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.)

Wind Dancer Design Studio on the TPAC Open Studio Tour, Nov 9-10

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

'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.

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".

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.

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.

Mujeres Exhibit Opens at Raices

The Fifth Annual Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres exhibit will open at Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop tomorrow, May 2. This is always a great show with many eclectic works by women artists. I have been attending this exhibit for years, but this is the first time my artwork has been included.

Nude Blinds will be at Raices from May 2 through June 13. The opening is Saturday evening from 7-9 p.m. The work of more than 40 Southern Arizona women artists will be included in the show. Come down and see what the gurlz have to offer.

Saturday is also the First Saturday Central Tucson Gallery Association Art Walk. In addition to Raices, my work also will be showing at the Central Arts Gallery, where The Same Story exhibit continues through June. Follow the CTGA link here for a list of member galleries. Most-- in not all-- will be open Saturday night for the art walk.

Studio Tour Recap

The studio sale went well this weekend-- lots of visitors-- far more than last year. Sales also were good. Here is a picture of my cute, little studio. Below are some of the mosaics I had for sale.

Buy Local: Reduce the Carbon Foot Print of Your Holiday Shopping

This weekend, November 8-9, Southern Arizonans have a great opportunity to view and buy local arts and crafts. More than 150 local artists are participating in the Tucson Pima Arts Council (TPAC) Open Studio Tour.

Artists all over town will open their studios to visitors from noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. The TPAC website offers a tour map and an alphabetical list of artists.The Studio Tour is self-guided. With the map, you can pick artists that are in a certain part of town, or if you are looking for a particular artist, you can use the alphabetical list to find their studio address. There are so many studios clustered in the midtown, university, and downtown areas that you can bike the tour-- a real reduction in your holiday shopping carbon footprint. (A friend and I did this one year and it was loads of fun and great exercise.)

My midtown studio is one of the stops on the tour. I have several new mosaic designs and tons of jewelry for sale. Stop by, have a snack, and check out the specials including buy one pair of earrings, get the second pair half off. TPAC has created a full color calendar that includes maps and artist descriptions. Some locations-- including my studio-- will have these available for tour guests.

New Feature: the Blog List

I was busy last night adding by Day of the Dead post and pictures (below) and updating the format of my blog. I added a new feature-- a Blog List-- below on the right.

I had always had a list of blogs and websites, so what's the big deal you ask? The big deal is that the blog list not only shows the blog name but also shows the last post and when it was made. In some ways, this allows blogs to act more like social networking sites. It helps me (and other readers, I hope) keep up with posts on other blogs.

So, any of you who are reading out there, if you you read my blog and you have a blog, maybe we should link using this new Blogger feature? Let's talk...

'Tis the Season to Forsake the Chinese Children and Buy Local

It's almost Halloween in the US, which means it's time to start shopping for the holidays! :-)

Seriously, folks, with all of the economic doom and gloom, retailers around the world are quaking in their fur-trimmed Santa boots for fear that we will cut back our holiday spending this year. Although I agree that prudent shopping is a good idea, I'd like to suggest that you forget about buying cheap goods made in the world's sweat shops and instead shop locally for your holiday presents.

Tucson has many fine artists, crafters, galleries, and gift shops, which all have one-of-a-kind locally handcrafted goods that would make memorable holiday presents.

Besides shopping the local galleries and gift shops that have regular business hours, there are art openings and arts/crafts shopping opportunities in the coming weeks-- including the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour, the Tucson Museum of Art Holiday Craft Market, the 4th Avenue Street Fair, and the Cascabel Christmas Fair.

Here is a list of art openings where you can buy or view my work:

- My studio will be open for the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour, November 8-9, noon to 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. I have several new mosaic pieces and lots of jewelry for sale. I will be offering a studio sale special on jewelry and beaded wall hangings-- buy one piece at the regular price and get the second piece (of equal or lesser value) at half price! Such a deal. You know what I always say, "You can never have too much jewelry!"

- Celebrate Life mosaic wall hanging at the Tucson Pima Arts Council Studio Tour Preview Exhibit, October 23 - November 6 at Galeria Mistica, 2318 S. 4th Avenue. Artists' reception on November 6, 6-8 pm.

- Dove of Peace mosaic shrine at the Artists for Obama Exhibit and silent auction, Saturday, October 25, 6-9pm at Representative Raul Grijalva's Campaign Office, 452 S. Stone Ave.

- Danny Boy, the Pipes Are Calling digital photograph in the Go Boldly Exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress St., November 8 - 28. Artists' reception on November 8, 6-9 pm.

- Mi Corazon, Mi Vida mosaic wall hanging currently showing in the Basically Simple Exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress St.

- I also will be participating in the Cascabel Holiday Fair again this year, December 6-7.

As the dates approach, there will be more details on these future shows.

In addition to these special events, I have a number of mosaics at the Bohemia, Tucson Museum of Art Gift Shop, and the Triangle L Gift Shop.

So with all of these opportunites, I urge you to forsake the Chinese children this holiday season and buy local!

The Glow: Lighted Art Walk in Oracle

The Glow at the Triangle L Ranch is this weekend-- September 12 and 13-- in Oracle, Arizona. Two of my pieces, including a large alter-- La Mano Mas Poderosa (above)-- will be included in the gallery at the Glow.

The Triangle L Ranch is an old Arizona dude ranch. Each year in the fall the ranch hosts the Glow, a lighted sculpture walk. Lighted paths lead visitors around the grounds. Along the paths is a wide variety of sculptural pieces; more delicate artwork and pieces lit with candles are displayed in the adobe barn gallery. The event also features live music. For information and a map, check out the link. Here are three pictures from last year's Glow.

Acts of Self-Confrontation: Opening August 23

The latest exhibit for the Central Arts Gallery is Acts of Self-Confrontation. This eclectic show will open on Saturday, August 23. The reception is 6-10 p.m. Tucson blues master, Tom Wallbank, will perform an acoustic set from 6:30 - 7 p.m. My latest shrine Letting Go will be included in the show. Stop by for some art, music, wine, cheese, and conversation.