Chicago Store

In Downtown Tucson.
A place that could very well bring music to your ears.
Here’s a map.

My First E-mailed Mural Pic!!!

Can a mural bring a community together?

Linda Drew e-mailed these pictures to Randy's Tucson Murals Project. She writes, "[here] are a couple of pictures of the mural created by Hedrick Acres neighbors (HANA) under the direction of Tucson Arts Brigade muralist Michael Schwartz in 2005. The mural depicts the Tucson Mountains. The project was funded by a grant from PRO Neighborhoods."

"It is located in a drainage of the Navajo Wash, southwest corner of E. Fort Lowell Road and N. Mountain Avenue. [Here's a map] We met with Ward, City and UA officials to gain permission to use the lot at the corner of Hedrick and Mountain. We defined two components, a public bulletin board and art; to share information and make neighbors feel welcome in the space. Neighbors came together to paint the wall in temperatures over 100 degrees F. I was very encouraged by the number of people who just showed up to help on the project. —Linda Drew

Beer & A Deer

There's something subliminal about the mural on the side of the The Bambi Bar at 5050 E. Speedway.

Imagine driving along Speedway in late June. It's 107 degrees outside. Your air conditioner's broken. You spot a waterfall. "Is it a mirage?" you wonder. You don't know. You don't care. Your tongue is sandpaper. Your throat is as dry as my humor. Wait. That waterfall is on the side of a bar.

The Bambi Bar. What a cute beer, uh, deer. Horns, not antlers, blare behind you! "It's green you idiot!" You shove your foot onto the accelerator and all you can think is, "Man, I need a deer."

Just a little off the top...Oops! I've got a helmet on.....

Is there a title for World's Smallest Barbershop? I'm not sure. However, the Tucson barbershop bearing these murals is about the size of your average SUV.

Nonetheless, you will find said barbershop and military murals at 5321 E. Speedway. Here are the directions from Interstate 10. Keep in mind, you can't take a photo of it without bothering the business adjacent to the murals. It's a place that sells vehicles. If they ask what you're doing, simply tell them you're looking for something about the size of the barbershop, but with better hair mileage.

Update (October 17, 2014): A page on waymarking.com titled Iwo Jima says the muralist was Paul Lira.

Update (July 3, 2024): Google Maps Street View shows the barber shop open during April, 2011. By July, 2013, the business was boarded up:



By July, 2018, there was just an empty concrete pad. It's still that way today.

Windows & A Gateway

There are a series of murals on Broadway Boulevard at Barraza-Aviation Parkway in downtown Tucson. Here are directions to the murals from Interstate 10.

Created by Stephen Farley, they're titled,

"Windows to the Past, Gateway to the Future."

Now this can be a VERY busy intersection so save your rubbernecking for the red light. Your car should not become part of the artwork, if you know what I mean.

By the way, Stephanie from Tucson wrote the following e-mail about this mural.

"The artwork that's titled 'Windows and a Gateway' should have the men that made the artwork right along with the artist, because the tilework is indeed art of its own. Tile Canvases hand glazed each piece of tile that you see downtown on that mural. And they continue to repair them on a regular basis whenever they get damaged. So, hats off also to Rick Young and Tom Galloway from Tile Canvases on a great piece of art!"

Update (April 1, 2007): The page Windows to The Past, Gateway to The Future has a link that shows photos of the 14 main panels.

Update (May 12, 2012): An Arizona Daily Star article, Life stories: Tucsonan immortalized on mural, tells the story of Gail Fafard and the panel showing her with two friends in the mid-1940s.

Update (June 27, 2022): KGUN9 TV broadcast a video interview 3:49 long with artist Steve Farley. The online version includes more information and photos.

How to Ruin a Mural

As more and more pictures are added to this blog, you'll occasionally ask yourself, "Why did Randy include this ugly mural?" I'm not a trained artist, so it isn't my position to critique the art. However, you will find me complaining about one thing: positioning of the mural. This mural, on a well-traveled corner of Speedway and Stone, is next to an abandoned, neglected, vacant lot. The mural attracts the eyes of passersby, but, HELLO, CITY OF TUCSON, do you want their eyes to also see this lot. Maybe it isn't the city's responsibility. Maybe it's the owner's. WHO CARES? We have Adopt-a-Highway programs, maybe we should start an Adopt-a-Lot program as well.

(Update from Jerry: As of February, 2010, there's a different mural but the lot is still ugly.)

Update (January 29, 2019) from Jerry: I cropped the photo above to the mural area and brightened it. As always, you can click for a larger view:

Downtown Culture

Teatro Carmen

380 S. Meyer Avenue in downtown Tucson.

Artist: Martín Moreno Title: Untitled

Update by Jerry (July 3, 2024): This mural is actually just south of the main Teatro Carmen building (which has an arch over the entrance). The address on the door in the middle of this mural is 384 (South Meyer Avenue).

Here's a photo from Google Maps Street View in April, 2022:



Update by Jerry (July 13, 2024): A comment from Claire says: “I noticed on February 13, 2024, that this mural is now painted over.” I walked by today; the mural is gone. But there's a new mural by Danny Martin at the arched main entrance to the theatre, just north.

Jonesin' For Art on Speedway

On the Corner of

Speedway & Jones

There's more than just the colors that make this mural stand out on the corner of Speedway & Jones. It's also the part of the flower and the hummingbird's wing that, well, uh, stand out.

As beautiful as it is, this mural is unsigned. If anyone knows the painter, please pass it on to me.

Update by Jerry Peek: An anonymous commenter wrote that “the muralist is Josh Sarantitis, of Hozhographos Studios, who also did the mosaic tile mural in Oury/David Herrera Park.”

But Can You Build It Like A Brickhouse?

On the Tucson Murals Project Blog, I tend to shy away from overt advertising, but I couldn't resist this one. However, it's not free advertising anyway when the business is closed. That's right, if you call the number you'll get that annoying recording that says, “This number has been disconnected.” Oh, School of Masonry, how little we knew ye.

Top of the World

160 E. Alameda Street

in Downtown Tucson

You can find this work in downtown Tucson at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Youth Center. It's titled, “I Climb Your Shoulders to the Top of the World.” Artists: Marianne Cracovaner and children.

Update (October 19, 2010): The mural is falling apart.

Ahhh-nold!

You'll have to go to the back of the building to see this mural of pre-California Govinator Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hey day as the fierce bodybuilder from Austria. Boxing, Inc. is located at 1240 N. Stone Avenue.

What A Relief It Is!

Find this tiled mural at the Tucson Museum of Art Education Center, 166 W. Alameda Street.

You Could Spend Hours....

....gazing at this double mural inside the Tucson Museum of Art grounds at 140 N. Main Avenue.
Artist Antonio Pazos painted "Nuestra Futura" and artist David Tineo painted "Nuestra Raices Humanas."

Update (December 2010): the mural will be removed in January 2011.

The Amazing, Fantastical, Beautiful Oury Park Mural

Sometimes you don't describe. You just look. Grab your camera and head to 600 St. Marys Road. It's on the northeast corner of St. Mary's Road and the I-10 frontage road. Here's the map to the mural, just don't forget your camera.

Artists: Josh Sarantitus and William Wilson

There are more photos in Ooh... Ahh... More Oury Park.

UPDATE (October 6, 2014): The mural is made from mosaic tiles, and they're falling off. Have a look at the 2014 version of the last photo above.

Ooh... Ahh... More Oury Park

There may be no better visual treat in one location than in Tucson's Oury Park. From the Oury Park Recreation Center to the massive wall mural separating the park area from Interstate 10, it's a colorful treat and a place to picnic and play as well. Better yet, click on the map to the mural.

Oury Recreation Center is located at 600 St. Marys Road.
Title: Untitled
Artists: Antonio Pazos and Estevan Mireles with neighborhood youth.

Today's post The Amazing, Fantastical, Beautiful Oury Park Mural has more photos.

Update (October 13, 2014): The mural has been repainted, and we have eight new photos... as well as a few older photos. They're in today's entry, Oury Community Center repainted.

Looonnnggg on Limberlost

Fish swimming in the desert, reliefs and metal plants all combine to make up the Limberlost Neighborhood Mural. This mural stretches nearly an entire city block. It's located at 4100 N. Stone Avenue.

Limberlost

Neighborhood

Mural

MAP TO MURAL

Update (July 12, 2016): Here's the tenth-anniversary entry of this blog showing this amazing mural in much more detail: Ten years of Tucson murals.