DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE

Honoring Tucson Musicians

September 23, 2013 |

Tucson Musicians Museum Hosts Its Annual Induction Ceremony & Fundraiser Sept. 29

Gabriel Ayala (left) and George Hawke (right) are two of this year’s inductees.
photo: George Howard

“All of our inductees are uniquely special and it’s our goal to educate the Tucson community on the amazing talent that we have in this town,” explains Tucson Musicians Museum co-founder and president George Howard.

“Our mantra is to cultivate, preserve and perpetuate Tucson’s rich musical heritage. Everybody that plays folk or rock or jazz or classical is contributing to this scene that provides such a diversity of music. Where else can you go that in one night you’ll hear classical music and mariachi music from some of the best people doing it in the world.”

Sunday, Sept. 29 marks the Tucson Musicians Museum’s 2013 inductee ceremony – the Celebration of Music & Culture –  taking place at the Tucson Convention Center’s Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. Now in its seventh year, the ceremony will honor Tucson’s most talented local musicians from all genres that have impacted their community as well as the music industry with their skill and dedication to their craft.

This year’s diverse range of musical talent covers every genre from rock to mariachi to country. Among those being honored are Rich Hopkins, JD Daniel, George Hawke, Ann Iverson, Bob Meighan, Duan Suarez, Peter McLaughlin, Robert Thames, Gabriel Ayala, John Coinman and posthumous honors will be given to Tombstone Slim and Bobby Smith. Each inductee will be given their award at the ceremony and will get a chance to play two songs for the attendees.

“It’s a big celebration of the artists, so it’s such a great thing to have them perform their music for the audience and the shows have always been just spectacular,” says Howard. “Bud Foster from KOLD 13 is our emcee and we have some comedians who will be performing throughout the show and overall it is just such a wonderful musical environment. Our mariachi kids will be performing at the event as well. Really it is a very special evening for the arts scene of Tucson.”

Howard and co-founder Susan French created the Tucson Musicians Museum in 2006 as a way to honor the tremendous musical talent of Tucson by creating an online presence that would shine light on the artists of this town. Howard and French’s efforts have since made a big impact on the community with their music education programs that provide instruments and lessons for kids who can’t afford an opportunity to explore music. Now TMM offers various programs including classical musical training for children, and a heralded mariachi program run by Ruben Moreno.

“The Tucson Musicians Museum is so diverse and that’s what makes it so special. It’s great that they don’t highlight just one genre and it’s a very multicultural organization,” says 2013 TMM inductee Gabriel Ayala. “The programs they have for kids are really inspiring because not every child has the opportunity to study music even if they have the desire to. Music education is such a huge part of what I do and it’s so important that we pass the torch to the next generation.”

No stranger to awards or accolades, Ayala’s career as a guitarist and songwriter has taken him to heights few musicians experience including world tours, playing for the Pope and even playing for the President of the United States. The guitar virtuoso has even created his own genre of music mixing jazz and flamingo fusion that he calls “JazzMenco.” While Ayala is honored frequently for his work with Native Americans and educating youth, the TMM is a big honor that he is grateful to receive.

“As a musician, it seems like you’re never really respected by your own community. It’s the old story that you have to travel all over the world to be acknowledged for what you do,” says Ayala. “So the fact that my home community loves what I’m doing and accepts me for it is an incredible thing. I’ve won awards all across North America, I’ve traveled all over the world, but it’s so meaningful to me to get this award from my home town.”

Tickets for the event are $20 and the proceeds go to the TMM Youth Mentorship Program. For more information about the event and TMM, visit TucsonMusiciansMuseum.org.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

2013 Inductees

Gabriel Ayala (guitar) – Jazz/Flamingo Fusion
John Coinman (guitar) Rock
JD Daniel (keyboard) – Jazz
George Hawke (bass, acoustic guitar) – Country Swing
Rich Hopkins (guitar) – Rock
Ann Iverson – Classical
Peter McLaughlin (guitar)  – Bluegrass
Bob Meighan (guitar) Rock

Daun Suarez (steel guitar) – Country
Robert Thames – Pop

-Posthumous-
Bobby Smith
Tombstone Slim

Children’s Museum Celebrates Literacy

September 23, 2013 |

X marks the spot!

After a month long treasure hunt in which children have been challenged to visit various locations around town – libraries and family eateries – and partake different activities to gain stamps on their “treasure maps,” the Children’s Museum will host “Love of Literary,” a free admission day devoted to cultivating a love of books.

“I think it’s going to be a fun big day that we’re going to have,” said Daniela Siqueiros, marketing and membership manager of the Children’s Museum.

The Love of Literacy event on Saturday, Sept. 28 features a variety of activities – giveaways, book readings, characters and performances – and an opportunity to tour the Children’s Museum free of charge. And for each of the stamps collected by those kids who have participated in the treasure hunt provided by the Literacy Connects Coalition and Bear Essential News for Kids, a ticket will be entered in a raffle for cool prizes.

“It’s a literacy festival!” Siqueiros said. “We’re really excited about it.”

This year is the third annual Love of Literacy event. Sixteen different organizations, such as Bookman’s and Pima County Library, will be providing activities. Local talent and Arizona Daily Star cartoonist David Fitzsimmons also agreed to participate.

“I decided to get involved because reading enriched my life and I want to encourage kids to read,” Fitzsimmons said. “As a dad and a grandpa I’m a sucker for a good children’s book.”

Fitzsimmons has been collecting kids’ submissions for a cartooning contest. He will choose five winners to invite to the Love of Literacy event where he will draw each winner and host a drawing clinic to teach children to draw their favorite cartoon heroes.

“I believe that for kids the act of drawing is an intellectual endeavor that uses and develops a range of skills that contribute to a meaningful life, whether it’s learning how to express oneself creatively, communicate concepts, or simply record one’s visions,” Fitzsimmons added. “And it’s flippin’ fun!”

The Love of Literacy event comes just in time for the opening of the new exhibit at the Children’s Museum. Their new “Wee World” will provide a larger area for the youngsters to play while the “Art Studio” will provide children a place to really let their creative energies flow.

“We’re really excited about this room. It’s really going to allow to be unique creative space for kids,” Siqueiros said.  “The main thing is to learn through play but you want the kids to have fun, and to really learn that learning is fun!”

The Children’s Museum has a great lineup of upcoming events too. “Evening of Play” will be a fundraiser night – adults only! – on Oct. 12 and “Fame” – Family Arts Music Experience – will be another free admission day on Oct. 27.

The Love of Literacy event will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sept. 28 at the Tucson Children’s Museum located at 200 S. 6th Ave. Free admission all day, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more information visit ChildrenMuseumTucson.org.

Weightless Joy

September 19, 2013 |

Tommy Padilla gets air at Get Air.
photo: Jade Nunes

The trampoline. It beckons all ages to experience its promise of adrenaline and excitement. It’s a time machine, bringing back memories of childhood: sweaty summer afternoons, birthday parties and laughter. And, as if constructed from magnets, it pulls people to its bouncy surface – even if for a single jump.

Walking through the doors of Get Air Tucson is like teleporting to a different planet, one where gravity doesn’t exist and the ground is rectangles comprised of springy, black substrates. The sounds of wild laughter is intoxicating and inviting and the air is energized with movement and excitement.

Waiting in line to pay the entrance fee and signing the mandatory waiver feels like an eternity. But then, with shoes and socks off, heart pounding and a colored wristband signifying how long you can jump, it’s your turn.

It’s a weird feeling, being able to jump as high – higher! – as you are tall. Then there’s that split-second where you feel utterly weightless and your inner-child screams: “I can fly!” You’re hooked. You can’t stop. Higher. Higher. Bounce. Jump. Flip. You don’t even realize how much you’re sweating.

But Get Air doesn’t stop at trampolines. There are dodge ball courts, foam pits, a basketball hoop, and if you dare, a slack line to challenge your balance skills on.

“I heard about it from few friends,” said Hunter Tek, a University of Arizona student who admitted that he’s been to Get Air on more than four occasions since its unofficial opening in late August. “The dodge ball courts are my favorite. And the basketball hoop.”

With the fun comes some risk, however, as Greg Burleson had the misfortune of experiencing firsthand.

Balancing on the slack line.
photo: Jade Nunes

“I learned how to do my first back flip here,” Burleson said triumphantly. “But then I racked my nuts on the slack line.”

Patti Goodell’s son’s company, Trampoline Park LLC, installed the trampolines at Get Air. Goodell says the trampolines are “over sprung” and very reinforced.

“They’re just about as safe as they can be,” she said. “But it’s still an extreme sport. Someone could possibly get hurt.”

Jumping on a trampoline is a sport?

“You can burn up to 1300 calories an hour,” she said. “That’s a draw for people who are trying to stay fit.”

Goodell explained that exercise classes and air aerobics will be among some of the offerings still to come.

Monday through Thursday, Get Air offers family, student and community specials to encourage people to come jump. For example, on Thursdays, you can bring a can of food and jump for two hours for the price of one. Get Air also offers family nights and student discount nights.

“The kids just go crazy for it,” Goodell said.

There are 11 Get Air locations across the country, two of which are owned by Goodell – who said that five more are on the way.

For younger children, Get Air has designated “Lil’ Air,” a smaller trampoline area for the wee ones.

“It’s just kind of fun for all!” Goodell exclaimed.

Time seems to move faster on a trampoline. When an hour has passed, a Get Air employee announces that everyone wearing a specific color wristband must discontinue jumping, or buy an additional hour. Stepping off its springy surface onto solid ground is almost like returning to reality. Legs a little sore and covered in sweat, it’s time to go home.

“I’m definitely coming back,” said Marc Florian. “This place is awesome.”

Get Air Tucson is located at 330 S. Toole Ave. For more information about rates, hours and events, visit GetAirTucson.com or call 624-5867.

Learn! Know! Grow!

September 11, 2013 |

Brandon Merchant, proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens, in his home garden in June. Merchant will teach attendees how to make organic pesticides and herbicides from common household items.
photo by Amber Merchant

Pima County Public Librarians are a cool, inspiring bunch. With all of the offerings at local libraries, it is apparent that the staff is constantly on the lookout for engaging and interesting activities to bring to the people. Take a spin around Library.Pima.gov‘s calendar and it is clear that the mission to “enrich lives and build community through opportunities to learn, know, interact, and grow,” is being met.

To that end, the main library Downtown is hosting DIY (do it yourself) Day, with over 30 Tucsonans teaching other Tucsonans everything from practical skills (like changing a tire), to music, photography, hypnosis and more on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The idea, says Librarian Kassy Rodeheaver, came “from an article in Library Journal about a library in Kentucky doing a DIY day and we thought, ‘Tucson is the perfect place for this kind of event.’

“The people in Tucson are willing to come out and teach new things and teach what they are passionate about and share those things with people. We had a committee brainstorm ideas we hoped people would volunteer to do, and we received over 60 responses during the application period.”

While there are activities happening for all ages, most of the programming is “geared toward older teens and adults,” Rodeheaver explains. There will be “lots of crafts as well practical applications to your everyday life, and other activities you may not have thought of trying, like the pole fitness class being taught by Tucson Pole Fitness. The inspiration there was reading about a public library in Scotland that had a pole fitness class.”

Rodeheaver says she has taken classes at Tucson Pole Fitness. The advanced aspects of the sport require a physicality of muscle control and skill, but there are basic moves accessible to beginners and people of all body types and sizes.

Sara Ivester, a Tucson Pole Fitness instructor teaching an entry-level class on DIY day, says, “We’ll do a few spins, a static hold and strength building exercises.”

Ivester has been teaching pole fitness for about two years, and said media coverage on the sport piqued her interest so she decided to check it out. “I’ve taken dance my whole life, and thought I’d naturally be good at it, which I wasn’t. There’s a bigger strength component that I didn’t realize.”

However, she says that one doesn’t have to build their upper body before trying it – a person just has to start and keep working on it. That is one of the three main misconceptions about pole fitness, Ivester elucidates. “Of course there’s always the stripper connotation, but that’s not what we do. Also, that they are too heavy or not in shape to do it. You (beginners) are always going to have to work hard and keep showing up and trying. People develop and change and get stronger.”

She adds that being a part of DIY day “is good for the sport, to have public events and encourage people to give it a try and hopefully try it again.”

If gardening is more your speed and working to control plant pests with organic solutions has you intrigued, then Brandon Merchant is instructing a class you’ll want to attend. Merchant, proprietor of Southwest Victory Gardens, is set to demonstrate how to make organic pesticides and herbicides from typical household goods.

Merchant was hipped to the opportunity via his neighborhood library at Himmel Park. “I’m there quite a lot and I have gotten to know my librarians and they thought of me. Himmel Park has a seed library,” he further explains,  “and I’m an avid gardener and have been donating seeds (there), and they know I started a businesses where I help people with organic gardening and garden coaching.”

Beyond Merchant’s botany expertise, he embraces volunteerism and the do it yourself spirit. “I’ve always been interested in DIY ethics, I was part of a punk scene with a DIY ethos that I carried through to gardening.

“There’s a whole organic industry out there trying to make a buck when there are common household items – like vinegar or garlic and chili peppers – that can do the same job. I’m going to make a couple (organic pesticides) on the spot and will have products for people to see and plan to do a Q&A afterward with questions regarding specific pests.”

Come ready to learn – bring your notebooks! – to the main library, 101 S. Stone Ave. Questions can be answered by calling 791-4010. The complete schedule was unavailable as of press time, but will be onsite the day of the event, and is online at Library.pima.gov.

Guitar Competition Heats Up Flamenco Fest

September 9, 2013 |

Guitarist Misael Barraza is a performer at this year’s Tucson Flamenco Festival.
photo: Pablo Martinez

If you ask classical guitarist and local music teacher Michael Lich what is unique about Tucson’s guitar community, he will tell you that it is “arguably the best guitar city in the world.” Between having one of the highest rated university guitar programs in the country, being home to the Tucson Guitar Society and having a specialized outreach program for struggling public school students, there is a tremendous amount of passion and local talent here in the Old Pueblo.

It is with those elements in mind that the Tucson Flamenco Festival decided to establish an annual Spanish and Flamenco Guitar Competition this year. The festival’s competition features an open category for musicians of all ages specializing in flamenco and/or Spanish classical guitar and two separate divisions for youth contestants. The finalists will face off on the festival’s Sept. 19 opening night,  vying for over $2,000 in prizes.

In terms of authenticity, there is no better place for this competition to be born than at the Tucson Flamenco Festival, organized by local Spanish restaurant Casa Vicente, the Spanish Club of Tucson and the Flamenco del Pueblo Viejo dance studio. Every September, part of Casa Vicente’s parking lot is blocked off, glimmering lights are strung up, and the sound of flamenco footwork emanates from this intimate outdoor affair as international and local artists alike take the stage for a uniquely Spanish experience. The four-day festival, now in its fifth year, showcases up and coming flamenco fashion designers and becomes home to exceptionally talented dancers, singers and musicians.

These artists captivate the audience by exuding the sort of passionate drama that flamenco is known for.  It is just this sort of connection between artist and audience that Misael Barraza says keeps him playing and improving. Barraza, who has been playing for over 10 years and is one of the performers at this year’s festival, explains that the guitar is “a very intimate and expressive instrument” that allows for an artist to musically “expand to many different horizons.”

He believes part of the reason a guitar competition such as this is so important in promoting Tucson’s guitar community is because it allows artists to perform for a new audience, who in turn “might be inspired to hire them or simply go hear them at a different occasion.”

Michael Lich, a classical guitarist, banjo-player, arranger, composer and a faculty member at the Academy of Music and Dance of Tucson/Oro Valley, points out that it also gives some of the younger students a chance to “fine tune their skills” and “meet, jam, and exchange ideas.” He explains that “there are a lot of distractions for young musicians and this gives them something to really focus on.”

Barraza, an experienced competitive guitarist who has been one of the competition’s planning consultants, agrees that in a competitive setting musicians will spend more time preparing and the preparation “will raise the level of the performance.” In addition, he points out, by witnessing a live competition such as this, audience members may be inspired to pick up a guitar and start learning for themselves.

So what exactly will the judges be looking for at this year’s inaugural competition? Barraza would look for “a solid technical ability, but also for a good understanding of the music and its inflections.” He says it is possible to produce great music without necessarily being great technically, but “a balance between these two aspects is always present in the best guitarist.” Apart from that, he feels competitions are an excellent place to “show your personality” and would therefore value originality in any performance.

Integrating originality and dedication is what makes the guitar competition a wonderful addition, and one which will no doubt  become an integral part of the festival experience. So whether you plan on discovering brand new talent, learning about Spanish culture, or are simply out to enjoy an evening downtown, the 1st Annual Spanish Classical Guitar Competition is an excellent place to start. Who knows, you might even feel inspired to start making music of your very own.

The Tucson Flamenco Festival runs from Thur, Sept. 19-Sun, Sept. 22 at Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Ave. Prices, times and activities vary. Details are at TucsonFlamencoFestival.com or by calling 884-5253.

The four-day festival, now in its fifth year, showcases up and coming flamenco fashion designers and becomes home to exceptionally talented dancers, singers and musicians.
From left to right, Misael Barraza, Carmen Pivlick and Milagra Weiss.
photo: Lorraine DarConte


Crafting AZ Libations & Pub Fare

September 5, 2013 |

Good Oak Bar, opening night

The Good Oak Bar Opens on Congress Street.

The Good Oak Bar is now a reality. Up until a few days ago, the space on Congress – between the new Diablo Burger and the established Rialto Theatre – was still being completed, and was gloriously punctuated by the scent of oak dust. Fittingly, since the name Good Oak bar comes from Gary Nabhan’s interpretation of Arizona’s namesake: the Basque words “aritz onac,” for “place of the good oak,” which became garbled into “Arizona,” and in like fashion you too can garble your words at the Good Oak Bar.

The cozy corners have taken shape and the bar front and vestibule are fashioned from reclaimed wood, roughly 70-years-old, saved from some buildings previously on the Northern Arizona University campus. Derrick Widmark brought the Diablo Burger concept from Flagstaff to Tucson this summer to expand the connections between the local culture and the local foodsheds in Arizona, and with the Good Oak Bar he’s ready to take that idea a step further with what he calls “local foods based pub fare.

“The idea is to broaden our local food footprint and use the palate of pub fare to open up our relationships with local farmers and ranchers,” Widmark explains. With a tight but variable menu based off pub standards like shepherd’s pie or a classic pulled pork sandwich, Good Oak can accommodate the variety of meats and heirloom foods that producers bring to the table. “And maybe some folks will have to come in and sip a pint while they look at the blackboard specials,” Widmark quips.

At the heart of Good Oak is a rotating selection of Arizona beers curated by Blake Collins, the home-brew prodigy turned master brewer for Borderlands. The wine cellar is commanded by Kassie Killebrew, who also concocts beer and wine based cocktails for the more spirit-inclined. As an example, Widmark describes a dream in a glass: imagine fresh peaches from Sleeping Frog Farms, muddled in a light summer beer with a spritz of seltzer.

“Refreshing and local,” Widmark describes, “that’s what we’ll try to do. I think the idea is to give people an option who wouldn’t normally drink just beer or wine, but it also further defines the craftiness of the bar.”

Good Oak Bar, opening night

Widmark says that “with the narrowness of its focus, Good Oak has an opportunity to create a craft wine destination that’s bold and unique,” and parenthetically he adds, “without trying too hard to be either of those things.” The hardest thing Widmark is trying to do, it turns out, is create the kind of bar that deserves to be on Congress, next to the historic Rialto Theatre.

In the interceding time between opening Diablo Burger this summer and now following it with Good Oak, “it’s given me more time to think about, ‘what kind of bar does Tucson want in that space?’” In the light of a tongue-in-cheek discussion to “Keep Tucson Shitty,” Widmark says that “I was drawn to Tucson because of the same qualities of authenticity and character that are being discussed there. I value that sense of place, and I’m committed to trying to deliver that in a heartfelt and unpretentious way.”

And so, here it is: comfort food and libations with a Tucson and Arizona focus. The finishing touches to the bar include an original section of Old Pueblo Trolly track salvaged during Tucson’s streetcar construction, and a giant “Tucson” mural, spelled backwards as if you were standing behind a classic building sign. As for an authentic sense of place, Widmark says that he’s discovered one of the original tenants of the space he’s inherited, the Sunshine Climate Club of Tucson. He’s created a homage to the club that you’ll see as soon as you walk in the door.

Good Oak Bar is now open at 4pm everyday at 316 E. Congress St. Find Good Oak Bar under the locations tab at DiabloBurger.com.

Sunshine Climate Club, Tucson, Arizona

A Desert Twist on Caribbean Cocktails & Cuisine

September 3, 2013 |

by Emily Gindlesparger, photos by Andrew Brown

Stepping across the threshold of Saint House is like entering a private club in the heydays of Havana. The lighting is low, the booths are plush and the rum list – 40 labels strong – seems straight from a private collection. Decorating the high walls above the bar is a local stamp on this otherwise Caribbean locale. Artist Gonzalo Morales has painted a mural in three pieces, swirling figures that get more fascinating after every drink.

“If you spend time looking at it you’re going to discover the different shapes and forms,” Morales explains of the work. “On the second or third drink, just look at the art. It’s there to entertain the people who come.”

Against the dark walls of the rum house, Morales’ bright canvas colorfully pops in the light with yellow, magenta, green and purple hues. In a unique artistic twist, the mural is done in watercolor, a medium normally reserved for fine paper, but in Saint House, Morales has splashed it across his gesso-primed board.

“I was thinking of the Caribbean Sea, the colors and the jungle; I was thinking of Miami, and I made bright colors to match the restaurant. What inspired me was the Caribbean, and when you see the design on the wall you’ll see the waves.”

The signature drink here, even in the midst of a creative palate, is the simple daiquiri: rum, sugar and lime. And each spirit poured into this simple cocktail creates a wildly different experience.

“We carry a lot of rum because rum is the most diverse spirit in the world, and in some ways the most misunderstood,” explains Nicole Flowers and Travis Reese, co-owners who began their downtown ventures with 47 Scott and Scott & Co.

Rum is constantly pegged as sweet and syrupy – not surprising with its foundation in sugarcane – but as Saint House proves, there are styles and flavors from all over the world to be explored. On every table sits a little yellow chapbook titled The Book of Rum, and in it 17 countries are represented: from Brazil to Java with many islands in between.

Each environment and distillation produces a different signature. The Mount Gay Eclipse Gold from Barbados is fruity and bright, with an aftertaste of sucking on a chip of coconut, whereas the Rhum Clement Agricole from Martinique is described as “grassy and wild” in the restaurant’s Book of Rum, and it’s both spunky and distinguished. Those two terms could describe so much about the experience of Saint House, which has such clean-cut styling that’s still faintly reminiscent of The Great Gatsby, with snappy servers and hostesses who coordinate the party.

Woven into this tropical diversity is a little taste of Sonora. From the Vicious Virgin #3, based on Bacanora and grapefruit, to the shrimp ceviche styled with pico and clamato and Caribbean-inspired tacos, local ties thread through this restaurant right where it belongs, Downtown on the corner of Congress Street and Arizona Avenue.

Saint House is located at 256 E. Congress St. Call 207-7757 or visit SaintHouseRumBar.com for hours, menus and more details.

A Place To Learn, Collaborate & Create

August 31, 2013 |

Steven Bowtie creates sparks at Xerocraft Hackerspace.
photo: Jeremy Briddle

Do you like to tinker and make new things?  Or maybe you wish you were that person, but you don’t know where to start?  Try Xerocraft Hackerspace.  The non-profit celebrates its grand opening on Saturday, Sept. 7 in new, expanded quarters at 101 W. 6th St. at the old Steinfeld warehouse.

So what’s a hackerspace? Jeremy Briddle, Xerocraft’s treasurer says, “I always describe a hackerspace as being like a glorified tool shop where anyone can come in and build the things they see in their minds. It’s a collaborative space where inventors, artists, engineers, tinkerers and makers can collaborate and share information.”

“It’s a community resource that gives people a space, tools and skills to make anything they can imagine with our current level of technology,” adds Josh Banno, former Xerocraft president.

Current Xerocraft president Connor Barickman says, “There’s a stigma round the term ‘hacker’ which we are doing our best to kick. A hack is to use something in a creative way far from its original intended purpose.”

Briddle reviews options at Xerocraft: “For metal working we do welding, molten metal casting, milling, lathing. For wood working we mill and lathe. We also have a computer-controlled laser cutter that can cut out thin pieces of wood or acrylic sheeting. We have three 3D printers which allow us to turn 3D files on the computer into tangible objects.”

Xerocraft also offers weekly workshops. Most popular, according to Barickman, are introductions to welding, woodworking and 3D printing. “This is a place for beginners to come and get their feet wet.”

Briddle adds, “We ask that anyone who comes in regularly pay the $40 monthly membership. From people who attend the workshops we ask for a $5 donation. However, we do not turn anyone away if they don’t pay.” There are several “Open Hacks” weekly where he says, “Anyone can get a tour, ask questions and use tools.”

Lauren Pring adds that WTF (Women/Trans/Femme) Open Hack Night will be every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Pring, the WTF Night Coordinator explains that “the WTF Open Hack will create a space where women and transgender folks can feel empowered. Workshops and skills shares will be offered by and for women.”

Victoria Hermosilla working at Xerocraft Hackerspace.
photo: Jeremy Briddle

Community is an important aspect of Xerocraft.  “The folks are Xerocraft are like family now,” says Banno. “With each new member, we have a new friend and a chance to learn something new.”  Community involvement also includes education. This summer, Xerocraft participated in FAIR for Education, where, according to Alex Barton, “We showed kids, parents and teachers using a 3D printer, live 3D scanning demonstrations and several micro controller projects.”

Tucson’s Xerocraft is part of the national growth in “hackerspaces.” There are hackerspaces and “makerfaires” cropping up all over the country, explains Xerocrafter David Lyttle.

The grand opening on Sept. 7, starting at noon, includes a workshop, project demos, body and mural painting, BBQ, DJs and dance party, robots, and lasers.  It’s a “typical Xerocraft extravaganza,” says Banno.

Get more details at Facebook.com/Xerocraft or Xerocraft.org.

 

 

Tucson’s Modern Streetcar is in the House

August 30, 2013 |

The first of Tucson’s Modern Streetcars, (Sun Link) arrived from Portland, OR  on August 30, 2013 at 4:15 a.m.

Streetcar on its Way to Tucson

August 27, 2013 |

The City of Tucson has authorized the shipment of the first streetcar from manufacturer OIW/United Streetcar. Streetcar 101, Tucson’s first Made in America Sun Link streetcar, is being transported to Tucson on a special flatbed trailer over five days. Once the streetcar arrives, it will be unloaded at the Maintenance & Storage Facility, where a team will reassemble it and prepare it for approximately four to six weeks of testing. A First-Streetcar Arrival Community Celebration is being planned for early September, with a date and specifics coming soon.

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