screeching halt in Tucson, when Dillinger and his gang had to flee a fire in a nearby room as they hid out under assumed names at Downtown’s Hotel Congress. They were arrested in various parts of town by the Tucson Police Department after firefighters recognized members of the gang. Not a single shot was fired, just a twist of fate and an eagle eye from Tucson’s finest managed to pull off what so many other law enforcement agencies in America had been unable to do.

“It’s just this incredible aspect of the history of Tucson,” explained David Slutes, Entertainment Director for the Hotel Congress. “We feel like it’s something to be proud of, and it should be out in the open.” The first Dillinger reenactment was staged as a small theatrical ‘play’ of sorts right in the lobby of the Hotel Congress in the mid-1990s, and going forward, the story has become an ever-more visible part of the historic hotel’s identity, right down to small signs in the outdoor planters featuring a photo of Dillinger warning you NOT to mess with his plants.

“We thought, ‘why not embrace and celebrate this moment…give people a taste of the times, and provide Downtown with a great event’,” said Slutes.

Dillinger Days begins its slate of activities with a Speakeasy on Friday, Jan. 24, featuring live music, a 1930s costume contest, whiskey, cigars, memorabilia from the era and much more. The next day, Saturday, Jan. 25, hosts reenactments of the capture, live music, food, a vintage car show, and games, and will very much be a family-friendly slate of events.

A portion of the weekend’s proceeds benefits the Greater Tucson Fire Foundation, whose mission is to assess and respond to unmet needs of the greater Tucson firefighter community by facilitating access to health and wellness resources, while recognizing the firefighting heritage and culture.

More information is available from Hotel Congress, located at 311 E. Congress St., online at HotelCongress.com and by phone at (520) 622-8848.

The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts

January 14, 2014 |
The small complex with the cute little dome at 330 E. 7th St. has taken on many personas over the past 30 years; almost all of them somehow focused on community building, self-actualization and a connection to the arts.
In the early- to mid-1980s this was the original Ortspace, home to the innovative (currently in transition) OTO Dance troupe. When OTO Dance moved down the street it became the Zenith Center, a funky but accessible space that held everything from concerts to yoga classes to massage school graduations.
Rahman Jamaal performs at The Sea of Glass grand opening Jan. 17. photo courtesy: Global Change Multi-Media

Rahman Jamaal performs at The Sea of Glass grand opening Jan. 17.
photo courtesy: Global Change Multi-Media

Years later, under the ownership and direction of Jason Auerbach and Janice Herradora, the 6,700 square feet of enormous potential became known as Anjali. With extensive renovations to not only the big room used for yoga classes, workshops, dances and concerts (Krishna Das once packed almost 400 people inside for an evening of ecstatic chanting), but also the interior, formerly used as living space, Anjali was beautifully refreshed, anything but funky, and stood in stark contrast to its more “lived in” surroundings on Fourth Avenue.

Part of the Anjali vision was to renovate the east end of the complex so that it could house a raw foods/vegetarian restaurant. This in conjunction with a small retail space, on-going yoga classes and a concert and dance venue available for rent to the community, all seemed like great ideas housed within an exquisite and newly designed space. Unfortunately the restaurant never opened, yoga classes came and went and the concert/workshop facility was vastly under-utilized. Eventually Anjali closed and for several years remained dark.
Now, with the opening of The Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, the Food for Ascension Café, CosmoArt Studio and Sacred Treasures, a retail space for “fine arts, jewelry and clothing,” the space once again holds the promise for becoming a hub of activity looking to bridge spirituality and new age sensibilities with 21st century alternative consumerism. The restaurant bills itself as “all local, all organic, all love” and comes with a delightful, outdoor rooftop patio while the Sea of Glass comes complete with a large stage, built in sound system and lights and acoustic sound baffles built into the roof. It looks like a great place to play as well as hear a performance.
With the Sea of Glass subtitled “A Center for Global Change Through Higher Consciousness,” and words like ascension and sacred as a part of its branding, the complex also comes with a certain vibe – what some might consider baggage – as well.
Bought for a price well into seven figures, the complex is owned and run by the Avalon Organic Gardens and Eco Village. Located in Tubac, Arizona, Avalon is an intentional community running a large organic farming operation and very much committed to the principles of permaculture and sustainable technologies. Avalon is also a part of the Global Community Communications Alliance, a church and religious organization founded in 1989 in Prescott, Arizona by Anthony J. Delevin, publicly known as Gabriel of Urantia.
All the businesses are celebrating with a grand opening on Friday, Jan. 17, starting at 7:30 p.m., with performances by VansGuard, an 8-piece activist folk rock band with ties to Avalon, along with hip hop artist Rahman Jamaal from San Francisco and with Tucson DJs Kirkout and Humblelianess spinning.

Saturday, Jan. 18 features a freestyle rap workshop at 2 p.m. with Rahman Jamaal followed by a screening of indie film “The Beat” at 4:30 p.m.

For more information on these and other upcoming events, along with ticket prices, visit TheSeaofGlass.org or call (520) 398-2542. Event proceeds benefit the organization’s Personality Integration Rehabilitation Program, Avalon Gardens Internships and scholarships for instructional classes in music, dance and other arts at The Sea of Glass.

Tucson’s YWCA Moves Community Upward

January 10, 2014 |

The lobby of YWCA of Tucson (YW) was festive in mid-December, with a large Christmas tree and upbeat volunteers. One offers coffee before ringing Tana Kelch to let her know: “A Jamie is here to see you.”

Kelch, the Sales & Marketing Manager and previous proprietor of Bohemia: An Artisans Emporium, comes out smiling. There’s a spring to her step as she approaches, saying there are so many things to share about the YW as the 96-year-old non-profit organization (established locally in 1917) does a lot. A LOT. And many plans are in the works.

The lobby is going to be the most immediate beneficiary of upcoming evolutions. Currently, a nook café is situated by the front door and offers a minimalist menu of select treats and beverages, with its coffee  supplied by Bisbee Coffee Roasters. While presently only a few tables and chairs are in place, “we will have seating for 20 once everything is to spec,” emails Liane Hernandez, Community Life Director/Executive Chef. “We want to create an environment where people can meet and hang out,” Kelch explains.

In the lobby space across from the café, a boutique – The Galleria Art and Gifts – will be born in early February. “We will be offering a wonderful mix of YW merchandise and small works and crafts by local artists that embrace our mission,” Kelch says.

The YW’s vision, as posted on the website, is to create “a community of change makers who are working to build a world without racism, where women are empowered and where everyone enjoys peace, justice, freedom and dignity.” The ideals are mighty and the missions lofty, but the YW seems to be pulling it off through its many programs – by way of an 11-women staff and a team of dedicated volunteers.

In addition to the café and future boutique, the YW is working on building out its kitchen in order to offer a catering program. “It’s the brainchild of Kelly (Fryer, the Executive Director),” Kelch shares. “The purpose is to become more sustainable by creating income to fund our programs.” Hernandez further explains that the organization will offer catering through its “YWorks Catering program, which is under development now and we plan on hiring our first cohort of young women in August 2014.”

A woman peruses clothing options in Your Sister's Closet. photo courtesy YWCA Tucson

A woman peruses clothing options in Your Sister’s Closet.
photo courtesy YWCA Tucson

It is pretty incredible how many programs the YW funds and several spaces in the 17,000 square foot building, located on Bonita Avenue in Downtown’s west-side Menlo Park, offer numerous stories of how the organization helps prepare women to enter, or re-enter, the work force.

As we move north of the lobby to explore Your Sister’s Closet, Kelch points out The Galleria – which features exhibits that rotate quarterly and highlights artists who connect to the YW’s missions. “The YW is incredibly lucky to be able to work with Erma Duran and Amy Zuckerman to curate our Galleria,” Hernandez says via email. “Erma is responsible to selecting the artists and pieces for each show.” On display through Jan. 15 is Amy Zuckerman’s gorgeous and heart-wrenching black and white photography. Opening on Feb. 6 is a joint exhibit of Western photography by Mia Larocque and Louise L. Serpa; the boutique’s grand opening will be held the same day.

Kelch checks in with the volunteers at Your Sister’s Closet, making sure it is a good time for a tour. The objective of Your Sister’s Closet is to provide women, who have completed the Skills for Successful Employment program, with a week’s worth of career clothing. The monthly program is a four-day intensive that includes computer training and employment skills workshops, offered for $25 – with scholarships available.

Dorothy Miller, a YW volunteer for over five years, welcomes us with a sweet, warm countenance. There are three rooms, and the first feels like a wealthy woman’s walk-in closet – with its classy wood shelves, a full-length mirror and gorgeous lighting.

“I try to treat them like princesses,” Miller says with genuine affection. “I’m their fashion coordinator; outfits complete with shoes and, of course, purses!” Miller and Kelch list a few of the clothing donors: J. Jill, Burlington Coat Factory, Twice As Nice. Arlene Oliver, another YW volunteer for over five years, chimes in: “Brighton donates a bunch, and Dillard’s.”

In the middle room, there are over ten racks of perfectly professional, stylish attire. In the back, we find the work room where, as Miller explains, “we sort though the donations. If we can’t use the donations, we give the clothing to Twice As Nice or Big Brothers/Big Sisters.”

“It is fun, we love doing it,” enthuses Oliver. “Each woman goes out with three to four outfits and we try to mix and match. We send out some very happy people.”

To date, YW has styled 26,000 women with business wear. Skills for Successful Employment offers a deeper meaning beyond work clothes and pertinent jobs skills – such as resume building, developing job search strategies and becoming proficient with computer programs – it’s about improving women’s lives and giving them the tools, and thereby the self-esteem, to succeed.

Oliver shares a poignant memory. “One gal was here trying on clothes, looked in the mirror, and tears streamed down her face. She said, ‘I’ve never seen that person.’ When they go looking for a job, they look good and feel good and get the confidence to get a job.”

Kelch and I meander to the Wolslager Foundation Learning Center, where a portion of the job skills training takes place. There we find volunteer Richard Griffith busily setting up computers. “We recently received 30 new computers, donated by (Pima County’s) One-Stop (Career Centers),” Kelch says.

“Is this the graveyard over here,” she asks Griffith, referring to a collection of computer towers along the wall. “Yes, those are beyond the hill,” Griffith replies.

In the room, which can be rented out for classes and is utilized by a volunteer group that offers GED tutoring on Saturdays, are about 15 workstations. The space also hosts the Mi Carrera Desarrollo Profesional. Griffith, a 60-year-old single father to a 6-year-old son explains that the name translates to my professional career development.

“The thing about the Y, it is in a primarily Hispanic neighborhood. This place was a bit more formal and not as friendly to the neighborhood, but that is changing,” Griffith says. “This is where it’s at!”

While the large, beautiful and fairly new building – which the organization moved into in 2007 – may not be very well-known to the general public, dedicated efforts have been underway to change that. In addition to the aforementioned offerings, the non-profit also hosts a YW Speaks speaker series in order to facilitate community conversations that encourage a more civil society. There’s also the Women’s Wellness Network and The Happy Organization for children, both of which aim to create healthy lives – mentally, emotionally and physically.

There’s a palpable energy, and it pragmatically exudes a confidence in purpose and a peace that aligns with serving a greater aspiration, which really resides with basic respect.

As YW volunteer Richard Griffith openly shares: “This is the first place in my life I’ve done work that I really love. I went through drug treatment and I’ve gone full circle. I respect this place. Respect comes from knowing it is doing a good thing, and it’s for the people.”

YWCA Tucson, located at 525 N. Bonita Ave. and YWCATucson.org, would appreciate clothing donations on Mondays, fiscal donations and volunteers always, and a wish list of supplies is detailed on the website. Visit YW’s online events calendar to see what’s coming up next. Call (520) 884-7810 with other inquiries.

Eat Your Hearts Out, Art Lovers!

January 10, 2014 |

Tucson Arts Brigade’s Edible Art Gala features culinary art & more on Jan. 18.

Monica Warhol, cousin of the famous pop artist Andy Warhol, is the celebrity emcee at the Edible Art Gala.  photo: Randall Swindell

Monica Warhol, cousin of the famous pop artist Andy Warhol, is the celebrity emcee at the Edible Art Gala. photo: Randall Swindell

It should be no great revelation to anyone that, as human beings, we need a few things beyond food, water and shelter to thrive. We need a general knowledge base and special skills to make and manage goods, homes, and businesses. We need exercise to maintain our optimum level of personal health. And we need the arts to make it all worthwhile.

Says Vanessa Beard, Executive Director of the new artisan collective/café/beer and wine bar, Maker House, what people make without an art-first perspective “might be utilitarian, but,” she adds, “without art there is no beauty.”

Here, here to that.

Without that artisanal approach to engineering, there would be no Golden Gate Bridge. If there wasn’t a touch of artist in every great architect, then forget about Frank Lloyd Wright. If not for Steve Job’s attention to the aesthetes, you could say sayonara to all of those rounded rectangles. Put succinctly by Tucson Arts Brigade (TAB) Marketing Director Jodi Netzer: “Without arts education, you get zombies.”

Since both organizations were united in the goal to make art more accessible to the masses, and since Maker House had already scheduled a Black and White Art show opening for mid-January, the decision to bring the non-profit community arts and education group to Maker House’s newly-restored 10,000 square foot space in the historic (not to mention stunning) Bates Mansion for their first fundraiser bash of 2014 seemed only natural. And thus, two independent art events became one mega-party.

As far as art galas go, the Edible Art Gala may prove hard to top. Some highlights include art-inspired hors d’oeuvres provided by local culinary artisans (as of press time TAB was still accepting contributions, so local chefs and culinary professionals are encouraged to get in touch), live music by a number of local bands spanning every genre, plenty of booze, and a fabulous art auction featuring more than forty pieces from TAB’s Traveling Art Show and a dining set valued at over $3,000.

Attendees are encouraged to wear art-themed costumes and participate in the fashion show for a shot at winning some groovy prizes. Local artist Monica Warhol, a cousin to Andy Warhol who recently made headlines for a debacle involving her portrait of Kim Kardashian, has confirmed that she will emcee the event. As if that weren’t enough, the opening of Maker House’s Black and White Art Show with works by Danny Martin and Will Taylor will run concurrently.

The money raised from ticket sales and the art auction will go directly back to TAB to support their many ongoing and expanding programs, like the Mural Arts Project, which encourages community members, especially youth, to take ownership of their neighborhoods through beautification and revitalization efforts. The murals installed by the program—like the one put in place under the heavily-graffitied overpass at 29th Street and Columbus—can cost upwards of $20,000.

TAB Executive Director Michael B. Schwartz says there is also a high demand for the group’s after-school programs. Ideally, they would like to operate one such program in each of Tucson’s six Wards, though Schwartz says that the money just hasn’t been available. He says that as many as 15,000 people could benefit from a consistent after-school art program right now, but stresses that consistency is key.

“When we run these programs,” Schwartz says matter-of-factually, “the kids excel.”

So come one, come all to the Edible Art Gala and support a great cause, rub elbows with some of Tucson’s most popular artists, and make yourself feel like someone important as you schmooze,drink and dance the night away in a spectacular 1940’s mansion. What more could you possibly ask for?

It all goes down on Saturday evening, Jan. 18 from 6 p.m. to midnight at the Maker House, 283 N. Stone Ave. Food and mingling from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., the fashion shoe and auction are from 8 p.m.-9 p.m. and dancing from 9 p.m. to close. Tickets are $15 pre-sale and $20 at the door. More information is available online at TucsonArtsBrigade.org.

The Ark & The Links – Ned Schaper’s Move

January 1, 2014 |
Ark D’Bevel

Ark D’Bevel

Stepping into the Mat Bevel Institute is entering an orbit where whimsy and physics converge and any trace of what society says should or shouldn’t be doesn’t enter, or stay for long. There’s a magical energy that defies conformity, comprised of characters built from lost-then-found objects – spinning and dancing and gyrating, showing mirth, or silly hilarity or exuberant joy. There’s a story behind them all, and a majority of the stories are deeply and philosophically profound.

The numerous personalities comprising this large body of work residing at the Institute have shipping orders, however, that were given on February 11, 2013. They must move out of their home on Stone Avenue by March 1, 2014. Their creator has them aligned in an ark, “ready to float out. It’s an ark, that’s what arks do, they float,” he states.

For the last 17 years Ned Schaper, the man behind the kinetic art, has been creating (poetry, performances, sculptures) and living in the 5,000 square foot warehouse at 530 N. Stone Ave. Before moving into the Arizona Department of Transportation owned building in 1996, which was the cutting-edge Downtown Performance Center from 1991-1995, Schaper was previously creating in a warehouse that was torn down to accommodate the courthouse complex currently under construction at Stone and Toole Avenues. Old school Tucsonans might remember that building as the Outback at one point, then as Coconuts.

“I was across the street from Steve Eye’s, and I was in there and had to get out of there, real quick–they gave me 15 days–so I went to where Skrappy’s is now. I had to go to that other warehouse so I built the stuff into the shape of an ark in the early nineties. I came up with this whole thing–the beveled ark, Ark D’Bevel, and ever since then I’ve always noticed that my places are sort of ark-like, these buildings.” We look up at the ceiling and the gorgeous, valuable wood is indeed shaped like the bottom of an ark.

Ned Schaper

Ned Schaper

Over the years, Ned’s space has served as various venues. “We had a snack bar. We did Zeitgeist Jazz–we had all these great jazz people, I had my shows, we had freak shows, the All Souls Procession used to end here. Oh my God, it would be insane, oh man, this place would be filled, not to mention the big head puppets, masses of people all around the building, masses of people outside, and, it was amazing back then. Then it was a total creators’ community. It was cheap down here and nobody wanted to be here,” Schaper recalls.

It’s true, Downtown was a dive in the 90s. It was cheap and gritty and the creative community thrived.

“Now you find yourself in this community in 2013 and now it’s: ‘How much can you pay for rent?’ And Steve Eye’s over there (at Solar Culture), and he says, ‘You should stay here, we want you here, you should be in the neighborhood.’ And they (property owners) ask how much I can pay for rent, and it’s: ‘Nothing’.” He says it with a shrug.

“I’m completely broke, I make things for nothing. All I’ve had to do is pay the rent. I’ve never had money; I’ve never been a money raiser. When you are in a money thing, it’s not about creation, it’s about rent. Everybody wants money. I have a whole ark of kinetic art, but no money, so I can’t be here. I need to be in a place where I’m not competing with bars and lawyers. I have to have money to be here, but not art.

“It’s not just here, it’s everywhere. It’s part of our society.”

Schaper states all of these points as simple facts, there’s no anger in his voice, no malice in his sky-blue eyes. Maybe it is the pragmatic mid-westerner in him, he grew up in Ohio and graduated from University of Wisconsin Madison, or maybe it’s the ‘live and let live’ peace that comes with not over-thinking things and trusting in que sera sera.

Schaper is “very seriously considering South Tucson, almost for sure. I’ve been to City Hall twice to talk to them, and I’ve never had such enthusiasm, I mean, they have no money and no buildings but, it just seems like I need to go where there’s very fertile soil where I can grow into it. The more I go down to South Tucson… you can say in one way, they’re not as infected by the modern sort of young professional thing, but, the idea there is they are in an economic situation that is much more like mine.”

There’s a down-to-earth element to Schaper’s other-worldliness. He is refreshingly not stomping his feet, he likens the situation to insect behavior. Which makes sense as his bachelor’s degree from UW Madison is in entomology.

He explains how swarm behavior works, when hives break, how they come back together and compares it to other human cultures. “What I’ve read about real community consensus is that they won’t make a decision until everyone agrees with it. But if you’ve got people in there who are ideologues and who won’t give up, you’ll never get a consensus and what you finally have to do is say, ‘Well, it looks like this is the way it’s going. Okay.’”

Schaper has known for almost a year that he would need to move, and is in no way disputing that. For him, the main issue now is finding a temporary–or permanent–dock to anchor The Ark before his Tucson Museum of Art show, “Welcome to Beveldom – Mat Bevel’s Museum Of Kinetic Art,” on exhibit Aug. 9-Oct. 5.

“I have a one-man show at the Tucson Museum of Art, so, that’s a big part of this,” he says, nodding at his sculptures. “A lot of this is going in the show, not all of it.

“My main priority now is to find a place to set The Ark up between March 1 and the TMA show in August.”

Ned is hoping for a visible space with large windows that someone would let him set up his fantastical creations in as a pre-show attraction.

Schaper, like many other artists who took advantage of cheap rents in the Arizona Department of Transportation-owned warehouses in the 80s and 90s, are betwixt a mix of decades of Downtown revitalization efforts and the Downtown Links’ transportation plans that are slowly, and steadily, coming to fruition to unite Barraza-Aviation Parkway to I-10.

There are no angels or demons here, but there are lively groups of constituents who have been active over the years to bring to the table the current, mostly solidified plan.

“We are almost at 90% design completion and have held regular CAC (citizens’ advisory committee) meetings and subcommittee meetings for the last few years and another two years to go before construction begins,” explains Tom Fisher, Downtown Links Planning Project Manager via email. “The project is fully funded and we are moving forward with the remaining property acquisitions following Federal guidelines. The issues (concerning historic preservation efforts, demolitions, underpass and overpass designs, bike and pedestrian connectivity) should be fully resolved in the next several months through ongoing design work with our CAC review.”

What most people do not realize is the intense amount of governmental planning and environmental considerations being addressed in this $85.67 million transportation project. After acquiring properties through years of consulting with constituents, city departments, Mayor and Council and the Regional Transportation Authority (who is paying $76.1 million of the tab), the next steps include extensive environmental evaluations. Let’s not forget, this land along Sixth Street abuts an over-century-old stretch of railroad activity.

Fisher further explains that “Once the properties are vacated, we will do an environmental assessment of each and remove any hazardous materials (i.e. asbestos, fuel tanks, soil contamination) and prepare a scope of work for demolition. Then we go out to bid for the demo work and site clean-up. All this can take months to complete. One of our goals is to preserve the Steinfeld and Citizen warehouses, and will continue to do so to make them successful during redevelopment efforts.”

The scope of the project is ultimately about moving people to and fro – in cars, on bikes, on feet. Fisher elucidates that the current design offers “a four-lane surface arterial roadway with street intersections, bike lanes, sidewalks, a shared-use path, deck park, native desert landscaping, lighting, and many other features more compatible with the urban environment. It is important to note that this was a directive from Mayor and Council to make the roadway more compatible with the existing urban environment and not simply a cross-town freeway bypass.”

There’s always an ebb and flow to urban areas. So many cities have seen districts evolve from vibrant to crummy, to artists, to hipster to developer. It’s the way of things. Having that understanding and acceptance is vital.

“I’ve learned a lot and that’s what’s sort of nice about feeling like a homeless person in a garage, it’s humbled me,” Schaper says. “And there’s nothing like humility to teach you how to create. Because, your job is not to save the world, your job is to do what you are supposed to do to – and if everybody sort of does that… react to the best of your ability of what comes at you, the world will work out.

“In other words, if you don’t have what you need, why would you be doing it?”

The Mat Bevel Institute’s website is MatBevel.com, where information on Schapers upcoming move and ways to donate to the process will be available. Contact him at bevel@matbevel.com or (520) 304-8899. His neighbor to the south, architect/builder Paul Schwam of Solar Lava, SolarLava.com, will be a part of the Downtown Links relocation process. The Downtown Links project is working on updating its website as well, and should be live sometime mid- to late-January, at DowntownLinks.info.

BEYOND: A Guide

December 31, 2013 |

Join in city-wide activities to honor community and memorialize the victims of Tucson’s Congress on Your Corner shootings on Jan. 8, 2011.

In its third year, BEYOND is settling into a tradition as an active memorial bringing Tucsonans together to Commemorate, Celebrate, and Commit as a brighter, unified community. Here’s your guide to making the most of the events spread across the city on Saturday, Jan. 11.

BEYOND Tucson offers a variety of activities geared toward bringing the Tucson community together and commemorates the victims of the Jan. 8, 2011 Congress on Your Corner shootings. photo courtesy of BEYOND Tucson

BEYOND Tucson offers a variety of activities for all Tucsonans.
photo courtesy BEYOND Tucson

For those who want to get out of town and into the mountains, there’s a variety of  activities and hikes on the wild perimeters. Starting at Sentinal Peak, volunteers will pull buffelgrass from “A Mountain,” which was a favorite run of Gabe Zimmerman’s, the Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ staff member who lost his life Jan. 8, 2011. The firefighters at Sentinel Peak Brewing will be giving their thanks in the form of beer samples from their new nano brewery. There’s also guided hikes departing from the Wild Burro trailhead in the Tortolita Mountains, at Marana’s 14810 N. Secret Springs Dr.; and from Sabino Canyon, where parking fees will be waived and programs will engage folks of all ages. In addition, hikers, bikers and horseback riders can convene at the Gabe Zimmerman Davidson Canyon trailhead south of the Rincon Mountains, off of Highway 83.

A Guide to BEYOND 3For the competitive, there’s the Colossal Du, a rugged run-bike-run in Colossal Cave Mountain Park, 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail. The park will throw its own festivities, with free Discovery Tours and an archaeology hike of Hohokam sites. Across town, a 5-mile social run will show off the scenery at Saguaro National Park West, 2700 N. Kinney Rd.

For the playful, the new Sporting Chance Center – 2100 W. Curtis Rd. – joins the lineup of BEYOND events with basketball, volleyball and futsal games in their 40,000 square foot court facility. The center, which hosts youth sports teams throughout the year, is situated right near the River Walk at La Cholla Boulevard, and guided walks will leave the facility for those who want some fresh air.

For the imaginative, Valley of the Moon – 2544 E. Allen Rd. – returns with a storytelling day in Tucson’s historic fairyland. At the Christina Taylor-Green Memorial Park, at the corner of Shannon and Magee Roads, the Stroll and Roll will bring together all ages with sidewalk chalk to decorate the route and dogs to meet from Gabriel’s Angels, a pet therapy organization for at-risk kids.

For the south side community, BEYOND In Your Neighborhood is a new walk to link up the Sunnyside neighborhood, starting at Habitat for Humanity’s Santa Maria site, 944 W. Santa Maria St. Neighbors will meet and greet, create recycled art and enjoy a group lunch.

And for the social, the Main Event in Armory Park, 221 S. 6th Ave., draws thousands of visitors to dance, ride bikes, rock climb and visit health and wellness stations sponsored by Tucson Medical Center. The Living Streets Alliance Kidical Mass will escort families on a safe and fun biking route through the Old Barrio. Meet Me At Armory Park will be a four-mile walk/run to show off parts of Downtown, 4th Avenue and the Rattlesnake Bridge. The Children’s Museum, 200 S. 6th Ave., is free during BEYOND, and last year drew in a record number of 4,000 visitors.

BEYOND has become an amazing explosion of options to enjoy the Tucson community that lasts longer than a single day.

“One goal of Beyond is to get people out with their families and doing something healthy,” says BEYOND Project Manager Michelle Crow, “but another goal is to connect people to the ongoing resources in their communities.” It’s a bond that opens up the community every year to commemorate, celebrate, and reaffirm our commitment to each other.

BEYOND is January 11, 2014  and all the details on its events are at Beyond-Tucson.org.