Joyful murals at Our Mother of Sorrows

Here are more excellent photos by David Aber. He wrote that he found the group of murals “at Our Mother of Sorrows Catholic Parish and School at 1800 S. Kolb Rd. Evidently it is a custom at the school for each graduating class to paint or tile a mural. Five of the eight photos are class projects for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. I must have missed 2011 and 2014.”

No worries, Dave. Thanks for all of these!

Class of 2008

Class of 2009

Mural dedicated September 12, 2009

Class of 2010

Class of 2012

Class of 2013

Undated?

Build your collection with Google's "My Galleries"

Before I introduce this bit of (typically) groundbreaking news from Google — and mention that this entry isn't specifically about Tucson art — I'd like to suggest that seeing art on a computer screen or phone just isn't the same as experiencing it in person. How can you feel the depth, time, and movement of — say — a Jackson Pollock work by viewing an image on your screen? Don't stop traveling (in person, not electronically), folks...

Still, Michael Schwartz told me about a new Google service that lets you build your own collection of online art. If you don't have lots of money (or frequent-flier miles), you can get a rough idea of what it's like to be in a museum of your favorites by visiting www.google.com/culturalinstitute/my-galleries.

Be your own curator at The Centre Pompidou? Pourquoi pas?

This way to the beach (¿la playa?)

On December 12, 2010, we posted photos of the murals on Mariscos Chihuahua locations around Tucson — restaurants with great Mexican seafood. On June 1, 2015, I noticed that the 22nd Street location had a sign at the left edge of its mural:

In Spanish, “the beach” is “la playa.” Whatever: Thanks for the extra fun, Mariscos Chihuahua.

Murals being made, part 29d: Done!

We've been following a new mural by Johanna Martinez on the east wall of the Buffet Bar. When I stopped by on June 2nd, the details seemed to be filled in... and she'd signed the mural (at the lower right). I've been out of town, so I haven't talked with her... I think it's done!

Here's an overview, then some closer shots:

Don't miss the great detail in the locomotive's smoke. The first two photos show it best.

Murals being made, part 29c

Last Thursday's entry showed the Buffet Bar's mural partly-done; muralist Johanna Martinez was out of town. On May 5th, I caught her there, on scaffolding with a small version of the mural (covered with grid lines to make enlarging it onto the wall much easier):

The E on the end of Iron Horse (named for the neighborhood) is coming together. Here's Johanna painting a leg:

We'll wrap up this series next time in part 29d.

Murals being made, part 29b

Last time, I posted photos of a mural taking shape, March 7th, on the east side of the Buffet Bar. The bartender enthusiastically showed me what the finished mural would look like and told me the artist's first name, which I remembered as Joanna.

A couple of weeks later, a reader wrote to ask about the Greetings from Barrio Santa Rosa mural. I'd been in touch with the muralist, Johanna Martinez, a while back. So I sent her a copy of the reader's question and also asked her if she was working on any other public murals. She wrote back and said she was painting a mural on the side of the... Buffet Bar. Joanna... Johanna... oh!

She'd be leaving town soon; I couldn't find a time to stop by and see her painting. (That's next time.) But I stopped by on April 5th, while she was away, and snapped a couple of photos. Here's a view showing what's left of the “tough-guy” saguaro mural and what's new on the new mural:

The bison have more detail, the landscape has taken shape, and the middle of the title is there. Here's a close-up of the title:

Iron Horse (for the neighborhood) is missing the first I and the last e.

The saga continues next time — in part 29c!

Murals being made, part 29a

Thanks to a friend who lived nearby, I heard that a new mural was going up on the east side of the Buffet Bar — taking over the right half of the tough-guy saguaro mural. I got there on March 7th to find...

The circle of benches had been moved into a line, and the mural was taking shape. The train's smoke was two patches of white — one of them starting over the smokestack:

To the left of the train, the outline of a prickly pear cactus:

More next time, in part 29b.

New at Luke's on Alvernon

On February 8, 2011, we published a photo of the mural around the seating area at the Luke's Italian Beef location on Alvernon. (There are four locations now.) David Aber visited on June 5 of this year and found a new mural(s). Here are his photos showing the three sides of the outdoor seating area:

East view:

South view:

West view:

There's a typo in the sign in the middle of the south view: If it's supposed to be in Italian, restorante should be ristorante. But, otherwise, what a delicious mural!

Thanks as always, David.

At Valencia Library

Last time, we published David Aber's photo of a building along Old Nogales Highway. Not as far south — just as South 6th Avenue becomes Nogales Highway (as Google Maps calls it), and a bit west — is the Pima County Library with a series of murals by young artists:

He noted that each of the sections has the signatures of the young artists. The last photo above shows that the mural was painted 8/13/93. It also lists the organizations that were involved in the project:

Though his name doesn't seem to be on the mural, the style reminds me a lot of David Tineo. He's worked with young artists on a number of murals around town… for instance, another long mural at Davis Bilingual Elementary.

There's also a mosaic mural, with text in English and Spanish, and benches in front:

At the bottom center are the names of organizations who supported the mural. The style of the mural reminds me of Santa Theresa Tile Works, though I couldn't find their name.

Here are close-ups of the Spanish and English text (cropped from the photo above). They're beautiful and worth reading, I think.(You can click on them for larger views.)

Much appreciated, David!

Maybe a mural, part 64: Another house (?)

Earlier this month, I posted Maybe a mural, part 63: A house!. The day after (by coincidence, maybe?), David Aber send a photo of this building, with a sign saying “Freemanville State Bank,” along Old Nogales Highway:

The front of the building is littered with bricks and chairs, but there are paintings on the walls… which is why I'm calling this “maybe a mural.”.

Thank you, Dave.

More vines along Broadway

On February 28th, I saw the front of this home with a mural like others nearby:

This idea of painting plants on the front of your home isn't new in Tucson, but each one is different. (The murals save water, too. :)

Welcome to the Downtown Clifton...

More photos from Mark Fleming! This is a mural outside the new Downtown Clifton Hotel. The mural is by Danny Martin:

Much appreciated, Mark. Tucson hospitality!

This mural is going downhill

It's on the north wall of RC Bicycles. Mark Fleming sent the photo, thanks!

Mural-ific!

(OK, so “mural-ific” isn't a word. Whatever. :) David Aber spotted a very long mural behind the PPEP Tech High School. He wrote: “The first half of the mural is behind the school’s parking lot and easy to photograph:”

(You can click on that photo for a much larger view.)

“A jog in the wall is hiding an interesting section. Therefore I have split it into two photos:”

“The second half of the mural is directly behind the school and access is blocked by a fence... There's not much I can do about that part of the mural behind the fence. When school resumes in the Fall it shouldn’t be too hard to get the necessary permission:”

What a fabulous mural! Thank you, David.

Update (December 29, 2015): David sent closeup photos of that second half of the mural.

Maybe a mural, part 63: A house!

Every so often, something turns up that isn't exactly a “mural” — for instance, someone hangs paintings on their (house) wall. I title those blog entries “maybe a mural.”

Mark Fleming spotted an amazing little house that's basically a mural. Have a look:

You can see the address is 428 1/2; that's on 6th Street, but the house is actually in the alley, Mark says. (I can't find out how to enter 1/2 (“half”) into Google Maps and Blogger Location, so I used cross streets instead.)

Amazing. And thanks, as always, Mark.

Tattooed wall

Mark Fleming sent these photos of the east wall of Staring without Caring Tattoo. The whole mural is first; details come next:

Thanks as always, Mark.

What murals can do to a (NYC subway) tunnel

I came across this New York Times article on May 31st:

Bringing a Little Color to a Passage at the 191st Street Station

It's more than “a little” color. Wow!

Rolling on the rails/door

Here's a roll-up door at Southbound Studios on February 22nd:

The locomotive has the street address, 1136, on its side.