Where Arctic Son studied

Years ago, not long after I moved to Tucson, I bought a book called Arctic Daughter— the story of Tucsonan Jean Aspen moving to a remote part of Alaska with her family, learning to live in true wilderness.

Fast-forward ten years or so to the start of February, 2012. I saw an article in the Arizona Daily Star about a new DVD being shown — the story of a Tucsonan who moved to Alaska with her family to, well... and I looked on my bookshelf. Same author... but now she was grown up and this was the story of her family.

The sad part was that her son, Lucas Irons, had just passed away — very young and much-beloved. Jean and her husband Tom Irons would fly in to Tucson for one night — to see friends and show the video — at Green Fields Country Day School, where Luke was a student. I couldn't miss this...

I'll leave the rest of the story to Jean's website and the school's Lucas Irons Scholarship page. I mention the story here because the school has murals! It was nearly dark, but I caught four photos. The murals are spread around the campus at 6000 N. Camino De La Tierra.

And don't miss the amazing stained-glass mural in the library made by... Jean Aspen. (She's an artist as well as a writer.) I didn’t get a photo of it.

Horse by Mena

When I rode by this horse on February 3rd, the artist’s style looked familiar...

I stopped to take a closer look (and this photo). Sure enough, one of the back legs is signed “Mena”... Luis Gustavo Mena, the well-known Tucson muralist.

The mural was on a garage door on a west-facing building, on the northeast corner of 22nd & Tucson.

...or this one...

Our previous post showed a mural behind a tall fence topped with razor wire. Here's another one. I found it on February 3rd on a building just north of 744 S. Euclid.

These two murals may be a bit hard to see... but, at least, taggers will have trouble trashing them!

Can't touch this mural...

A high fence, topped with barbed wire and razor wire, surrounds the land and the mural on this building near the south side of the property at 901 E. 12th Street. I was there on January 27th.

A while ago, this was the Sonoran Desert Nursery. Later it was a free community garden operated by TREES PLEASE. Now I see a couple of "land for sale" listings online. If you'd like to see this mural in person, stop by soon! (But don't get too close.)

Update (December 31, 2013): There are more photos from Mark Fleming on today's post Inside the fence.

Sabino Canyon Visitor Center

I've been coming here for years — like almost everyone in Tucson — but I didn't spot these murals until a year or two ago. The first is on the wall of the visitor center:

The rest are around the top of the inside of the ramada near the parking lot — the one where groups meet for hikes (like the full-moon hike I was on tonight). I started photographing from the northwest corner of the ramada, clockwise. As always, you can click on a photo for a larger view...

In case you haven't been there, the visitor center is at the corner of Sunrise & Sabino Canyon.

World Care's new mural

On the northwest side of the World Care headquarters, at 3538 E. Ellington Place, is this new mural on the wall that hides the dumpster:

New murals at UA BioPark

As you ride (or walk) down the path along Kino Parkway from 36th Street, you'll find three curved panels partly covered by murals. The first starts with a list of Las Artes art students:

When I rode by a week ago (July 22nd), only three of the six sides had murals. Here they are:

The murals are on the northeast edge of the new UA Tech Park at The Bridges.

Update (April 4, 2016): The murals are finished.

The World at 14th & Herbert

Just north of the corner of 14th Street & Herbert Avenue, at the south side of the Safford K-8 Magnet School, is this mural:

The mural’s left side has some interesting statistics about the world. (As always, you can click on the photo for a larger view.)

The north side of the school is in our May 29, 2009 post.

Drachman Montessori Magnet School

If you walk through the arch and past the benches in our previous post, you'll be at the entrance courtyard at the school. (The address is 1085 South 10th Avenue, but the school isn't directly on the street). There are murals all around the courtyard, but please restrain yourself :) long enough to sign in at the office first.

Next to the office is this big mosaic mural (the lighting — part sun, part shade — made it hard to get a good photo):

The quote, by Margaret Mead, says:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Here's a closeup around the tree:

Look in the middle of the mural for this small tile:

(Here's a link to the the Christina-Taylor Green Memorial Foundation website.)

To the right of that large mural is a smaller one near the library:

And, on the south wall of the courtyard, across from the office:

I took the photos on January 18th.

Santa Rosa Park

A few blocks northeast of the 22nd Street exit on I-10 is Santa Rosa Park. (Here's a map.) I rode in on January 18th and parked in the bicycle rack next to the library, just past this arch:

Between Santa Rosa library and the Drachman Montessori Magnet School, you'll find benches covered with mosaic murals:

Here are a couple of close-ups: