These Murals Tank!

What Was Oro Valley Thinking?

I have often admired Oro Valley's public art efforts.  I even produced a video of public art in Oro Valley, which you can find on my YouTube Channel. This latest attempt, however, tanks.

Oro Valley has a beautiful new shopping area called the Oro Valley Marketplace.  Smack dab in the middle of this strip mall in the desert are two water tanks.  Someone decided, "Hey, water tanks are unsightly.  Let's paint a mural on them.  Better yet, make them look like massive Giant Saguaros."

As I discovered, the great idea of painting the tanks was mutilated by someone else's idea to surround the tanks with an 8-foot-tall stucco fence.  Drivers can only see the tops of the tanks!  Why not some type of fence so visitors can see the art work from top to bottom?  What a waste to spend all of that tax money for well-painted tanks and then hide most of the work.  

I got the best shots I could get and cropped the cactus flower for better effect.  I even stood on the concrete pillar of a light pole to get shots of the tanks without the wall in front of them.   But if you drive through the Oro Valley Marketplace, I'm sure you'll have the same thought I did:  

"Paint a mural and hide it?  No 'tank' you!  Randy Garsee

Here's a satellite map.

Update (August 7, 2020): There's another painted tank in today's entry Tanked.

Faded Pussy Cats

Faded Mural

In the Ash & Toole Street area

Contributed by Davis Dominguez Gallery

Rialto Theatre backstage door

Outside the Rialto Theatre

Contributed by Davis Dominguez Gallery

The mural is at the southeast corner of the building, 318 E. Congress.

Update (August 2, 2012): Here's a closeup of the sign to the right of the mural. I photographed it on April 4, 2012; the edges are curled and the bottom-right corner is missing. I edited the photo to make the words easier to read. You can click on the sign for a larger view — or, here's an even larger view. It's from muralist Salvador Duran.

Update (June 26, 2024): Today's post Rialto Theatre new & old, part 2 of 2 has detailed photos of this mural — and two others nearby, also by Salvador Duran.

That's Chicago... Again.

Warren V writes,

"The mural has changed on the back of the Chicago Music Store downtown [Tucson] since the May 9th [2008] photo posting. Here is a shot of the new one."

Update (September 30, 2012): The mural has been removed during construction.

Update (November 23, 2012): That's McKenzie Haggerty-Harrison in the mural. Here's more of the story.

Arizona's Artist: Maynard Dixon

A short documentary on the late artist 

Maynard Dixon

hosted by Dr. Mark Sublette, owner of Medicine Man Gallery

in Tucson, AZ and Santa Fe, NM.

To see this video produced by 

Randy Garsee, 

hit play below:

For the Veterans on Veterans' Day

This patriotic mural is on the wall at 

Miller's Surplus in Tucson at 406 N. 6th Ave.

Remember to honor your military veterans today.

Photo Courtesy of Davis Dominguez Gallery in Tucson.

Update: Five and a half years before this blog entry went online, the mural had been trashed. I found the story from March 28, 2003 in the Tucson Citizen archives: ‘Cowards’ deface military icons on store.

Putting the Art in Art's BBQ

If you've ever doubted good barbecue is an artform,

then this mural should put your artistic tastebuds to rest.

Bon Appetit!

You can find it here on our highlighted map link.

Photo Courtesy of Davis Dominguez Gallery in Tucson

Update (September 2, 2012): The mural is gone, and this building is now the new home of Dinnerware Artspace.

New Mural Friends

Hello, Fellow Tucson Mural Enthusiasts,

          Just wanted to let you know that Mike Dominguez of the Davis Dominguez Gallery in Tucson (and with the help of Tom Rossi) recently profiled some of the murals from the Tucson Murals Project at a presentation Mike gave at Tohono Chul Park.

In exchange, Mike Dominguez sent me a CD of wonderful Tucson murals to add to the Project.

So, for the next few days and weeks, 

I'll post Mike's contributions.  

I hope you enjoy them.  

I know I will.

Do U Know Who Do Tattoo?

Tattoo

This mural was tattooed on a tattoo business, 

but I simply don't remember where.

If you discover the location,

will you please share?

e-mail me: randygarsee@gmail.com

In the Shadows of Downtown

This mural, at the corner of N. 6th Avenue & Pennington Street, was painted by Gerald Dawavendewa.

Update (October 5, 2013): The mural has been badly tagged:

Update (July 4, 2016): A new mural by Luis Mena has replaced this one.

Meow Mural with Mutt Motif

Nice doggy.  Nice kitty.  Nice mural.

Transformation Pet Center

3158 E. Grant Road

Photo by Warren V.

Update (May 29, 2023): The new mural, posted on August 18, 2017 has no kitty, just three dogs. Today Jerry Peek has updated that 2017 post with photos from 2023 showing a slightly later version of the mural above: the background has been painted in. There's more of the story of the mural too.

Drive-by Dinosaurs

It's close to the road so be careful.   

You wouldn't want "Jurassic" to get run over!

Find this prehistoric mural on the northeast corner

of Main & Helen.

Update (May 5, 2019): The artist was Chris Andrews.

Chris sent the following close-up. It shows the left side of the second photo above:

There are more photos on this blog's January 27, 2012 entry, Gemstone Mineral Interiors.

Move The Garbage, See A Mural

C'mon!  

Ya gotta cool mural!  

Move the trash so people can see it!

When the trash is moved from this location 

on the corner of E. Toole Ave. & N. 7th Ave., 

maybe someone will e-mail me a new pic: randygarsee@gmail.com.

A Musically Mural Interlude

Tucson: Music & Murals

Produced by Randy Garsee

Some of Tucson's murals set to music solely for your viewing pleasure.  

(Yes, I have too much time on my hands.)

For more videos, visit my YouTube channel.

Unknown Location

Anybody seen this one?

I took this pic some time ago and now I can't remember where it was.

But I know this: it's in Tucson, uh, somewhere.

Randy

(Update from Jerry -- March 11, 2010: Thanks to the anonymous comment below, and my stop by that corner today, I can see that this mural is a previous version of Uncle Bob's wall on Glenn. Here's the 2010 version. Thank you, Anonymous!)

Art Lovers Can Land on This Runway

This mural was the very first mural posted on the Tucson Murals Project two years ago. We're re-posting because we have some updated photos from Warren V. Enjoy.

Runway Bar & Grill
Artist: Raul Hernandez
Details: Tucsonan Raul Hernandez, painted this mural. Images of the interior are painted on the exterior. The business is located near Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on the corner of Alvernon and 31st Street in Tucson. The mural is painted on one long wall facing Alvernon. Look closely and you'll see a C-130 cargo aircraft and fighter jets.

MAP TO MURAL

Update (August 30, 2011): The mural is gone, painted over with a dull red-brown. (Too bad... partly because this was just about the last interesting bit on this stretch of Alvernon except Luke's Italian Beef.)

%#&@! No Parking!

"Hi Randy,
This mural is located behind Good Natured Futons, 400 N. 4th Avenue. I'm not sure what the letters on the mural say, but the face seems to say:

'No Parking!'
cheers,
Warren V."

A Beacon of Murals

"Hi Randy,
Beacon's Value Village Thrift will throw you a curve when looking for great murals. In addition to a number of great murals on the side of the building, they also have some very cool murals going around the columns in the front walkway. The expanded 4th Ave trolley will pass in front of this once they finish construction of the the rails going to downtown (in progress). Location is 300 N. 4th Ave.
Cheers,
Warren V.



Update (March 11, 2012): These murals were all painted over months or years ago when Goodwill took over the building.

From The Big Easy to The Old Pueblo

Artist Cliff Brown:

New to Tucson. Not New to Murals.

by:

Randy Garsee

     Cliff Brown may very well be Tucson's newest muralist. He says he moved from New Orleans to Tucson just over two months ago. Two months!?! And look at the mural he's already working on. Clearly, Mr. Brown never allowed that Louisiana moss to grow under his feet and the Sonoran Desert caliche isn't slowing him down either.

     In our e-mail interview, Brown told me, "I started painting murals when I was in high school in New Jersey. I love doing large pieces of work. While living in Northern Ireland I painted over 300 hundred pieces of art in five years. The best pieces were my murals that were not political murals. The mural here in Tucson is fun. As you can see by the Roadrunner Hostel mural (pictured here) the Arizona night scene is more my style of painting.

     "The Roadrunner mural was my first and now I am working on my third one for the hostel," Brown wrote. "I got the job by just asking if I could paint one mural. We bartered for it."
Brown added he's passed through Tucson many times and decided to stop and stay a while because he was "fascinated with the cactus and the rest, as they say, is history."

     Brown said he's traveled to a few countries, including the aforementioned Northern Ireland and Canada, working as an artist. "I'm as full-time as one can get as an artist. I teach art as well."

     But the muralist is about to run out of room on the Roadrunner and he's already eyeing a bigger project. "I have a few new artist friends here at the Hostel and we are looking into doing a Celtic mural on the Rialto building. If we do, it will be at least 30 feet tall and 20 feet wide. The theme is Celtic and it would consist of four panels celebrating the Irish, Scottish, Welsh and Hugo O'Connor, founder of Tucson."

     If you'd like to see Cliff Brown's work, run on over to the Roadrunner Hostel & Inn. It's located at 346 E. 12th St.

     Meanwhile, here are some other examples of Cliff Brown's work.

Tucson Murals Project's 50th Posting!

The Tucson Murals Project reaches a milestone today with our 50th mural posting. Thanks to everyone who's contributed and everyone who's bookmarked the Murals Project for frequent updates. Remember, there are supposed to be at least 400 murals in Tucson. And we want to post and map link each and every one!

Contributor Warren V. snapped this pic and says you'll find the mural on "the north side of the Hippie Gypsy store, located at 351 N. 4th Ave."

Update (September 24, 2012): Here are photos of the roll-down window shutters.

Hidden Treasures

"Hi Randy, I'm not sure of the exact street addresses, but these two murals are on opposite sides of the street on 1st Avenue, in the short block between Eight & Ninth Streets (south of Tucson High). cheers, Warren"

Update (September 18, 2012): The top mural is gone. It used to be on the front of 218 N. 1st Avenue. The other mural (shown in two halves) is in good shape.

Update (July 26, 2024): Google Maps Street View shows the last mural was in good shape during March 2022.

Horsin' Around at the Saloon

Frequent contributor Warren V. snapped this picture of a giant horse mural. It's located on the side of the Red Garter Saloon at 3143 E Speedway. Warren adds it's "hard not to to spot this one when driving eastbound on Speedway."

Our First Mural Movie

A walk along the mural at Marion Donaldson 

Elementary School in Tucson. It's located at

2040 W. Omar Drive. Here's the map link.

Sit Down!

At least that's the English version of sientese: sit down.

So, when you find yourself at the Bates Mansion, 283 N. Stone in Tucson, then sit down and take in this awesome mural.

Pics submitted by Warren V.

Update (January 22, 2013): An Arizona Daily Star article by Ernesto Portillo says that the mural was painted by Mexican artist Salvador Corona. We've added a photo of the mural over the north entrance (mentioned by the Star article) in today's post.

To Catch the Eye...

...paint a mural!

That's what Solar Culture Gallery must have intended at it's downtown Tucson location on

31 E. Toole.

Pic submitted by dedicated contributor Warren V.

A Nod to Bisbee, Arizona

Yes, I know, I know. It's the Tucson Murals Project. I just wanted to show a little love (and artistic appreciation) for Bisbee. The number of murals in Bisbee is unknown to me, but I couldn't help but take a few snaps of this one on the side of the Jonquil Motel. It's a mural based on a poem. Read the artist's signature below for more information.

A Little Fruity?

"Hi Randy,
This mural is from the side of a business at the

northwest corner of 6th Avenue & Pennsylvania.

Not sure who the artist is.

cheers,
Warren V."

Update from Jerry Peek (September 17, 2012): I accidentally re-posted a photo from December 23, 2010, as Pueblo Income Tax. Today the mural is gone.