Hotel McCoy - Front Entrance

The new owner has refurbished a mid-century building and rebranded it as a modern art hotel where contemporary meets retro.  "From the fully restored pool & cedar-lined sauna to the A-shaped entrance & exposed posts & beams, it’s the best of both worlds."  As you will see now and in future installments, the hotel is full of art.  And it's all by local artists.  Let's begin:

 View to the north from W. Silverlake Rd.

That's a vintage(1966?) T-Bird in front.

A-Shaped Entrance Below "A" Mountain

Mural on the west side of the entrance.

"The Life In Tucson" by Daniela Umaña Vélez

Portrait of Serenity Wetherbee, also on the west side of the entrance.

"Serenity" by Jessica Gonzales

On the east side of the entrance is a circle of geometric shapes that symbolize unity and harmony.   It's called a Mándala.

"Mándala" by Daniela Umaña Vélez

Entrance to the lobby within the A-shaped main entrance.

"Tucson Toonland" by Alex Jimenez

Across from the lobby, also within the main entrance.

"Tucson Toonland" by Alex Jimenez

Click on any photo for a slideshow of larger and sharper images.

Pachanga (Murals being made, part 47b)

Pachanga is Spanish slang for paarty!  And a party is what was had on Friday, June 23rd to celebrate the completion of the "Talking Mural".  There was a car show, good music, plenty of food and drink, and, of course, the mural.  Lots of photographs by amateurs and professionals alike.  Here are some samples by David Aber:

1948 Plymouth Special DeLuxe

Catering Truck

Most came in cars but some on bicycles with children.

Plenty of food and drink for everyone.

One of two pairs of videographers and techs. from Arizona Public Media (PBS & NPR).

Drone w/camera hovering over the mural and festivities.

Johanna Martinez and Alex Jimenez speaking to the crowd.  Mamta Popat from the ADS.

And last, but certainly not least, we have Jerry Peek's photos taken earlier in the day of the star of the Pachanga, the mural itself.

"The Talking Mural"

Translation: El Sur is south and La Doce is twelve.  Thus S. 12th Ave.

Raspados being made at Oasis Fruit Cones

Los Amigos Meat Market

Incident at Arizona Palms Tinting

Arizona Palms Tinting

Rafael's Tire Shop

Alejandro's Tortilla Factory

Temporary poster listing the S. 12th Ave. businesses depicted in the mural and instructions for listening to the interviews (by scanning QR codes next to business names with the reader in your smartphone).  If you aren't at the mural or don't have a QR scanner, you can also go to www.TheTalkingMural.com to see photos, stories and hear those same interviews (currently, a link straight to the list of businesses and photos is www.alexclamation.com/thetalkingmural). Older businesses with interesting signs were selected. (This photo is David's, during the Pachanga).

 As usual click on any photo for a slide show of larger and sharper images.

You can see the beginning of the mural at The Talking Mural (Murals being made, part 47a).

The Talking Mural (Murals being made, part 47a)

Due to finish by this Friday, June 23rd, each of the elements in the mural represents one of the businesses along South 12th Ave. The artist, Johanna Martinez (w/assistants Alex Jimenez & Amatha (Amy) Krier) plans to have interviews with the business owners. The audio will be accessible thru your cell phone, thus the name "The Talking Mural". Johanna and her crew have been working nights from sunset well into early morning. Mamta Popat, a photojournalist from the Arizona Daily Star was there and these are her Photos.  Here are the photos I took on June 19:

North wall of Oasis Fruit Cones

The crew at work

Johanna

Johanna & Alex

Alex adding details

Amatha also adding details

As usual, click on any photo for a slide show of larger and sharper images. To see other murals by Johanna or Alex on this blog, click their name in the “Labels” list below.

A Cronkite News (ASU) story in the Arizona Daily Independent, Signs Of The Times: Tucson Artist Aims To Capture The History Of The South Side.

This mural replaces an older one that you can see in our November 27, 2011 entry.

The rest of the story is in Pachanga (Murals being made, part 47b).

Update (January 11, 2019): Today's blog entry shows another mural with a QR code — on Toole Avenue. That mural, which is gone now, used your smartphone to make you look like an angel.