The Tucson Murals Project

Hidden on Aviation Highway

2012-01-30T00:01:00.004-07:00

Barraza-Aviation (the quick route from Davis-Monthan to downtown) is decorated with murals here and there along its north-side wall — by the highway as well as the bikeway on the other side of the wall. If you're buzzing along in a car, though, you'd better look fast! (Riding a bike, or parking near an exit and walking a bit, will give you a better chance to see the murals.)

These three murals are some of the best-hidden (along with the trashed murals at the 22nd Street junction). They're on the highway side just west of the junction with 34th Street. I took the photos on July 27, 2011.

Garden on Laguna

2012-01-29T00:01:00.002-07:00

I rode by this mural, on the east side of 202 W. Laguna (the Castro Avenue side), early on the morning of July 27th.

Moonlight on Mabel...

2012-01-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

...and sunshine, and cactus... are part of this mural on the wall around the home at 815 E. Mabel:

Gemstone Mineral Interiors

2012-01-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

Back on July 23, I wondered about this building at 1202 N. Main — wrapped in magnificent murals with no business sign. Google Maps says the building houses Gemstone Mineral Interiors. Though I'm still catching up on the backlog of murals to post — six months to go — at least I'm right on time for the Gem Show!

The photo above is from the northwest, on Main Avenue, and the photo below shows the south side, along Helen Street.

Nick DeGrazia mural

2012-01-26T00:01:00.004-07:00

I thought I'd follow yesterday's post of the sign from Ted DeGrazia's former studio with a photo of the porch at 146 W. Drachman (on the northeast corner with 10th Avenue).

When I find a mural, I look for a signature. This one, at the bottom left, had a familiar name:

I'd heard of Ted DeGrazia, but I hadn't heard of Nick. A son of Ted's, maybe? A Google search this week for Nick Ted DeGrazia turned up a couple of stories: Bonnie Henry's column Ted DeGrazia: Always time for the kids (Arizona Daily Star, June 7, 2009) and a guest commentary in Tucson Weekly by Ron Butler, Buying DeGrazia on eBay: a tribute (July 21, 2005). Apparently Nicholas was Ted's son, and Mr. Butler's article said:

Nick, who worked as a boxer and a wrangler, decided to take up painting. He copied his father's work in the simplest of styles, mimicked the colors and of course the very familiar and famous "DeGrazia" signature which, one assumes, he was fully entitled to use.

I took the photos on July 27, 2010.

Sign from Ted DeGrazia's studio

2012-01-25T00:01:00.004-07:00

Driving along Prince Road two months ago (November 16), just east of Campbell, I noticed something on a building that looked like a mural. I turned around and pulled in at 1918 East Prince. It was a framed piece of weathered wood, and the face looked familiar...

I walked into the business behind the sign, C'est La Vie Vintage Boutique, to ask. The very helpful business owner, Sharon, told me the story. Sure enough, this was artist Ted DeGrazia — the sign from his former studio, which used to be just west of here on the southwest corner of Prince & Campbell. The studio is gone now.... but the landlord of the building with the mural kept the portrait from the sign that used to sit in front of the studio along Campbell.

I found more in a biography of Ted DeGrazia. The studio was built in 1944, and... well, I'll let you read the rest of the story yourself!

Youth Farm Project covers main library

2012-01-24T00:01:00.003-07:00

Head downtown soon to see these big photos from the Youth Farm Project — glued to the south side of the building with wheat paste (a vegetable-based glue). Here are some of them. They went up Sunday, and they'll be there into February. (There's one more coming — on the east side, I think — next weekend.)

It's a project of the Community Food Bank. There's a story and a video on the KVOA TV website.

El Rio revisited

2012-01-23T00:01:00.003-07:00

Back on May 2, 2008, we posted photos by Warren V. of some of the fabulous murals at the El Rio Neighborhood Center, 1390 W. Speedway.

Here are some more photos that I took on July 20, 2011. If you haven't been there, it's worth the trip to see!

Former residents line Grande Avenue

2012-01-22T00:01:00.009-07:00

The streets north and south of the corner of Grande & Huron are lined with freestanding tile murals with photos of people. They're in the same style as the better-known Windows to the Past, Gateway to the Future downtown, but in a lot more intimate setting.

Here's the street from north (top) to south (bottom):


SE corner of Delaware, N. side	SE corner of Delaware, S. side


In front of 901 N. Graande, N. side	In front of 901 N. Graande, S. side


750 N. Grande, N. side	750 N. Grande, S. side


NE corner w/Sonora, N. side	NE corner w/Sonora, S. side

Flowers on North Grande

2012-01-21T00:01:00.002-07:00

As I ride around Tucson on my bicycle, I find lots of buildings with flowers painted on the wall. Here's the front of 1006 N. Grande on July 23rd:

Arts for All Inc.

2012-01-20T00:01:00.004-07:00

That's the west side of the Arts for All Inc. building, on 2520 N. Oracle on July 10, 2011. And a look around the parking lot... the east end:

the southwest end:

the southeast end:

and the south center (in the middle of the previous two):

That's Gandhi... "Be the change you wish to be in the world..."

Don't look

2012-01-19T00:01:00.006-07:00

The former Casbah Teahouse and Restaurant, 628 N. 4th Avenue, had murals all along the entranceway. (You can spot one or two of them in the first photo below.)

If you gazed on Medusa (in Greek mythology, at least), with her snakes for hair, you'd turn to stone. So think twice before you scroll down... :)

Artist Rock Martinez started work on this corner sometime before July 16, 2011, which is when I took this first picture:

I stopped by earlier this month, on January 5th, and found the finished beast:

Finding other murals, street art, etc.

2012-01-18T00:01:00.003-07:00

A friend just sent me one of those emailed collections of photos... you've probably gotten some of them in your own inbox from time to time. This one was of amazing street art. I thought of some things that other art lovers (like you!) might want to know:

Most of those email photo collections don't give credit to the original photographer(s) or the artists. So I searched the Internet to try to find a website with the same photos. I found a page on Street Art Utopia, 106 of the most beloved Street Art Photos – Year 2010. It's a fun site... you can find more photos around that site. You can also search the Internet for [ mural ] or [ street art ], etc. One place I found right away was a Tucson Street Art page.
Google has a reverse image search where you can show Google a photo and it will look around the Internet for similar photos. (There are other services, but I know Google's best.) To use it, go to images.google.com and, in the search box in the middle of the screen, click the little camera icon at the right side. Then Google will ask you to either upload a photo from your computer or to give the location of a photo that's already on the Internet. (If the photo you want to search for comes from an email message, first save that photo file onto your desktop -- or to any place on your computer -- then upload it to Google.)

Happy hunting!

Balboa Heights Park

2012-01-17T00:01:00.000-07:00

This mural is behind a bicycle rack and a eucalyptus tree at Balboa Heights Park, on the west wall, the north side, across from 2525 N. Castro (s. of Jacinto). I snapped it (with a zoom lens) on July 10, 2011.

Decorated driveway

2012-01-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

I found this mural on July 8, 2011, along the driveway at 1240 E. Adelaide.

A fin(e) corner for a building

2012-01-15T00:01:00.000-07:00

My notes say that this car tail fin mural is painted around the northeast corner of Sir Veza's Taco Garage, Speedway & Swan... but I think it might actually be the southeast corner. (If you drive by there, would you please post a comment below or send me an email? Thanks.)

I took the photo on July 6, 2011.

A bit newer at 6th & Toole

2012-01-14T00:01:00.003-07:00

Last week's post New at 6th & Toole, part 2 showed three sides of the building just north of the 6th Avenue underpass. Yesterday was a view of the southeast wall on June 26.

In between those dates — on October 4, 2011 — I found a mural of a man standing on the southeast wall, with his hand coming out of the south wall:

I'm going to try to stop by this building more often!

Not as new at 6th & Toole

2012-01-13T00:01:00.004-07:00

Last week, in the post New at 6th & Toole, part 2, we showed a photo of the new painting work on two (well, three) sides of the building just north of the 6th Avenue underpass. Here's a view of the southeast wall (the right side of that photo from last week) earlier, as some of the old works (and maybe some tags?) had been painted over — and the new ones not painted yet:

I snapped the photo near sunrise on June 26, 2011.

(P.S. Happy Friday the 13th!)

Peppi's House

2012-01-12T00:01:00.006-07:00

At the northwest corner of the main TMC (Tucson Medical Center) campus is the hospice named Peppi's House. One outside wall on the east is covered with a tile mural:

Here's a closeup:

On the north side, near the main entrance, are two murals with quotations, names of donors, "Peppi's House dedicated May 22, 2007" and "Artwork created by Nina Borgia-Aberle © 2007:

(As always, you can click on a photo for a larger view.)

Siobhan on Toole

2012-01-11T00:01:00.006-07:00

On June 26, I noticed a newly-painted storefront at 197 E. Toole, next to Skrappys.

As seems to happen often these days, I'm posting this photo at the last minute — and haven't had time to find out more about the person or business there. Some online searching led me to Siobhan's page on the Model Mayhem website. I'll try to find out more soon... in the meantime, if you have details, please add a comment below...

Update (6 hours later): Elizabeth Albert answered my email to ask whether she knows anything about the building and mural. She wrote "I am actually the artist behind that mural :). I design clothing but also paint." Along with the Model Mayhem link above, her email signature has more info:

2009 People's Choice Designer - Scottsdale Fashion Week
Website: www.siobhanclothing.com
Purchase: www.siobhanclothing.etsy.com
Make Friends: www.facebook.com/siobhan.clothing
Twitter: Siobhan Clothing
Blog: www.YourLifeLnDesign.blogspot.com

Townsend Middle School, OMA

2012-01-10T00:01:00.001-07:00

(No, that's not OMG. :) OMA is a program named Opening Minds through the Arts, and Ft. Lowell Townsend K-8 School is (its website says) an International and OMA Gold School.

Here are photos from June 23, 2011 of a wall and a tile mural on the school's southwest corner. Townsend Middle School is at 2120 North Beverly.

Dodge Middle School

2012-01-09T00:01:00.001-07:00

This mural is on the front of Ida Flood Dodge Middle School, 5831 East Pima. (Go Bulldogs!)

Cactus and chile

2012-01-08T00:01:00.000-07:00

There are several murals at 5634 E. Pima. Here's the east side (in mottled early sunlight):

And, on the front...

... chile ristras hanging on vigas — but they're actually murals. The chiles had lost their red color when I was there on the morning of June 19, 2011.

Harlow Gardens

2012-01-07T00:01:00.002-07:00

This was the early-morning scene in front of the store, 5620 E. Pima, on June 19, 2011.

Maybe a mural, part 31: sidewalk & wall

2012-01-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a little more than a week since the previous post (part 30) in our series of art that might or might not be a "mural."

This is a photo of the sidewalk and wall at Centuras Professional Plaza, 5210 E. Pima, near sunrise on June 19.

Second Amendment Sports

2012-01-05T00:01:00.000-07:00

The nural is on the west wall of the store at 5146 East Pima. I snapped the photo on June 19, 2011.

New at 6th & Toole, part 2

2012-01-04T00:01:00.007-07:00

Over the years, we've posted a quite a few photos of the building at the northeast corner of 6th, Toole and Alameda. (The northwest end of the building houses Skrappys. The southeast end is near the 6th Street underpass.)

It's changed a lot in the past few months. Here's a view on Monday evening, January 2nd:

The only parts that haven't changed are at the far left and far right of the photo above. We'll have more photos soon...

Update (January 11, 2012): Some other photos of this mural Mecca are:

Siobhan on Toole (January 11, 2012)
Skrappys again reinvents its front wall (again)
Skrappys, October 2010
Train, trolley, and a three-eyed alien (daytime)
Murals by moonlight (the second photo on that page)
Maybe a mural, part five (previous incarnation of the right [southeast] side, also the back side of building [by the tracks])

New at 6th & Toole, part 1

2012-01-03T00:01:00.001-07:00

Though I'm still posting the mural photos I took during the second half of 2011, I didn't want to wait a few months to show something more recent. (Six months is a long time in Tucson murals!) If you haven't been by the intersection of 6th, Toole and Alameda, it looks almost completely different than it did back in June.

Here's the first of two photos I took there this evening (January 2). It's at the northwest corner. I've heard it's by Joe Pagac — the muralist who also painted the front of Big Brothers Big Sisters Angel Youth Center, on the southwest corner, back in June — and it looks like his work to me. But I didn't find a signature:

Joe's website doesn't mention it. If you know, please post a comment here.

Campbell crossing murals

2012-01-02T00:01:00.001-07:00

As you cross Campbell near UMC (University Medical Center, 1501 N. Campbell), you may walk by these murals in the center island:

Sometime before I was there on June 19, 2011, the artist credit plaque was trashed by a tagger. It made me angry enough to spend a lot of time editing my photo to remove (almost) all of the tags. Click on the photo if you'd like a larger view.

More murals under I-10

2012-01-01T00:01:00.008-07:00

Murals along freeway underpasses are pretty common sights — especially along the recently-renovated stretch of Interstate 10 through downtown. Yesterday's post showed the 22nd Street underpass, which probably thousands of people drive by every day. I thought I'd start 2012 with a more unusual mural spot in Tucson. You won't see these from the freeway. Instead, park and walk — or ride your bicycle — four blocks north, to the 18th Avenue underpass. When I took these photos on June 1, 2011, the underpass was for pedestrians only.

I walked around the underpass clockwise from the southeast corner. Here's the southeast:

Second, the southwest corner:

Third, in the northwest:

The north center (much bigger than the others):

And, last, the northeast corner:

Happy mural-hunting in 2012!

22nd Street underpass

2011-12-31T00:01:00.002-07:00

The underpass that takes I-10 over 22nd Street is lined with murals. Both sides looked similar (though I didn't check carefully), but the north side is signed Gonzalo E. 2005 to 2009, and the south side is signed Gonzalo E. Super Barrio 2010. Here's the north side:

You can click on the image for a larger view, but Blogger's new image-viewer still shrinks the width to fit your screen. For a full-size image that you can scroll across to really see the mural, try this wide view.

Parque de San Cosme

2011-12-30T00:01:00.003-07:00

El Parque de San Cosme is along Simpson Street, just south of the new fire station, east of I-10 and just east of the El Paso & Southwestern Greenway. (The "official" address, from the Tucson Parks & Recreation “special places” web page, is 496 W. Cushing Street, but it's actually on Simpson.)

Neither Google Maps or Mapquest had it at the time I checked. But here's a Google Map with the marker on the spot. It's a nice spot, with tables, a gazebo, and a big wraparound mural. Here's the mural from the southwest side:

and the southeast:

Near La Frontera Arizona

2011-12-29T00:01:00.001-07:00

I rode by this mural on June 1st. It's in front of the parking lot for La Frontera Arizona, 502 W. 29th.

Casa de Bernie Sedley

2011-12-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

This mural is near the building entrance at 411 E. 29th Street in South Tucson. I took the photo on June 1, 2011.

Elvira neighborhood

2011-12-27T00:01:00.002-07:00

This sign is at the northeast corner of Elvira & Santa Clara (south of Valencia). I took the photo on May 30.

Santa Clara School

2011-12-26T00:01:00.001-07:00

Lots of schools have murals, and Santa Clara elementary (at 6910 S. Santa Clara) is no exception!

Travelers' murals at TUS

2011-12-25T00:01:00.006-07:00

If you're flying in or out of our airport (Tucson International - TUS) this holiday season, and you have some time to spare, head to the east side of the ground level to check out the murals next to the former Sun-Tran stop:

There's art all over the airport, so plan some time to stroll before you go into your concourse — or after you come home. Happy Holidays!

Maybe a mural, part 30: flowers over a window

2011-12-24T00:01:00.001-07:00

We've shown several kinds of decorations on Tucson homes — such as glazed tile, painted wood, or even framed pictures — that aren't painted directly on a wall. Here's another one —at 1017 N. Dodge.

(It's just up the street from yesterday's post.)

Mural-decorated home

2011-12-23T00:01:00.005-07:00

That spray of flowers between the prickly pear and mesquite is an example of the murals decorating the home at 1009 N. Dodge:

We only show murals that are on view to the public without walking inside private fences or doors. Here — back on May 30th, at least — there were more murals than this one for neighbors and people passing by to enjoy. Thanks to the home's owners!

(By the way, Dodge is a good north-south bike riding alternate to busy Alvernon — with a couple of tricky crossings, at 5th and at Speedway.)

Is it real or is it mural?

2011-12-22T00:01:00.001-07:00

The desert-themed mural on the wall at 1802 N. Dodge has real desert plants growing in front of it.

Martha Cooper public library

2011-12-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

Murals in the early-morning sun on May 29 at Martha Cooper public library, Catalina & Fairmount:

Holiday Mart

2011-12-20T00:01:00.001-07:00

Here's the scene from the back side of Holiday Mart, 560 W. 22nd Street (just east of I-10), on May 28. (As always, you can click to get a closer look.)

Our 500th post: Feld Davis Park

2011-12-19T00:01:00.005-07:00

We've been posting photos of murals for more than five years now. This is post #500 (and there are still many more murals to go)!

I try to make each "hundredth" post a bit special. I saved Feld Davis Park for the 500th partly because of where most of the murals are painted: on the street instead of a wall.

The park has a unique story, too. It was built by volunteers from the Rincon Heights Neighborhood Association and the Watershed Management Group as a community park that would also reduce pollution in High School Wash, which runs by the park. People dug water harvesting basins, using plants, soil, and organic matter to filter pollutants out of the wash. Along with the nice setting, the details of the murals are fun to see:

Feld Davis Park is at the southeast corner of 8th Street & Martin, just west of Campbell. I rode by on the morning of May 11th.

El Barrio Market murals

2011-12-18T00:01:00.008-07:00

On my early-morning bicycle ride May 28, I rolled by El Barrio Market — on the northwest corner of 1001 S. 6th Avenue. There were two murals: one on the building and another on the wall along the parking lot.

(The color in my original photo of the long mural was washed-out. I fixed it with my favorite free photo editor, GIMP.)

Update (January 19, 2012): El Barrio Market is closed. The first mural above is still there; the second (on the parking lot) is half painted-over. A business called "Taxes Libre" is open in a part of the building, suite 135.

(Automotive) Superheroes on South Sixth

2011-12-17T00:01:00.007-07:00

I found this three-panel mural on Arizona 1 Automotive & Repair — at the southwest corner of 6th Avenue & 20th Street — on May 28th.

Maybe a mural, part 29: a building at Bonillas

2011-12-16T00:01:00.000-07:00

The gates were closed early Friday morning, May 27th, at Bonillas Basic Curriculum Magnet School, 4757 E. Winsett Blvd. So I looked in with a zoom lens, from the corner of 16th & Swan looking east, and got this photo of a building with a series of single-colored tiles.

Maybe the artists spent hours choosing the perfect compliment of colors? Maybe they used a pattern based on the alignment of the stars... or the pattern from some video game one of them was playing? Or maybe not. Whatever, this is another in our occasional series of "your choice" about whether this tiled wall counts as a mural. (A regular or repeating pattern of square tiles probably wouldn't count. Imagination helps!)

Searching for mural news

2011-12-15T00:01:00.003-07:00

I've never studied art or done any painting. I didn't know anything about the Tucson mural scene when I started contributing to this blog almost five years ago. ("David Tineo?" Joe Pagac?") I've been learning! If you'd like a tip: You can read more about murals on a Tucson news website.

For instance, try:

Zócalo Magazine
Tucson Sentinel
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson Citizen "Morgue", Part I (2006-2009)
Tucson Citizen "Mourge", Part II (1993-2009)
Tucson Weekly

Search for "mural" or for the name of a group like "Tucson Arts Brigade" or "CODAC". Then browse through the search results. You'll see both old and new articles.

There are lots of news sources online, including TV, radio, entertainment, and more. If you have suggestions of good places to find news about murals, please leave a comment below.

Vail Middle School

2011-12-14T00:01:00.002-07:00

The school grounds were closed when I spotted this mural on a building by a basketball court at Vail Middle School on May 27th. I was looking southwest from the corner of 16th & Craycroft.

Maybe a mural, part 28: St. Michael's

2011-12-13T00:01:00.001-07:00

This looked to me more like a painting hung on a sign than a mural. But, since it was displayed like a mural — and it's beautiful, too — I decided to let you make up your own mind. I found it on May 27th outside St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church & School, 576 N. Wilmot.

Home Plate's maybe mural(s), part 27

2011-12-12T00:01:00.001-07:00

From time to time I post a photo of something that might or might not be a mural, depending on your definition. For instance, when a business shows their product on the windows or the store front, is that a mural? I often think it isn't. Here's one I that might be.... it's at Home Plate, 4880 E. 22nd. What do you think?

I took the photo on May 27th.

Molina's Midway (maybe) mural, part 26

2011-12-11T00:01:00.005-07:00

A mural on a signpost? Why not? Or maybe you wouldn't call flowers a mural. Anyway, this photo is at Molina's Midway Mexican Food, 1138 N. Belvedere, on May 24th. (It's north of Speedway, between Columbus and Swan.)

There are murals on the restaurant windows too....

Remembering the Trolley

2011-12-10T00:01:00.002-07:00

I took this photo on May 11th, before the Old Pueblo Trolley stopped running. It's on the south wall along the parking lot for Plush — between Herbert and 5th Avenues, 1/2 block south of 6th Street:

Here are a few pages of trolley and streetcar news, as of yesterday:

Old Pueblo Trolley website (see the headline and story "OPT Suspends operation During Modern Streetcar Construction")
4th Avenue trolley in its last weekend (KVOA, October 28)
Tucson Modern Streetcar (official website)

Just a zebra

2011-12-09T00:01:00.000-07:00

Many murals contain a lot of objects. This one is simple: just a zebra on a boarded-up window. What a zebra, though!

I found this on May 11 at the northeast corner of 6th Avenue and 5th Street.

Stop before you look back

2011-12-08T00:01:00.001-07:00

This mural is on the north side of a building, along the west side of 6th Avenue, just north of Speedway. Since traffic is one-way northbound, you'll pass this beautiful mural before you can see it... and, once you do, it may catch you by surprise!

When I opened a satellite view from Google Maps and clicked in front of the mural location, it showed the address as 1125 N. 6th Avenue, and the latitude/longitude were 32.236419,-110.968997. (It's probably easiest to just park nearby and look around.)

The mural is dated 2009, and I took these pictures on May 11, 2011. The photos below seem to be artists' signatures. If you know, please leave a comment below or send me some email.

Just off Fourth Avenue...

2011-12-07T00:01:00.001-07:00

...on the east side of Trinity Presbyterian Church (400 East University Boulevard) by the sanctuary entrance, is another mosaic mural that complements the two on the other side.

Majestic mural (almost) restored

2011-12-06T00:01:00.005-07:00

If you haven't seen the long mid-town mural of the Tucson Mountains, take a look two years ago. I heard from a friend this summer that the mural was destroyed by a tagger. With thoughts in mind (and heart) about how the artists must feel (the credit panel is at the right), I stopped by as soon as I could: September 22, 2011.

The news was better than I thought. It looks like the tags were mostly cleaned off. I didn't even notice them until I got close and stood at the right angle against the early-morning sun.

(By the way, this parking lot is now the University of Arizona's Lot #9007. Another reason to get there early — if you drive a car, at least — is that a permit is required from 7 AM - 5 PM weekdays. The mural will probably be blocked by cars during that time, anyway. Enter from Ft. Lowell just west of Mountain: turn south to enter the lot.)

Pancho Villa's Grill

2011-12-05T00:01:00.002-07:00

When I stopped by on May 11th, some parts of this mural — on the east side of Pancho Villa's Grill, 401 E. 5th Street — needed repainting. I'm guessing that it was tagged and the tags had been covered with white paint. Whether that's the story here, or not, I've been saddened to see more and more tagged murals in the past year or so.

The work is signed SandOner.com.

Munchkins on Swan

2011-12-04T00:01:00.003-07:00

This is one of the mural-covered windows at Munchkin's Preschool & Daycare, 920 N. Swan, on May 8th. It's signed: Autumn Mt. Arts, (520)245-4924.

Little Germany Foreign Car Repair

2011-12-03T00:01:00.002-07:00

Here's the mural-lined front of the store at 5235 E. Speedway on May 8, 2011.

Carmelin Castro Itom Usim Park

2011-12-02T00:01:00.004-07:00



	From the east, you can enter the park at the northwest corner of 10th Avenue and 40th Street — just on the border between the cities of South Tucson and Tucson. Carmelin Castro Ítom Úsim Children's Park winds west from there to 12th Avenue. There are picnic benches and places to play. And, of course, there are murals!

Sunset Villa Neighborhood

2011-12-01T00:01:00.014-07:00

I found this three-sided wall on May 1st at the northwest corner of S. 12th Avenue & Calle Juliet W., just south of Pueblo High School). Click on the photo to see more of the fun detail.

When I searched the Web for information, I found that there are actually five of these around the neighborhood. I'll plan to go back and snap some photos for the blog — but you can click there now to see more — and see other works of these artists. The artist credits for this work are: Gail Roberts & Lori Ryder.

Arizona Palms Tinting Company

2011-11-30T00:01:00.003-07:00

Here's a photo from May 1st (at 7:28 AM! :) at 4010 S. 12th #1.

For Anthony Ramirez

2011-11-29T00:01:00.004-07:00

Riding along Aviation Bikeway this past week, I noticed a new mural on the wall along the north side of Eastmoor Park, south of Keswick Circle and east of Bristol Avenue. It's a memorial to Anthony Ramirez, who lived from 08-13-1967 to 10-30-2011 — just a month ago.

Here's a map that shows the mural's location by using the photo's geotagged location; 32.20183,-110.93193.

New on the Architecture Building

2011-11-28T00:01:00.002-07:00

Thanks to Eric M Oliveri for letting me know that, a few days ago, "a new iron-cast type of mural was put up on the West face of the UA Architecture Building." It's on the south side of Speedway, at 1040 N. Olive. (As always, you can click on the photo for a larger view.)

Oasis Fruit Cones on 12th

2011-11-27T00:01:00.003-07:00

This is the north wall of Oasis Fruit Cones, 4126 S. 12th Avenue (across 12th from the corner of West District Street). I was there on May 1st before opening time — which, I've read since then, was my mistake! Reviews on Yelp raved about their raspados (at the St. Marys Road location, anyway), and the photo on the Metromix page made me sure that this is a place I'll need to research more thoroughly. :)

C.E. Rose Elementary

2011-11-26T00:01:00.002-07:00

I found this mural outside Rose Elementary School on May 1st. The school's address from its website is 710 West Michigan Drive, but I snapped these photos from the entrance near the west end of the south side of campus. The second photo shows artist credits.

More food, anyone? :)

2011-11-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

Once you're ready to do some more grocery shopping after Thanksgiving, why not support a store with a mural? This is Save More Market, 4601 S. 12th Avenue (on the southeast corner with Ohio Street).

Thanksgiving tale of three photographers

2011-11-24T00:01:00.005-07:00

Early on Sunday morning, May 1st, I headed out with my camera on another long mural-hunting trip through a part of Tucson I hadn't visited before. As I rode by the intersection of South 11th Avenue and West Ohio Street, I saw the scene below — most in shade and some lit by early-morning sun.

The wraparound mural looked like a roll of film. "A photographer's studio," I thought — or maybe an old movie theater? There was no business sign, and it was much too early to hunt around on foot. So I snapped that rough photo, jotted down the address (which I thought was probably 4576 S. 11th Avenue), and made a note to check into it.

Fast-forward to yesterday, November 23. I searched Google Maps for that address, and it placed the location pin on the same northwest corner. It also said that the business there is Martinez Photography. When I tried calling the phone number in Google's listing (and in several other listings for Martinez Photography), it was... disconnected.

So I tried searching Google for Martinez Photography Tucson and found some gorgeous photos at PabloMartinezPhotography.com. "Found him!," I thought. But when I called, Pablo Martinez told me that the building wasn't his.

I'll plan to go back to that corner to find out more — and, I hope, to get a better photo of the mural. In the meantime, please enjoy Pablo's website... and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Flower Stop

2011-11-23T00:01:00.002-07:00

This photo is of Flower Stop, 4941 S. 12th Avenue (at the northeast corner of Nevada Street).

This was the first mural I found on an early-morning bike ride May 1st — which, just by coincidence, is also May Day. Wikipedia has a story of May Day in parts of the USA, where flowers are left in a "ring-and-run" on peoples' doorsteps. (The article also has lots of other May Day traditions around the world.)

Garden District on Columbus Blvd.

2011-11-22T00:01:00.002-07:00

This sunny mural stretches along the west side of Columbus Boulevard, north of the corner at Lester; the home's address is 4249 E. Lester Street.

I took the photo on April 30th, 2011.

Maybe a mural, part 25

2011-11-21T00:01:00.003-07:00

Do intricate pre-cut tiles in a wall count as a "mural"? Whether they do or not, the artist put a lot of work into this tree outside the home at 1007 E. Alta Vista Street (just east of Park):

There are lots of examples like this on Tucson walls, and we probably won't show all of them here. But I thought this was an especially nice example. I snapped the picture on February 22nd, 2011.

Corner with charm

2011-11-20T00:01:00.002-07:00

Three murals dress up the street corner on the wall around the home at 268 E. Delano (the corner with Fontana).

Here's the north side:

The southeast side:

Last, the east side:

I found them on February 22nd.

Bermuda Gardens Trailer Park

2011-11-19T00:01:00.003-07:00

On February 22, I found this mural on the southwest corner of the wall around Bermuda Gardens Trailer Park, 826 West Prince (east of Fairview).

Miracle Manor Neighborhood

2011-11-18T00:01:00.002-07:00

Thanks from the neighbors...

2011-11-17T00:01:00.004-07:00

...at least, I'd guess that's what the owners of 813 W. Jacinto hear about this mural that dresses up their home.

The neighborhood is easy to find between Grant and Glenn east of I-10. I took the photo on February 22nd.

(More) Roses & More

2011-11-16T00:01:00.001-07:00

Certain Tucson organizations really support murals (and muralists) — for instance, schools & pre-schools; body piercing and tattoo places — almost any business in the City of South Tucson — as well as chains like Mariscos Chihuahua and Roses & More.

Here are three photos of one of the Roses & More locations: 380 W. Grant (at the corner of Oracle).

The sign out front, at the southwest corner of their lot (the other side is typically be as nice, though I didn't snap it):

The southwest corner of their building (I think the roof used to be part of the mural... does anyone remember what the image was... maybe the sky? By the way, I took these photos on February 22, 2011):

And a detail from the southeast corner:

Sky Smoke Shop shows style

2011-11-15T00:01:00.002-07:00

I photographed these graffiti murals on the Sky Smoke Shop location at 247 W. Grant, just east of 11th Avenue, on February 22nd.

Here's the west wall:

Next, the south wall. It's dated Dec. 2010 and has a signature I couldn't read (if you can, or if you know who painted this, please leave a comment below or send me an email!)

The last photo shows the east wall:

5th & 6th

2011-11-14T03:44:00.000-07:00

I spotted this mural (signed, I think, Royal Orphans 2011) on February 22nd at an address that's approximately 300 E. 6th Street. It was on south side of the building just east of 5th Avenue, on the cinderblock wall between the driveway to the garage door and the parking lot. Google Maps gives the coordinates 32.227446, -110.966946. (It might be easier to find the mural if you just go to the corner of 5th Avenue & 6th Street, then look around. There's a lot of graffiti art in the area, from showy to subtle. The contemporary art galleries just down 6th Street are well worth a visit too.)

Whatta wash!

2011-11-13T00:01:00.002-07:00

Tucson's washes (arroyos, often lined with concrete) are a magnet for muralists — those who have permission (and even encouragement) from the neighborhood, as well as ones who do, well, "unofficial" painting. This wash, just southeast of Speedway & Alvernon, is of the first type. Here's the view from the southern end, along Second Street:

You're probably wondering how to find this extended mural? First, you need to be on Montezuma Avenue — or drive along 2nd Street, east of Alvernon, until you reach Montezuma. Here's a Google Map satellite view of the intersection of 2nd & Montezuma. If you follow the direction of Montezuma, from south to north, as it crosses 2nd, you'll see the wash extending north toward 1st. That's the block with this fun series of murals.

On the left of the first photo (above), a drainage pipe enters the wash. Or is it the entrance to a mine or a cave?

A bit farther north is a fish with a tongue that circles Earth:

And here's the view from the north end — at 1st Avenue — looking south:

By the door at J. B. Wright

2011-11-12T00:01:00.002-07:00

This mural is painted by the southwest entrance (off Columbus Blvd.) at John B Wright Elementary, 4341 Linden Street.

I took the photo on July 6th.

J.B. Wright flag for Veterans Day

2011-11-11T11:11:00.005-07:00

Though I'm not sure that the students' flag mural was painted specifically for veterans, I jumped ahead in the archives (to May 29) so I could post it today. This is on the south side of John B Wright Elementary, along Linden, west of Catalina (here's a map).

Mural garden at the Volunteer Center

2011-11-10T00:01:00.004-07:00

Here's a look into the Volunteer Center's entrance at 924 N. Alvernon (just north of 3rd Street) and the YVC Community Garden:

A close-up of some of the tile flowers in the garden:

I took the photos on February 20th.

Likely a mural :)

2011-11-09T00:01:00.003-07:00

After the previous four "maybe a mural" posts, here's a fifth that probably counts as a mural... a unique garage front at 3143 E. Terra Alta.

Maybe a mural, part 24

2011-11-08T00:01:00.006-07:00

Just a bit south of the photo in part 23 of this series is the home at 422 N. Forgeus. This is a close-up (from the street, with a zoom lens) of one of the works on the wall of this home. The lower right corner is signed "Guini".

By the way, we only show scenes that are visible from public streets or in other locations open to the public. If the wall around the home had been a couple of feet higher, I wouldn't have seen the side of the home (and you wouldn't be seeing this photo). There were construction tools on the outer wall by the sidewalk, so it might be higher by this point; if it is, I'll remove this photo after the next time I roll by to check on the mural. (And, by the way, this is far too small to see from a car. If you'd like to see the neighborhood for yourself, you might check the Google Map I linked to above, park somewhere nearby and take a stroll! Rincon Market and the wonderful Seven Cups Teahouse, among other stores, are just a block away at 6th & Tucson...)

Maybe a mural, part 23

2011-11-07T00:01:00.004-07:00

I almost never plan the exact route of my bicycle rides; I just know generally where I'm going, and I take whatever side streets I can to stay off the major routes. For some reason, my February 20 route took me past several "maybe" murals in sequence. These are the third in that series:

A number of Tucson homes are similar, but this one was a nice example. This is on the wall of 450 N. Forgeus (on the southeast corner with 6th Street).

Maybe a mural, part 22

2011-11-06T00:01:00.002-07:00

Five blocks farther east from the part 21 post in this series is another similar scene: art on the wall around the home as well as on the home itself. This time, though, the art is painted on the walls.

As with photos before and after, this is from my long bike ride on February 20. The home was at 2548 E. 7th Street.

(In cases like these, by the way: Whether the scene fits everyone's definition of a mural or not, I say "it's art on a wall and a lot of people will probably enjoy seeing it." That's when I stop trying to figure out whether it's a mural and just post it!)

Maybe a mural, part 21

2011-11-05T00:01:00.001-07:00

From time to time, I post a photo of something that might or might not be defined as a mural — depending on who's doing the defining! (The previous post in the series, part 20, was on October 1.)

A row of tiles probably isn't a mural, but that's what's on the low wall around the home at 2010 E. 7th St. It's the horse on the side of the home that caught my eye (and put this into the "maybe" mural category). As always, you can click on the photo for a larger view; use your browser's "Back" button to come back here.

A (Wild)cat walks into a bar...

2011-11-04T00:01:00.004-07:00

...and if you were expecting a joke here, you've been spared!

This is the weather-beaten mural on UA Liquors, February 20th. It's at the southeast corner of Park & 6th, and it's signed: (c)1980 Jay Geem (or Geer), 888-6596.

What the scholars see

2011-11-03T00:01:00.003-07:00

I couldn't get close enough to snap a photo of this mural from nearby, so I took this with a zoom lens from across the campus. It's the west side of the mural along 2nd Avenue, at the corner of 6th Street, along the east edge of the campus of Roskruge Bilingual Middle Magnet & Elementary School, on February 20th. (Click for a larger view; use your "Back" button to return here.)

You can see the other side of the wall (facing away from the campus) on the January 12, 2009 post Scholars on Second Avenue.

Faded murals across Arizona Ave. #2

2011-11-02T00:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post and this one show two faded murals that face each other across Arizona Avenue, just south of Broadway in downtown Tucson. (Here's a map showing the corner.)

This mural is on the east side of the Avenue, near the top of the wall of the former Hotel Lewis (with a parking lot between). I processed the image a bit (with my favorite free image editor, GIMP) to help you see the mural. I took the photos on February 20.

Faded murals across Arizona Ave. #1

2011-11-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

This post and the next one show two faded murals that face each other across Arizona Avenue, just south of Broadway in downtown Tucson. (Here's a map showing the corner.)

This mural is on the west side of the Avenue (actually, an alley). I processed the image a bit (with my favorite free image editor, GIMP) to help you see the mural. I took the photos on February 20.

Santa Theresa Tile Works

2011-10-31T00:01:00.002-07:00

What would you expect from a business that makes tile designs? This sign/mural is actually on the west wall of 450 N. 6th Avenue, and the business is farther east along the south side of the building.

I snapped the photo on February 20th.

Wheat Scharf Associates

2011-10-30T00:01:00.003-07:00

These tile murals and plants were on the south wall of 440-442 North 6th Avenue on February 20.

Help wanted: finding each mural's story

2011-10-29T00:01:00.001-07:00

It's been five years, and a few months, since former Tucson television news anchor Randy Garsee started posting mural photos on this blog. (You can click to see our first post, then use your browser's "Back" button to return.) A year later, I joined. As time went on, Randy asked me to take over much of the blog, and keep it updated.

Fast-forward to today: We have hundreds of mural photos online (and even more on the "unpublished" pages), but most of those have just the location and few other details. That's been my plan for when the weather cools this autumn: to go out and re-visit murals, ask people nearby what they know about the story, and share what I find online (on this blog and in other ways).

For more than a year now, Melodi King has been working on a second way for you to find murals and information about them: a clickable map and, especially, a database of info about each mural (name of artists, year painted, and much more).

Why was the mural painted? Who are the people in the mural? Everything we can learn will help to build the story of each of Tucson's murals (including murals that have been lost).

You can help, too. Do you or a neighbor have a mural on an outside home wall that everyone can see? Are you at a business, church, school, or any other building with a mural open to the public? Do you travel past a mural every day and have come to know either a story behind it or someone who does? If that sounds like you — or if you'd like to do some hunting in your own neighborhood — would you please let us know? For instance:

Put the info into the comment box by the mural post here on this blog. (If you aren't sure whether we have the mural, please send me a note, tell me where the mural is and a bit of what it looks like.)
If you'd like to send your comment privately, use the short TucsonArt.info comment form. Please fill in the Subject box with at least the word "mural".
If typing in a long story isn't your thing, or if you'd rather just talk, please give me a call at (520)302-4402. (I'm pretty busy, so I might need to call you back a bit later. If you get my voicemail, please tell me that you're calling about murals — and mention a few good days and times to reach you.)

The info you share will help us build a database of Tucson muralists — and also help both visitors and residents see much more of Tucson's fantastic murals.

Thanks!

Just a day too late for Chuy's

2011-10-28T00:01:00.008-07:00

We're back from the archives (for a couple of days). Tuesday, I spotted murals on the west side of the now-closed Chuy's along Country Club at Speedway. Wednesday, thinking that I should go back and grab some photos before something happened, I drove by. But...

...too late. (By the way, there are more murals on the north and east sides, but they were trashed too.)

I happened to ride by the Patrick K. Hardesty Midtown Service Center at 1100 S. Alvernon and saw a sign that they maybe should have put up at Chuy's :-(...

This mural is way out

2011-10-27T00:01:00.000-07:00

If something is still called "way out" when it's wonderful, fantastic, "cool," or whatever... well, this mural is of scenes way out of Earth. It's on top of 210 S. Plumer, the (former?) Tucson Optical Research Corp. building,

Find the murals

2011-10-26T00:01:00.000-07:00

It's actually not hard to spot the walls decorated with murals of desert plants — along with the real ones. It's especially easy in the second photo below. You'll find this lovely spot at 2709 E. La Madera Drive.

Chato's Auto Service

2011-10-25T00:01:00.002-07:00

Murals seem to go with car repair shops in the southern area of Tucson. In fact, just about everything has a mural in this part of town. You can get your start mural-hunting right here at Chato's Auto Service, 5124 S. 12th Avenue.

Toasted in more ways than one...

2011-10-24T00:01:00.003-07:00

...was the building housing the (former?) Mi Casita Tortilla Factory at 4439 S. 6th Avenue, south of South Tucson. The soot above the window in the middle of this photo (taken January 30) made me think that there had been a fire here recently:

The painting here (within the mural) of a building like this tortilla factory — including a sign warning that the parking lot is for customers only — seems to have flames or smoke coming out of its chimney.

South of South Tucson

2011-10-23T00:01:00.002-07:00

The southern boundary of the City of South Tucson is (as its website says, "The Pueblo Within a City") at 40th Street and Benson Highway. Farther along 6th Avenue, on January 30, I came across this mural at Comisaria y Carneceria Jenny, 4407 S. 6th.