Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Black Friday Sale at Wind Dancer Design: Nov. 29


The Friday after Thanksgiving has been the largest shopping day in the US for decades.

Now dubbed "Black Friday" by people who want Americans to shun Big Box Stores and chains on that day, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday are promoted as days to buy local.

What could be more local, than buying directly from local artists?

This Friday, November 29, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., my daughter Alexandra Queen and I will be selling our artwork and jewelry from my studio-- Wind Dancer Design. (Check out the Facebook Event, here.)

 Alex will be selling her handmade jewelry, wearable art, and unique dream catcher wall hangings. Check out her work at Mermaid Heart.

I will be selling mosaic wall hangings, shrines, beaded jewelry, and Wind Dancers. My buy-one-get-one free sale on all beaded work continues through Friday. For those of you who stopped by my studio during the recent TPAC Open Studio Tour-- I have created several new mosaics since the tour.

So-- this holiday season, forget the cheap imports and buy one-of-a-kind gifts from local artists and local merchants.

Come on down to Wind Dancer Design, 3553 E. Camden St. in midtown Tucson this Friday! (BTW- cash, checks, and plastic are all accepted.)

Monday, November 04, 2013

Small Works Show at Tohono Chul Park continues through Dec 15


The Small Works Show opened in the Tohono Chul Park entry gallery on October 25 and will continue through December 15. This invitation-only show includes several local artists who have sold work at Tohono Chul in recent shows.

Two of my pieces -- "Mi Cocina" and "Conjuntos Siempre"-- are included. There is a lot of variety in this eclectic show which features work that is $250 or less and not more than 12" in any direction. 



Thursday, October 31, 2013

Celebrate Dia de los Muertos at Tohono Chul Park on Friday, Nov 1


Friday, November 1, come to Tohono Chul Park's Park after Dark for Salsa music by Descarga, altars by local artists (including me), food, and adult beverages.

In the TCP galleries, you can see the the Day of the Dead Show, which is great this year (lots of variety), and the Small Works Show, which includes two of my pieces.

 This should be a fun night. 5-8 p.m. $10 for adults. $5 for members. Children under 13, free.

Here's a link to Park after Dark on Facebook.

Here's a link to the Small Works Show on Facebook.

Monday, October 14, 2013

Wind Dancer Design Is on Facebook



Wind Dancer Design has a Facebook page. You can follow me here on the blog or there, where you will get more immediate updates about new shows and new work.

Please "like" me, OK?

Check out the Wind Dancer Design page here: https://www.facebook.com/WindDancerDesign

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Piece by Piece Show at Tohono Chul Park

Check out the Piece by Piece all mosaic art show at Tohono Chul Park. The select show runs from June through October 20, 2013.

My Goddess shrine (at right) and my Letting Go Is True Freedom shrine (below) are part of the exhibit.

The opening reception will be Friday, September 11 in conjunction with the park's Day of the Dead exhibit. Check out the park's website for more information and a list of artists, here.




Tuesday, November 09, 2010

November featured artist at Tohono Chul Park Gallery-- Me!

I am proud and honored to have been chosen as the November featured artist by Tohono Chul Park. A special grouping of new mosaics are on display in the park's gallery space, which is open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.


Although you can tour Tohono Chul Park's magnificent gardens anytime, the big event for November is Holiday Nights, November 26-27, the weekend of Thanksgiving. The park will be decorated with lights and lighted sculptures, and a holiday exhibit + the featured artist exhibit of my mosaics will be in the gallery.

Check out the Tohono Chul Park website for directions and calendar information.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Buy Local: Tucson Open Studio Tour 2010


Over 200 artists are participating in the fall Tucson Pima Arts Council Open Studio Tour this weekend--November 13-14.

As usual, my midtown mosaic studio will be open both days 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. I will be showing mosaic wall hangings, mosaic shrines, jewelry, and photography.

The Open Studio Tour is a great opportunity for Tucsonans to meet local artists, visit where they work, and see demonstrations. The free, self-guided tour provides a perfect opportunity to buy unique, affordable, and locally-made gifts for the holidays. Most artists have very small businesses. Cash and checks are universally accepted. Occasionally Pay Pal and credit/debit cards are also accepted. (I accept cash, checks, and Pay Pal.)

This year's exhibit featuring the work of Open Studio Tour artists is at Tucson Jewish Community Center. An artists' reception will be held at the JCC on November 11 from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. The JCC exhibit is open to the public Monday - Thursday 5:30 a.m. -10 p.m.; Friday 5:30 a.m.- 6 p.m.; Saturday 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.

Here is a link to an alphabetical list of participating artists and maps. The November issue of Zocalo magazine, which can be free around town, also has a map of the tour and a list of artists.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

The Glow in Oracle, Sept. 24-25

As the moon approaches fullness in the fall, you know it's time for the temperature to cool off in Tucson, it's time to think about your All Souls Procession costume, and it's time for The Glow in Oracle.

The Glow is a lighted art walk by the full moon. It is hosted by the Triangle L ranch in Oracle, Arizona. Southern Arizona artists display lighted sculptures, and local musicians provide the ambiance. This year, 50 artists and 20 musicians will be participating. My sculpture, Flower Power, will be included.

Check out the Glow website for specifics. It is a wonderful night time activity for the family. Here are links to other years: 2007, 2008, 2009.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Second 2nd Saturday is tomorrow downtown

Saturday, June 12 is the second installment of a new downtown Tucson entertainment event-- 2nd Saturdays.

Fashioned after the successful Downtown Saturday Nights from the late 1980s (but with more business influence), 2nd Saturdays is a collection of free arts and music opportunities scattered around downtown. The inaugural event in May 2010 drew an estimated 10,000 people to downtown, and the organizers hope the June event will be just as popular.

From 5:30-10 p.m., 16 musical acts will perform on multiple stages around downtown, and five popular Congress Street clubs also will feature live bands. In addition, the renovated Fox Theatre will offer free admission to Creedence Again, a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover band.

Pop-up retail vendors like KXCI's CD store also will be located throughout downtown.

Who says there's nothing to do in Tucson in the summer? Bring the family and come downtown for some fun tomorrow.

This article originally appeared in my Baby Boomer Examiner column.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Tohono Chul Park A to Z


Tohono Chul Park-- a desert garden oasis on the northwest side of Tucson-- is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

To commemorate this event, a new exhibit opens in the gallery on May 20-- Tohono Chul Park A to Z. Each piece of artwork represents a letter of the alphabet and a unique characteristic of the park.

I'm proud to say that three of my mosaics will be included in this exhibit. For the letter S, I will be showing two companion pieces: Sunny Days and Starry Nights (above). For the letter T (for tree), I will be showing Palo Verde-- Arbol de Flores (below).

The artists' reception will be Thursday, May 20 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The show will run from May 20 to October 3, 2010.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Bohemia Opens New Store on 4th Ave.


Tomorrow-- Thursday, April 22-- Bohemia will be opening a new store at 417 N. 4th Ave.

In case you have been living under rock and have never been to Bohemia, it has been voted the best gift shop/gallery in Tucson for several years in the Tucson Weekly's Best of Tucson Poll. Unlike many gift shops in Tucson, Bohemia carries only goods made by artists-- no Chinese imports!

Bohemia's Art Bodega will be part of The Little Village on 4th Avenue. The Little Village is compromised of Bohemia, Cafe Passe, and two new businesses. The Little Village will be a great stop for coffee, gifts, art, curiosities and a little chow.

The opening celebration will be from 6-10pm and will include an amazing music line-up! The Tryst, The Awkward Moments, Hans Hutchison, Fell City Shouts and more will perform on two stages. It going to be a rockin' night! The featured artists in the cafe gallery are Liz Vaughn and Gavin Troy!

I'm pleased to say that my mosaics will be showing at the Bohemia's Art Bodega--in addition to their main store on Broadway Blvd.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

Nourish your little piece of the desert with rainwater harvesting

Five years ago I bought a 740-square-foot dump in midtown Tucson with a large yard full of goat head burrs and Bermuda Grass. Maybe I was a victim of too many episodes of HGTV design shows, but my plan was to transform this territorial adobe into a cute little home with a yard full of desert-friendly plants, fruit trees, and a vegetable garden-- all irrigated with rain water and grey water.

In 2007, the first phase of my remodel was to add a master bedroom suite, utility room, and covered patio-- increasing the house to a modest 1240 square feet. The second phase-- which began in 2007 and is continuing-- was to capture rain water and transform the wasteland that was my yard into a garden retreat. (The attached slide show details this process in photos.)

Before I started the process, I attended a rainwater harvesting workshop at Stone Curves Co-housing. I spent two weekends digging trenches and installing a cistern with the help of local rainwater harvesting guru Brad Lancaster, landscapers from Technicians for Sustainability, and other volunteers.

Armed with new how-to knowledge, the first step was to design my addition to divert rain water to a future cistern. The entire roof of my home and the addition was sloped toward one scupper on the west side of the house. The patio roof was slanted toward the trees on the east side of the yard.

The second phase was digging-- lots of digging. I dug large tree wells around three major trees, a pomegrante bush, and a desert hackberry in my backyard. I even dug in the rain, which is a curiously refreshing exercise in the summer. It also gives you a very clear idea of where the water is and where it goes once you start digging.

The third phase was to hire a contractor to install gutters, downspouts, and drainage pipe on the patio. Initially, three of the trees were watered with grey water from a washer in a shed in the back, and the other two were watered with runoff from the patio roof.

The fourth phase in January 2010 was to finally install a 900+ gallon cistern, dig a cistern overflow ditch, and add more gutters on my out buildings. With all of the rain that we have this winter, it has been very exciting to watch the cistern fill up repeatedly and overflow into the ditch, carrying the water to other trees. It's also been rewarding to plant bedding flowers and know that I am not wasting city water when I care for them.

The final phase will be to attach the cistern to my existing drip irrigation system and to plant fruit trees this spring and maybe a garden after the summer heat.

Using rainwater and grey water helps our desert environment by allowing you to use less ground water, thus reducing your environmental footprint. If you want to learn more about the process, I highly recommend that you read Lancaster's book, attend a workshop, and buy a good shovel.

Friday, February 26, 2010

'Art that Heals' Opening at Tohono Chul Gallery

Art the Heals is the theme for Tohono Chul Park's upcoming show, which will open on March 11 and runs through May 16. Exhibit organizers received more than 400 entries for the juried show and chose 72 pieces--including my mosaic shrine "Letting Go Is True Freedom" (above).

The gallery will host an opening artists' reception on March 11, 2010 from 5:30 - 7:30. Tohono Chul has a reputation for high-quality exhibits featuring local artists. Stop by the park for the art and a show of spring flowers in the gardens.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Spring Open Studio Tour


The Spring Open Studio Tour will be March 13-14 this year, and my midtown studio will be open both days from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. I'll have dozens of new mosaic designs, photo greeting cards, and beaded jewelry for sale. As a show special, I'm offering earrings and selected necklaces as 2 for the price of 1. Cash, check, and Pay Pal accepted.

More than 100 artists will be participating in the tour. The list of artists is online and will be printed in the March issue of Zocalo Magazine.

The Studio Tour is a great way to support local art and Tucson's economy. Buying direct from artists is very affordable because you will not be paying gallery consignment fees or show costs. Stop by my studio and say "hi".

Monday, January 04, 2010

Tucson Examiner: Do More with Less

How can we live better in tough economic times? Try doing more with less. In my most recent Examiner article, I give suggestions for simpler lifestyles and ideas for creating useful items (like the yard light pictured here) from discarded items.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Cascabel Community Fair 2009

The Cascabel Community Festival was last weekend. Cascabel is a ting community along the San Pedro River, east of Tucson and north of Benson. This was my fourth year as a vendor, but I have been to Cascabel many, many times since the early 1980s. Here is a story about Cascabel in the Tucson Examiner.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Tucson Examiner: 'As Is' Art Yard Sale at Central Arts Gallery's new location

Central Arts Gallery moved out of its Congress street location last weekend. This weekend, it will reopen at its new location in the Citizen's Warehouse. Here is a link to an Examiner article about CAG's first event in its new home-- "As Is Art Yard Sale."

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Tucson Examiner: What Is Our Shared Vision for Downtown Tucson?


Downtown Tucson has gone through several boom and bust cycles since I moved here in 1981. In the past week, three galleries on Congress Street closed their doors--Dinnerware Artspace, Central Arts Gallery, and Rocket Gallery. A sign of a bad economy? No, they were all viable art enterprises. These three galleries, Tooley's coffee shop, and three other businesses are closing their storefronts on Congress to make way for a sports bar. To read more, check out my story in the Tucson Examiner.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Wind Dancer Design One-Day Sale - Central Arts Gallery


On Saturday, November 21, I will be having a one-woman special show at Central Arts Gallery from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. The exhibit will feature my jewelry and mosaic designs. All earrings will be buy-one-get-one-free.

Central Arts Gallery is located at 274 E. Congress St. There is free parking on the street and in back of the gallery. Come on down! Buy local this holiday season.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Tucson Examiner: Swinging in the Old Pueblo

Anyone who has followed this blog knows that I am an avid dancer and that I have been dancing all of my life. have written several posts about dancing in Tucson.

Last week I posted just two articles on Examiner.com about dancing venues in Tucson-- an article about the Tucson Swing Dance Club and an article about Mr. Boogie Woogie.

Here we are dancing to Mr. Boogie Woogie last Friday night. He is a phenomenal boogie woogie piano player from The Netherlands. He'll be in Tucson until mid-November. Check out the Examiner article for a link to his schedule.

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Tucson Examiner: Are You Ready for Halloween?

Halloween is not just a day in Tucson, it's a season! Are you ready? Here are some costume tips for adults in my latest article in the Tucson Examiner.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Put on Your Art Walkin' Shoes


Put on your art walkin' shoes for two major art walks this weekend-- The Glow in Oracle and The Big Picture in Tucson.

The Glow is a lighted art walk by the full moon. Artists primarily from Oracle and Tucson exhibited lighted sculpture for the walk. In addition to the art, there will be outdoor music venues. Check out the website like for photos from past years, including my La Mano Mas Poderosa mosaic shrine from last year. The Glow is Friday and Saturday night from 7 - 11 p.m. at the Triangle L Ranch. Two of my shrines-- Letting Go and Here Comes the Sun-- will be shown in the Adobe Gallery. I also have a number of pieces in the Triangle L Gift Shop.

The Big Picture is Saturday night from 6-10p.m. in downtown Tucson. More than a dozen Central Tucson Gallery Association member galleries will be open-- including Central Arts Gallery, where my work will be showing. Check out the CTGA website link for a list of member galleries. Now that the 4th Avenue underpass is open, it's much easier and safer to visit the galleries along 6th Street, as well as those along Congress Street.

Be aware that Club Crawl is also happening downtown on Saturday night. For those of you who like art and music-- this is a perfect. For people who want to bypass the music, some galleries on Congress may have their back doors, allowing access from the parking lots south of Congress.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

True Stories Opens at Central Arts Gallery

True Stories, the latest exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, opens this Saturday, October 3, with an artists' reception from 6-9 p.m.

It will be a big night in downtown Tucson with the Club Crawl and the Central Tucson Gallery Association gallery tour. If you don't want to buy a wrist band for the music, come early for the gallery scene. Or, if you're into music and art, downtown is the place to be this Saturday night with multiple art galleries and multiple music venues.

At Central Arts Gallery, I am exhibiting a collage of 10 environmental photos entitled True Stories from Earth. Sunset on the Andes (above) and other images from Hawaii, Colombia, Colorado, and Arizona are included. The Earth's true story is one of diversity, survival, interdependence, resilience, death, and renewal. It's our responsibility to teach this story to future generations.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Tucson Examiner: Is Sex Becoming Too Expensive?

$1500 per year for sex? Is sex too expensive? Read my latest article in the Tucson Examiner and learn what you can do about it.