Murals Through Our Parents' Eyes

Years ago, the University of Arizona put a series of pages online called Through Our Parents' Eyes: History & Culture of Southern Arizona. Part of the site are six pages on Chicano Murals in Tucson. From there are links to six early muralists — Antonio Pazos, David Tineo, Luis Gustavo Mena with Paul Lira, Martin Moreno, and Roberto Castillo. Each page has mural photos by James S. Griffith.

It's worth a look. (And, by the way, we're always looking for historic murals and stories. This blog started in 2006, and we've only found a few older photos since. Please contact me; thanks.)

PSA Art Awakenings: Murals being made, part 22

Almost a year ago, I spotted a partly-painted mural on the 6th Avenue side of PSA Art Awakenings. In the southern part of the art hotspot around 6th Avenue & 6th Street is Tucson's branch office/studio. Their webpage says:

PSA Art Awakenings is a psycho social rehabilitation program for adults and art therapy program for youth who are challenged by serious behavioral health issues and mental illnesses. Studios throughout Arizona offer therapeutic programs and expressive arts therapy in a supportive setting to promote mental health, personal growth, vocational training, and physical wellness through the performing and visual arts. ... Galleries, art exhibits, ... Art Walks and other venues offer artists opportunities to sell their paintings, sculptures, mosaics, jewelry, fine art, music, poetry, and writings to benefit from art sales. Staff include art therapists, behavioral health professionals, peers, family members and volunteers.

Art Saves Lives!

On March 2, 2013, the mural was still part sketch:

Three weeks later, on March 23rd, the finished (as far as I could see!) work:

Longtime Tucson muralist Antonio Pazos painted the mural.

10th Avenue (On The Edge of South Tucson)

SUPER South 10th Avenue

By: Jerry Peek

One good spot for a quick mural overload is on South 10th Avenue, just as you cross into the city of South Tucson at 25½ Street. (From 22nd Street in Tucson, turn south at the light onto 10th Ave.) They're everywhere: on your right and your left, and on a couple of side streets too. So, drive slowly or park on a side street and walk back for a closer look.

First, on the left (the east side), is this collection of food and beverages -- possibly intended to start you thinking about all of the restaurants and taquerias farther south, after 10th turns into 12th:



Half a block farther, at 26th: the sun, the moon, and a star — by Carlos Valenzuela:


The Tucson Electric Power substation at 27th has a full block of wraparound mural. Here's some of the show -- including three pirate ships whose captain, I think, was named Columbus:




Galloping horses at 27th, and floating lots-of-things at 28th:



There's more! But I'll leave that for you to discover... and wrap this up with a way to (partly) wrap a mobile home in a mural -- including a saguaro, and many saguaro blossoms -- at the corner of 10th and 36th:


Update (October 1, 2014): A July 23, 1994 article in the Tucson Citizen, Cultural Art, covers murals along this section of 10th Avenue and has quite a bit of information about Antonio Pazos' mural at the Tucson Electric Substation on 27th Street.

Update (September 7, 2015): Much more detailed photos of the power station murals at 10th Ave. and 27th St. are in today's entry, 10th at 27th revisited.

Update (January 7, 2016): Mark Fleming sent more-detailed photos of the mural with running horses.

You Could Spend Hours....

....gazing at this double mural inside the Tucson Museum of Art grounds at 140 N. Main Avenue.
Artist Antonio Pazos painted "Nuestra Futura" and artist David Tineo painted "Nuestra Raices Humanas."

Update (December 2010): the mural will be removed in January 2011.

Ooh... Ahh... More Oury Park

There may be no better visual treat in one location than in Tucson's Oury Park. From the Oury Park Recreation Center to the massive wall mural separating the park area from Interstate 10, it's a colorful treat and a place to picnic and play as well. Better yet, click on the map to the mural.

600 W. St. Marys Rd.

Oury Recreation Center is located at 600 St. Marys Road.
Title: Untitled
Artists: Antonio Pazos and Estevan Mireles with neighborhood youth.

Update (October 13, 2014): The mural has been repainted, and we have eight new photos... as well as a few older photos. They're in today's entry, Oury Community Center repainted.