John Valenzuela Youth Center

South Tucson's John A. Valenzuela Youth Center, at 1550 S. 6th Avenue, is full of art.

The first mural you'll probably see is on the east wall, along 6th Avenue:

Two murals next to rooms along the south side, next to the parking lot:


The breezeway in the central part of the building has three more:


Finally, out the back of the breezeway on the north side of the building:

Welcome to South Tucson (on 6th)

As you enter the city of South Tucson on main streets, you're greeted by a blast of art — including artistic “welcome” signs all shaped like this one:

The back sides of the signs say “Adios.”

This sign is on 6th Avenue between 25th and 26th, next to the John A. Valenzuela Youth Center (which we'll see tomorrow).

Jorge's Tire Shop

Here are two views of the north wall of 405 W. 32nd Street:

and the east wall:

I took the first photo on April 29th and the last two on September 16th. The second mural is on the back (west) side of the building.

Update (September 16, 2015): Mark Fleming took close-ups of the first mural during June of 2015.

The Fathead Shop

Early-morning sunlight gave the golden color to this photo on March 27th. The address is 515 N. 4th Avenue.

Found the gloo (factory)

A year ago, I was surprised to find the mural-covered building at 106 E. Toole (just up the block from the more-mural-covered building at 191-197 E. Toole) after the mural-painting tenants, the Gloo Factory, had moved out. I put their new location, 238 E. 26th Street, on my mural-hunting list.

A month ago, on September 11, as I rode through South Tucson to check the route of the new South Tucson mural tour map, I found the new Gloo:

Thanks to all of the rain we've gotten this summer, the fronts of both this location and the old spot are overgrown. (I think people enter through the side or the back.)

South Tucson: 4th around 26th

As you cross from Tucson into the city of South Tucson along 4th Avenue near 26th Street, you'll see lots of South Tucson's signature streetside art. Here are the fronts and backs of signs...

...planters...

...trash bins...

...and a set of arches:

I took these photos on September 11.

Tucson Yoga (mural) reborn

The east side of Tucson Yoga, 150 South 4th Avenue, has had a mural for years. As I rode by on September 7th, I noticed that the mural had changed:

It's signed Ramjeet 272-6969. Here's the story from the TucsonYoga.com website.

Iron Horse Community Garden

Along 10th Street at the corner of Bean Avenue is the entrance to the community garden. It's in the middle of Iron Horse Park. I was there on September 4th.

Update (April 3, 2015): There are several parklets close by. (That page is from the Tucson's Pocket Parks blog.)

Zoë Boutique

The mural is on the south wall above the store's entrance at 735 N. 4th Avenue. I took the photo on August 28th.

Rock Martinez painted the mural. Here are photos from his website.

The Magic Fun Store

There must be about a million places to get tattooed in Tucson. Many of them have murals on their outside walls. The Magic Fun Store, at 739 N. 4th, goes farther: a mural on the ceiling above the store entrance. I photographed the left (south) end of the ceiling — the photo below — lying on my back on the pavement.

Sistine Chapel, anyone?

I was there August 28th.

Paradise on Kolb

The west side of the Chuy's location at 22nd & Kolb (7101 E. 22nd) has ocean scenes below its palm trees.

On the other side of the building, at the southeast corner, are this downspout painted to look like a palm tree and an adventure map of Mexico.

I took the first photo on July 19th and the last two on September 26th.

Update (January 28, 2024): Germaine A Pesqueria (who's been painting since the 1990s) painted murals at all Chuy's locations.

Dino joined Joe in July

From time to time I stop by the east side of the Rialto Theatre to see what's new on their chunk of wall with murals advertising upcoming (and past) concerts. The murals are usually by Joe Pagac. When I was there on July 19, Dino Chilton's name was on three of the four panels. The first photo is from the north, and the second from the south:

And again in August (the 22nd):

If you'd like to see earlier murals in the same spot, go to the “downtown” section of the table of murals and scroll down to 318 E. Congress.

Feel the power of murals

The block of 4th Street between 11th and Queen Avenues is filled with an electric substation. The corners along 4th have murals, though. We posted the mural at 4th & 11th back in 2009. Here's the corner of 4th & Queen:

I took the photo on June 12th, 2012.

Two sides of Borderlands Brewing Co.

The building at 119 East Toole that used to have big trash bins in front of a mural has been completely remade into Borderlands Brewing Company. That mural is gone, but there are two just across 7th Avenue and two more on the sides of this building.

This one's on the northwest side:

And this is on the northeast side, next to the railroad tracks. I'd like to re-shoot it without the dark shadow (from a sign nearby).

I was there on June 6th.

Update (January 1, 2013): Both murals have changed. Today's post shows photos.

Skrappys and friends, May-July 2012

Skrappys (a.k.a. the Tucson Youth Cooperative), and other artists and designers, occupy the inside of the building at 191-197 E. Toole. If you've driven by, or read this blog for a while, you'll know that they cover the outside with a lot of art. And it keeps changing; I have a hard time keeping up with the latest, but it's fun to try!

East wall, May 21st

These views are from the southeast corner, at 6th & Toole:

Southwest wall, June 6th

I'll start at the south end and work north to the front of Skrappys:

A few details of Skrappys’ front (this has to be one of the most fun murals in Tucson):

Northwest wall, July 19th

One of my favorite Tucson murals used to look like this:

That was May 17, 2009. Fast-forward to this summer:

Though the mural has some fun additions — like the sheriff pointing at what I think might be the El Tiradito shrine — overall, there's too much for me. But maybe you love the new version! (As always, you can click on a photo for a larger view.) Murals are always changing...

Little mural on the porch

The people living at 1701 E. 10th see this little mural each time they go in or out their front door. I took the photo (from the street, with a zoom lens) on March 30th.

While in traffic on Toole...

Through the summer, as you've detoured along Toole Avenue to bypass the streetcar construction on Congress Street, you may have passed this five-paneled mural north of 6th Avenue. It's been on the right side, just north of Skrappys:

BLX

I found this mural on May 28, 2012 at the north corner of 7th & Toole, on the side of BLX. I roll by that corner pretty often, so I think the mural was painted not long before. (The dark bar near the left edge is an early-morning shadow.)

Update (December 30, 2012): The mural on this corner has changed (at least) twice since May 28. You can see the new murals in today's post.