Photos: Downtown Tucson Mural Program
Eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade, in 2016.
Tucson Mural Program
Rock Martinez works on his mural located on the Benjamin Supply building at 440 N. 7th Ave. on Tuesday May 31, 2016. Martinez took about a month to create the Agave Lady, which covers Benjamin Supply's 65-feet wide and 55-feet high wall. The piece is one of his Cactus People series. Martinez, who is out of the country and wasn’t available for comment, used the grid laid out by the wall’s bricks as his guide, says Cristina Perez, who assisted him. He would finish one grid, climb off the scaffolding, cross the street to check the work, then climb back on and continue. “Getting the proportions right was the biggest challenge,” says Perez. Martinez’s website: yfiart.com. He is also on Facebook.
Tucson Mural Program
Rock Martinez, left, consults a photo of his girlfriend, Brandi Watkins, with his assistant, Cristina Perez, as he works on his mural on the Benjamin Supply building, 440 N. Seventh Avenue, on Tuesday May 31, 2016. Watkins is the face of Martinez's mural he calls "Goddess of Agave."
Tucson Mural Program
Rock Martinez works on his mural located on the Benjamin Supply building at 440 N. 7th Ave. on May 31, 2016. He says he used about 50 cans of spray paint for the mural.
Tucson Mural Program
Jessica Gonzales painted the new mural on the side of the building that houses Wig-O-Rama at 98 E. Congress Street. The eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade.
Gonzales’ mural is 27- feet tall and 32-feet wide. The festive piece has faces peering out toward the center of Downtown and is festooned with iconic Tucson images, from monsoon clouds to a lasso. She projected her image onto the wall as her guide, though she incorporated the grid system, as well. “I felt it was important to honor the Downtown community,” says Gonzales about her design. “I live here, I work here, I went to Tucson High School. It’s about the connectedness of creative locals and the support system we have.” You can see more of her work on her Facebook page.
Tucson Mural Program
Niki Glen works on her mural located at the west corner of North Fifth Avenue and East Toole Avenue on Wednesday June 01, 2016. Glen says she's painted over 100 murals, but this is her first one in Tucson. Glen’s mural is a celebration of nature in our part of the country, with Monarch butterflies, hummingbirds and an abundance of color. “The theme is pollinators,” she says. The mural is 50-feet wide and just 4-feet high. “I wanted to do something that was timeless and contemporary that I thought people would enjoy looking at now and in 20 years,” she says. Find more of her work on her web page, glenstudios.com.
Tucson Mural Program
Rachel Slick, Tim Schirack, and Alexandra Gjurasic painted the new mural on the Cafe 54 building at 54 E. Pennington Street. The eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade. The wall is 18-feet high and 50-feet wide, but “it felt longer than that,” says Gjurasic with a laugh. The biggest challenge was the texture of the wall on the building. “It has a thick adobe texture and it chewed through brushes and it ate paint,” she said. More of the artists’ works at: rachelslicksculpture.homestead.com, alexandraGjurasic.com and timothyschirack.homestead.com.
Tucson Mural Program
Bill Walton riding a jackalope is the new mural by Ignacio Garcia that is on one of the walls of the Rialto Theater in downtown Tucson. The eight new murals are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade. Garcia’s mural was inspired by myths and symbols often identified with the Southwest. He submitted his proposal in February, so the rodeo was on his mind, and the mythical jackalope seemed to go right along with that. “I wanted it to be fun and have a childish feel,” he says. “We all have this inner child; seeing something like this can give us a happy feeling.” Originally, the rider on the jackalope had the face of a child, but the Rialto’s Curtis McCrary suggested it have basketball announcer Bill Walton’s face instead. The image of Walton, who Tucsonans either love or hate for his goofy personality, ups the “fun” of the mural, which is 45- by 45-feet. “People are going bananas and being emotional about (the murals),” says Garcia. “I didn’t realize how much people wanted this movement; I didn’t realize how much people needed this.” More of Garcia’s work at artebyignacio.com.
Tucson Mural Program
Ignacio Garcia is the artist who painted the mural of Bill Walton riding a jackalope on one of the walls of the Rialto Theater in downtown Tucson. Garcia says he did not know who Walton was and did some research before starting the mural.
Tucson Mural Program
A mural painted by Issac Caruso is located at 9 N. Scott Avenue. The eight new murals are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade. Caruso’s mural is 30- by 30-feet. Bright oranges float in front of a striking blue background, bringing a touch of coolness to the hot city. A quail pops up between the fruit. “I wanted to do something that represents Tucson and I automatically thought of quail and orange trees,” says Caruso. He lives in Phoenix, and took a week off his art director job to stay in Tucson and bang out the mural. And this is how dedicated he is: He spent one night high in the air on the lift so he could work as late as possible, and get as much sleep as possible. “It was elevated about 20 feet and I was wrapped up in my sleeping bag,” he says. He wasn’t worried about falling. “Paint cans were my borders,” he explains. More of his art: isaacncaruso.com.
Tucson Mural Program
Luis Mena, painted the new mural on the Century Link building at 142 E. Pennington Street. The eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade.
Luis Mena’s mural covers the front, the doorway, curves around to the side, and overflows onto the overhang of the building. Just 7-feet high but an impressive 83-feet long, it includes blossoms, birds, a mariachi and a deep blue background that pulls you in and cools you off. It’s a colorful celebration of the Latino culture in Tucson, and practically shimmers with energy thanks to the glitter the artist added in strategic spots. Look up to the overhang to catch his celestial and ghostly drawings.
Tucson Mural Program
With help from PJ McArdle, far left, and Bob Byars, middle, To-Ree-Nee Wolf, far right, continues to work on her mural called "Creation Story, Chaos Theory and Quantum Memory," on Wednesday June 08, 2016. Her mural is located at 213 E. Broadway Blvd. The eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade.
To-Ree-Nee Wolf Keiser got a late start on her 12-feet-high and 40-feet-wide mural at the old Scrappy’s. She’s battling oppressive heat but she’ll be done by June 20, she says. Her inspiration is “The creation story, chaos theory and quantum memory,” says Wolf. Incorporating bright colors — which are her signature — and images of rainbows and a butterfly will be key. Her biggest challenge? “The heat,” she says quickly. To avoid it, she has to get up earl
Tucson Mural Program
To-Ree-Nee Wolf continues to work on her mural called "Creation Story, Chaos Theory and Quantum Memory," on Wednesday June 08, 2016. Her mural is located at 213 E. Broadway Blvd. The eight new murals in downtown Tucson are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program, in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade.
Tucson Mural Program
The mural by Niki Glen is located at the west corner of North Fifth Avenue and East Toole Avenue. Glen says she's painted over 100 murals, but this is her first one in Tucson. The eight new murals, in downtown Tucson, by different artists are part of the City of Tucson Mural Program in conjunction with Tucson Arts Brigade.
Niki Glen’s mural is a celebration of nature in our part of the country, with Monarch butterflies, hummingbirds and an abundance of color. “The theme is pollinators,” she says. The mural is 50-feet wide and just 4-feet high. “I wanted to do something that was timeless and contemporary that I thought people would enjoy looking at now and in 20 years,” she says. Find more of her work on her web page, glenstudios.com.
Friday June 10, 2016 Mamta Popat / Arizona Daily Star
Tucson Mural Program
A mural painted by Issac Caruso is located at 9 N. Scott Avenue.
Tucson Mural Program
With help from PJ McArdle, far left, and Bob Byars, middle, To-Ree-Nee Wolf, far right, continues to work on her mural called "Creation Story, Chaos Theory and Quantum Memory," on Wednesday June 08, 2016.
Mamta Popat
Photojournalist
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It’s the drugs.
Or is it?
That is a central question in “The Effect,” currently on the Live Theatre Workshop stage.
The Lucy Prebble play was inspired by a real-life drug trial that went tragically wrong: In 2006, the American pharmaceutical company Parexel conducted a drug trial in London that resulted in failed organs and lost appendages for some of the participants.
“The Effect” opens as two strangers, Tristan (Steve Wood) and Connie (Emilee Foster), are at a medical research center, willing participants in a four-week trial for a new antidepressant.
He’s flippant and high energy. She’s cautious and highly strung.
As the tests progress, the two fall in lusty love, she reluctantly, he not so much. But is that the antidepressant working it’s elevated magic, or is it the real thing?
Maryann Green directed a fluid production that found the humor and the heart of the piece, while it effectively explored the ethics of drug trials.
And she had a cast that lived in the characters’ skins.
Steve Wood, who is fast becoming one of Tucson’s finer actors, had a challenging role. Tristan starts out as a bit of a flirt and a jerk. But as the play progresses, he is angry, passionate, desperate. Each of his transitions was seamless and rang true.
Foster’s Connie has high anxiety, and is much more cautious than Tristan in indulging in her feelings. When she falls, she begins to question whether his feelings are related to the drug he may be receiving — or is he on a placebo? Foster made her anxiousness and her lust palpable.
A parallel story involving the two doctors who conduct the research feels contrived. The two once had an affair, sans drugs, and the effort to parallel the stories was strained.
Still, Avis Judd and Jon Thuerbach as the doctors embraced their characters and brought them so fully to life that we forgave the playwright for the contrivance.
While that secondary love story isn’t necessary, this is: the characters clash about the rights and wrongs of the drug trial they are conducting. He is cavalier and anxious to get results; she is concerned about the impact on the research subjects.
Green added a few touches that underscored the vulnerability of the patients. The use of a scrim in earlier scenes was particularly effective at doing that and added some visual humor. She also made sure that a play with a sort of chaos at its center never became chaotic.
“The Effect” is funny, certainly, but it also tackles important questions about human emotions and the roles drugs, and drug testing, play in our world today. What could be dry and complex — the research — and a cliché — boy meets girl, etc. — become heart-wrenching and clear in this play and production.
The Tucson Mural Project has put a call out for artists for the next three murals in the downtown area.
Tucson is packed with artists.
Organizers hope to make the sculpture festival a signature, destination cultural event that will attract visitors from around the country, boost the local economy, and give artists an avenue to sell their work.