Vaquero

East Wall (facing N. Campbell Ave.) of a Mexican restaurant called MOMO's.

By Danny Martin

Photographed on Dec. 27, 2020.  Click for a larger and sharper image.

Creative Machines

Tucson has more and more large murals. Which one is biggest? Someday I could get one of the gadgets that lets you measure lengths from a distance. In the meantime, here are two of the largest — at Creative Machines on Irvington. It's probably closed today, New Year's Day, but you should be able to look at the murals from outside the fence. Or stop by during business hours — when you can be right next to them.

There are two murals. The one at the left (farther north) is by Jessica Gonzales and friends; the other is by Nadia Hagen and friends:

The west side and then the south side of Jessica's mural, followed by the signature at the bottom right corner:

Nadia's mural — which is quite a bit wider than Jessica's, so next are a few close-ups:

I took the first photo on November 8, 2020, from outside the fence and the rest from inside the fence on November 9.

Still High Dreams, closer

Here's a weird conicidence: Two separate businesses at the same address, 4010 South 12th Avenue. Last time, we saw Arizona Palms Tinting, closer: close-ups of the same mural posted here a few years ago. Today, let's do the same for the combination flower and tobacco shop, Still High Dreams. (Click there to see the overall photos from May 11, 2018.) I really ought to go inside and check out this unique business!

They've added a mural to the left (south) side that runs along the back edge of the parking lot. The other mural, on the building, hasn't changed:

(Click on the photo for a larger view.)

In the photo above, I didn't catch the small part of the mural off the left edge:

Here's the rest of that wall:

And the north side of the parking lot:

Finally, the front (east side) of the store, then closeups of the three words in the name:

I was there November 8, 2020.

Arizona Palms Tinting, closer

We've shown the murals on the front and the left side of this auto glass tinting shop twice before, most recently on May 18, 2018 in Arizona Palms updated. I'll admit that I didn't know exactly what these murals had to do with each other — or to do with any theme — but they're interesting anyway (?). So here's the front again, then close-ups of the murals from left to right:

I pulled over (and scratched my head) on November 8, 2020.

Delivery Man

Here's a man delivering pastries on his bicycle. It's on the north side of La Estrella Bakery.

By Melo Dominguez

Photographed on Dec. 11, 2020. Click on the photo for a larger and sharper image.

Update (April 12, 2022): There's another mural on the south side of the building. See today's post.

MEAT me at Los Amigos, friends

This blog's founder, Randy Garsee, had a terrible sense of humor. :) One of his early entries was titled MEAT Me in Tucson! — about the cattle murals at the former Farmer John's plant. I've waited 13 years to be able to post another entry for a meat market. On November 8, 2020, fate gave me my chance:

(I don't need to tell you that Los Amigos means “the friends,” do I?)

Hahahahahaha… :( :)

"Desert Cactus Garden Party"

A splash of color can be seen on S. Meyer Ave. at Lash Factor Studio.  It's a small wall filled with cacti and flowers.

By J. Keegan Rider

Photographed on Dec. 11, 2020.  Click on the photo for a larger and sharper image.

Murals being made, part 58: Arizona Arts Live

What you knew as UA Presents, the University of Arizona's performing arts presenter, now has a new name: Arizona Arts Live. During the first part of November, 2020, Mel "Melo" Dominguez painted a mural on the south wall of the Wheels & More location on 12th Avenue just north of Irvington. These first two photos came from Facebook:

I stopped by on November 8 to say hi and snap more photos of the mural in progress. It's next to a popular Sonoran Hot Dog spot with a full parking lot:

On November 9th, I stopped by while they weren't painting (Mel/Melo prefers “they” and “them”):

On November 18th, the mural looked finished:

It's a fun combination of modern and ancient:

The Olmec were an early people who lived in what's now southern Mexico. And llanta is the Spanish word for tire — a nod to Wheels & More, which is hosting the mural.

Long-time contributor Mark Fleming stopped by the mural on December 27th. The mural had two finishing touches since my last visit — near the bottom left and bottom right corners:

Mark also took other close-ups:

Thanks much, Mark!

Let's travel this year! (Murals in Levoča, Slovakia)

I saw a billboard on Twitter that said “2020: The worst year ever.” I'm not sure about that, but it must have been one of the worst. For a travel fanatic like me, it was tough because I couldn't go (almost) anywhere. I've spent the holidays sorting through photos for a major update to my really old photography site, JerryPeek.com. I saw these photos of murals on a construction wall around the Church of St. James in Levoĉa, Slovakia, in 2003, I thought they might give you some inspiration too.

First, here's the top of the church — at the left side of this photo:

Now the wall:

Here's to a great 2021!