Rolling hearts...

...and a lot more, on the unique Mathbus. Mentioning the heart was my sneaky try at making this a Valentine's Day blog entry.

Here's the left side, which is more fun than others (as always, you can click for a larger view):

I found photos of the first painting work (but not the last!) on the Physics Factory blog. I also read that the bus is powered by recycled eegee's french fry oil, provided by Grecycle.

I took these photos on June 12th.

Stop by another day

Today's entry on the Tucson Mailbox Art blog shows a bright, handpainted mailbox. (You can click there to see it.)

The reason I'm writing about a mailbox here on the murals blog is that... you guessed it... there's also a mural here at 2702 E. Edison (which, for some reason, wouldn't show up in the “Location” box at the end of this entry):

I stopped by on May 20th, 2013. If you'd like to see more of the mural, find out what day of the week those big bins will be out at the curb for collection!

Tank's for the art!

Tank's Green Stuff hauls compost to gardens and other spots around Tucson. A while ago, I got a tip from a friend of Chris Andrews (the Tucson airbrush painter extraordinaire who also did —among others — the Roses & More store at Broadway & Tucson that was just painted over recently to become an urgent care facility). The friend told me that Chris had painted a semi trailer and that I'd see it around town from time to time... though not long in one place!

Somehow, on March 23, 2013, I caught it at the Ina Road Land Reclamation Facility, just west of I-10. Here are the left and back sides:

And the right:

Chris' website is ChrisAndrewsArt.com. When I checked it recently, there was nothing but a link to contact Chris. Too bad: I'd love to see more of his work in one place!

Fits the spot...

A Corvette, cactus, and mountains with the moon behind. I found this mural... perfect for an auto repair place... on March 22, 2013 at Roy Metcalfe Automotive:

Update (September 18, 2020): The mural has been repainted.

Murals being made, part 21: Toole at 6th

On January 1, I posted a lot of photos of new murals along Toole Avenue. The second photo, of a Rosie-the-Riviter woman, was completed at that point.

Before that — on March 18th, 2013 — I caught the mural partly-painted:

Next door to Dale's Doors

On Kino Parkway south of Broadway, Dale's Doors has had murals by Jos Vilabrille for years. On March 6th of last year, I snapped a photo of the front of the next store(s) south: Desert Diva's Boutique (and Photos by Shana, and Red's Patch Sewing and Alterations):

Two sides on Toole

On March 3, 2013, I took these photos of a two-part mural on the east side (next to the 6th Avenue underpass) of the building at the north corner of 6th, Alameda and Toole:

It's two sides of the US fence on the border with Mexico.

Guadalajara Grill

These murals are in classic Joe Pagac style. I especially like the second one, with kids in front of a window:

You can see (much) more of Joe's work by typing his name into the search box (or, better, the link) at the right side of this blog.

I took the photos on February 3, 2013.

Update (January 28, 2017): As I was writing the upcoming entry showing the Guadalajara Grill on Prince, I looked for our other Guadalajara Grill entries. When I saw this one, I realized that it doesn't mention the fire on July 26, 2014, that closed the restaurant. I found a December 5, 2014 article in the Arizona Daily Star, Guadalajara Fiesta Grill to rise from the ashes, with hopeful news. (I haven't been back to see what murals might be there now, but the restaurant is open.)

Update (March 6, 2020): I found four more photos of tile murals by an artist named Miranda on David Aber's Flickr account. You can see them in today's entry.

There and gone

This mural was painted not long before I spotted it on February 22, 2013:

It's gone now.

Mr. Tineo, I presume?

On October 25, Mark Fleming sent three photos of the entrance to a home in Barrio Anita (along with lots of other photos that I've been posting... thanks, Mark!). The style reminds me a lot of David Tineo... but, unlike most of his works that I've seen, they aren't signed... not on the front, at least. What do you think?

Hohokam Lizard Pier

The Wrightstown underpass under Tanque Verde has a ceramic mural that caught my eye everytime I zoomed by. On January 22, 2013, I pulled over (down the street) and came back to catch a shot of a work of art that most people get only a few seconds to appreciate as they roll by:

The plaque nearby gives credit:

Maybe a mural, part 54: Simple home with heartfelt mural

Some of my favorite murals aren't intricately painted... they're simple things that make a big change in what the wall would look like without them. Here's one of those — on the wall of a home being remodeled:

Nothing fancy, but what a difference from a blank wall! I found this on January 21st, 2013. The house didn't have a number, but it was across the street from 2949 E. Silvosa Street.

Maybe a mural, part 53: Our Lady Queen of All Saints

In January of last year, I ran across lots of artworks that were flat, but that you might not call “a mural.” The work is nice, anyway. So here are another two “maybe” murals:

That's the entrance to Our Lady Queen of All Saints Roman Catholic church. Closer to the building, a memorial to Robert Antonio Solomon:

I took the photos on January 21st, 2013.

Found the Owl & Pussycat

On December 29, 2008, Randy posted a photo contributed by Davis Dominguez Gallery of a mural “In the Ash & Toole Street area.” I'd hunted around to find it, but somehow missed it — until January 20, 2013. It's on the east side of what I think is the Zee Mansion carriage house:

Google Street View tells me the address is 286 North Ash Alley.

Update (November 12, 2014): Today's post has the story of the mural and some close-up photos.

Ride on, Tucson

This mosaic mural went in about a year ago, not long before I took the photo — just a year ago — on January 20, 2013:

Here are murals on two other sides of the same structure: one being made and another one finished.

Maybe a mural, part 52: Handsome home

On a New Year's Day ride a year ago, at the start of 2013, I found this decorated home south of Broadway, near the walkway that becomes Treat Avenue.

(See the Location link below. Click on the photo for more detail.)

Maybe a mural, part 51: Paintings off-Broadway

Sometimes I spot art on a wall that isn't a traditional “mural” — like these paintings, under clear plastic, on two walls of the Arabian Oasis Cultural Center. (There's a “Location:” box below.) The last “maybe” mural was two days ago.

First, the west wall:

(As always, you can click for a larger view.)

A close-up from the east end of the north wall — with the background reflected in the plastic cover:

And at the west end of the north wall:

Unlike most murals, they were signed. The artist was Miguel Grijalva.

They weren't in great condition when I took these photos near sunset on December 29, 2012. I haven't checked on them since. (If you have, please leave a comment below.)

Soft landing for Howenstine Hawks

When I rode down Tucson Blvd. on December 29, 2012, I spotted this mural on the side of a building at Howenstine High School — and snapped it with the great zoom lens on my mural-hunting camera:

The school, now closed, was to become home to an school for autistic children. I'll try to ride by and check on the mural. (If you know, please leave a comment below.)

Maybe a mural, part 50: Tilted critters

On December 29, 2012, as I rode along East 17th Street, the wall in front of the home at 2138 was sinking — or falling sideways:

The desert animals and plants are mounted on metal, so the tilting only made them go a bit uphill — or downhill.

If you go by, please leave a comment below to let us know what's up (or down).

Tagged treasure

This mural had been on my list for a while. I finally got close to it on May 20, 2013...

...and found that it had been trashed by taggers. Here are closeups from left to right:

It's along Los Altos Avenue, on the west side of the building at 502 East Ft. Lowell.

Update (December 14, 2021): The mural was repaired. There's a photo in today's post Untagged Treasure.