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.

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.

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.

Tucson Examiner: Art in downtown Tucson this weekend

There are several great art events happening in downtown Tucson this weekend (September 11-12). Here is a link to an article I wrote for the Tucson Examiner.

I recently joined the staff of Examiner.com, a national citizen journalism project. Look for more Examiner posts on Muse Views in the future.

Celebrate the Underpass with Underground Art

It seems as if the 4th Avenue underpass has been under construction forever!

This Thursday, August 20, hundreds of Tucsonans will celebrate the opening of the wider, brighter underpass which will reconnect 4th Avenue and Congress Street.

The Central Arts Gallery invites everyone to celebrate the opening of the underpass with Underground Art.

Express yourself by creating your own underground art. Central Arts Gallery will set up tables on the sidewalk in front of the gallery at 274 E. Congress St. from 3:30 - 7 p.m. The gallery is providing paper, markers, crayons, poster paint, and sidewalk chalk; you provide your creativity and ideas.

How do you feel about the 4th Avenue underpass finally opening? How do you feel about downtown? About art downtown? About construction downtown? How is all of this change affecting your life? This is your opportunity to express your joy, sadness, frustration, fear, excitement, whatever in words or pictures.

Underground Art created at this event will be hung in a special display at Central Arts Gallery through September 5. It will be displayed concurrently with Erotic Stimulus Package, the gallery’s latest show. Underground Art created by Central Arts Gallery members also will be exhibited.

Trash Can in Paradise, Pahoa, Hawaii (above) is one of my photographs which will be in the Underground Art exhibit.

The Leonine Life: Light My Fire!

Tucson's fourth Ignite Tucson event will be this Thursday, July 30.

For those of you who missed my February presentation on Lovers I've Never Met, you'll have a chance this week to see my new presentation on The Leonine Life-- honoring the sun in Leo. It will include some tips on getting along with the King of Beasts and tidbits about international and local celebrity Leos.

IGNITE Tucson is an evening of 5 minute Power Point presentations on innovative topics. The last event was a blast. There were several humorous presentations mixed in with a few serious ones. Ignite Tucson will be 7-8:30pm at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. in downtown Tucson. For a $5 donation, you get an evening of eclectic entertainment and all the popcorn you can gobble. If you're thirsty, there's a cash bar.

Come downtown and celebrate the sun-- and my birthday!

Renewal and Evolution

Saturday, June 6 marked the one year anniversary of the Central Arts Gallery, a cooperative gallery in downtown Tucson. The new exhibit, Renewal, marks the culmination of a year of ups and downs. Although the gallery membership has changed several times during the year, a core group of artists--who are now friends-- has kept the gallery alive and fostered its evolution. I'm proud to say that I am a member of that core group and proud of what Central Arts Gallery has accomplished this year. It hasn't always been easy-- far from it-- but it has been rewarding.

I have three photographs in the Renewal show: "Watercourse Way, Playa Blanca, Colombia,""Still Live on the Beach, Playa Blanca, Colombia" (above), and "Abundance, Pinos Altos, New Mexico." I also have a few pieces on the Small Works Wall: "Bano en Paraiso, Playa Blanca, Colombia"(at right), "Wandering, San Carlos, Mexico," and "Flow with Me."

Renewal will be at Central Arts Gallery, 274 E. Congress, in Tucson from June 6 - July 25, 2009. (My apologies to Spanish speakers. I couldn't figure out how to do a tilde on blogger.)

Pollos de Pueblo

Saturday, March 28, Dinnerware Artspace will host Pollos de Pueblo-- an eclectic art event loosely based on chickens-- chickens themselves, chicken dinners, chicken legs, chicken feathers, chicken feet, chicken dance-- you name it-- maybe even chicks in feather boas. Who knows?

Initially, I wasn't going to enter this show. As George Constanza would say, "Chickens? I got nothin'." But when I heard that the topic would be "broadly interpreted", I decided to submit my recent photograph entitled "Eggheads" (above). These are cascarones.

Pollos de Pueblo will run from March 28 - April 4 at Dinnerware. For more details, check out the Dinnerware website or the story in Thursday's Caliente, which I can't link it because the Star won't let me! (Haven't they heard that the web is all about sharing?)

Rumor has it some live chickens from Dunbar Springs will make a guest appearance at the opening on March 28, from 6-9pm. This may be the first time in 100 years that real chickens have walked the streets of downtown Tucson. Don't miss it!

Any, while you're downtown, stop by the Central Arts Gallery (just east of Dinnerware) and catch the closing night of Spirit's Journey. (I'll be at both places.)

Lovers I've Never Met

Friday evening, February 27, is the third Ignite Tucson, and I'm going to give one of the presentations. My topic-- Lover's I've Never Met-- focuses on men whom I've met online but have never met in person. For the most part, I've never even seen pictures of them, but, based upon common interests, we have formed friendships in cyberspace.

During the past year, I have met dozens of men and women online and have dated several-- men, that is. What did I learn from my year of online dating? Here are some random thoughts on cyber love...

You Don't Have to Pay to Play. There are many ways to meet interesting people online (eg, blogging, listservs, social networking) without joining a dating site with a monthly fee. Investigate before you offer your credit card number.

Profiles. You really don't have to write much of a profile to get dates. In fact, a great picture or two and a few, well-chosen words is all you need. Depending upon what type of person you are seeking, you should carefully choose a screen name and a headline for your profile. I found that leaving everything else the same, I got different responses by playing around with these seemingly minor profile components.

Lies. Both men and women lie on their profiles. I read a research article in the New York Times about a study of social networking and online dating websites. It said that men lie about their height and age, while women lie about their weight. Being the naive and trusting person that I am, when I first started participating in online dating (again) a year ago, I was surprised how many younger men were corresponding with me. Eventually, I found out they weren't younger at all; they were just lying about their ages. One guy I dated even lied about his astrological sign. Now I study the photos and don't pay any attention to the listed age. A hint to the guys: if the woman has big '80s hair in her profile photo, it's most likely a photo from the '80s.

Chemistry. What is that little sparkle that you see in one person's eyes but not in another's? Chemistry goes beyond the physical and the intellectual, in my opinion, and into the primal realm. There is some hidden attraction that I feel for some men (or women) but not others. It is inexplicable but real. Unfortunately, online chemistry doesn't always translate to in-person chemistry.

Compatibility. Chemistry may get you into bed with someone, but for anything more than a few dates, a basic compatibility in lifestyles is necessary. Being an old hippie, I try to be accepting of others-- regardless of their social class, education, religion, race, sexual orientation, or ice cream flavor, BUT accepting them for who they are doesn't mean I want to have an intimate relationship with them.

Alternative Lifestyles. For years, social conservatives have been wringing their hands about gay marriage and trying to demonize gays and Lesbians and separate them from the mainstream as "different from us". Well, I'm here to tell the Bible-thumpers in Kansas that there are LOTS of other lifestyles that are "different" from yours! I was married for 18 years, so I figured I had some things to learn about dating when I emerged back on the scene, but I had no idea there were so many combinations of relationships out there.

Emotional Unavailability. This is a concept that I have experienced many times in my dating life but didn't have a label for until recently. During the past year, I've met (online and in person) a number of men who are available to just about anyone physically but emotionally available to no one. By the time one reaches my age, you know many people -- both men and women-- who have had unhappy relationships and/or marriages that have taken psychological tolls on them, leaving them very wary of involvement. It is my hope that these people continue to grow past their hurt.

Be Realistic and Be Yourself. Often people jump into relationships with the first person who pays attention to them, they latch onto that person, and they pretend they are someone else to gain acceptance. Not a good idea. One of the most important lessons I have learned is to be myself. I accept myself and my body, and I believe I project this self-confidence. I don't hide my true self, and I hope the people whom I meet are not hiding their true selves either.

The Four Agreements. This is a great book, and I think the basic agreements are helpful in developing any type of relationship: be true to your word; don't take anything personally; assume nothing; and always do your best.

Wandering Through Dreams: on Congress Street

Spirit's Journey, the latest exhibit at the Central Arts Gallery, will open this coming Saturday, February 7, 2009, with an artists' reception from 6-9 p.m.

Two of my pieces will be included in this show: Wandering Through Dreams (pictured here) and La Mano Mas Poderosa mosaic shrine. I'm proud to say that both of them are on display in the windows of the gallery. I'm also exhibiting jewelry and smaller clay pieces at the gallery for this show, which runs through March 28.

The Central Arts Gallery opening is just one of many scheduled for this Saturday downtown. Many galleries along Congress Street and 6th Street will be open this weekend as part of the Art Safari, organized by the Central Tucson Gallery Association. So, if you missed seeing Bound for Love at the opening of the Amores Perros erotic art show two weeks ago, you can catch it on Saturday at Raices Gallery.

Come downtown and support the arts in Tucson! Here is a list of participating galleries from the Tucson Citizen and a very thorough write-up in the Tucson Weekly.

Central Arts Gallery: Born Again

As many of you know, I have been a member of the Central Arts Gallery (CAG) since it began in May 2008. CAG is a cooperative gallery whose membership has fluctuated during the past 8 months. As with all cooperative ventures, it has not always been very cooperative. One of the inherent problems (or benefits, depending upon how you see it) with cooperatives is that everyone has a voice, and there is really no strong leader, no boss, who has the final say-- just members. Unfortunately, this means that some people always speak louder and longer, and the meek don't always speak.

Yesterday, CAG had a membership meeting which was a delight. The gallery has several new members, and with this new blood, the group has turned a corner, in my opinion, and become a truly cooperative venture. Many, many new ideas were bandied about yesterday. Look for announcements here of upcoming events.

The next show-- Spirit's Journey-- starts this coming Saturday-- more on that later in the week. This exhibit will be a little different from the others because member artists will be showing more pieces. In addition, the gallery has added a Small Works Wall, which displays art that is being sold for $100 and under. There are also prints and jewelry (including some of mine) for sale at the gallery.

New Work, New Show

Basically Simple, the new show at the Central Arts Gallery will open Saturday, October 4. The artists' reception will be from 6-9pm. This is a special evening because the Central Tucson Gallery Association is holding an art walk that evening. Several galleries along Congress Street and 6th Street will be open for the art walk. I have contributed Mi Corazon, Mi Vida to the show. Stop by at 274 E. Congress to view the new work, enjoy eclectic conversation, and have a glass of wine.

On a personal note, I have been very busy in the studio. I finished several new pieces last weekend and have been busy distributing them to galleries and shops around town. Bohemia, the Triangle L Ranch Gift Shop , and the Tucson Museum of Art all have a whole new set of mosaics. Here is a photo of new work in the final stages.

Denver: Ready for the Democrats

On a recent trip to Denver, all I can say is that I really blew it. I made my reservations without checking the calendar closely. I went to Denver the week before the Democratic Convention. I missed all of the action, the Democratic Party dignitaries, and Obama's great stadium speech! Oh, well. I did enjoy my trip to Denver and a visit with my four cousins who live in the area.

I had a wonderful hike in the red rocks area (above). I also enjoyed hiking around downtown Denver. On the Thursday before the convention started, the city was all dressed up for the big show. The gardens around the state capitol building were breathtaking (bottom). I enjoyed the public art-- especially the giant blue bear looking into the convention center window. I wonder what he thought of the speeches?

What really impressed me about downtown Denver was the transportation system. I was staying with my cousin who lives south of town in the suburbs. She suggested we talk the light rail train into downtown. We parked at a free lot not far from her house and took a 15-20 minute train trip into the heart of downtown. The ticket was $3.50 round trip, and the price included transfers to buses and other trains downtown. The park and ride lots in the suburbs were free, but the lots downtown were $8-10 per day. Great pricing structure to encourage ridership. The trains were clean and fast.

The light rail took us right past the convention center and dropped us off at the 16th Street Mall (below). When my cousin first talked about this, I thought it was just a mall, but no, it was a long strip of shops and businesses on an open air pedistrian mall. Only pedistrians, the light rail line, and bicycles are allowed on this strip. Very nice, well-planned, well-excuted. All I can say is: Tucson, what are we waiting for?

On the way back to the burbs at rush hour, it was standing room only. Denver has 6 or so lines now. A light rail line from Colorado Spring to Denver and a line to the new Denver airport are being planned. A line to the airport is a great idea since it is way the heck out of town. For more pictures of Colorado, check out my Flickr site.

Golden, Colorado: The Town the Coors Built

The first time I visited Golden, Colorado, it was 1973. Golden was a sleepy suburb of Denver, and I was a new college graduate on my way to San Francisco to make the scene. That was a time when Coors was a local brew-- not available in Ohio. I remember sipping Coors in a small pub and enjoying the crisp mountain air on a sunny September day.

I've been to Golden a few times since then, but on a recent trip to Colorado, I was surprised to see how much Golden had grown and developed. Golden still has a small town feel, but it is a decidedly upscale small town feel. The downtown (above) has been spiffed up with a new park along the river (bottom), several downtown condo buildings, an historic park with re-enactments (below, right), restored historic homes (below, left), lots of public art, street musicians, a few small museums, and many bustling shops and restaurants. In the top photo, you can see the river-front condos on the right and the Coors plant in the distance. Detractors would say that Golden has been gentrified. OK, yes, it's been gentrified, but as a downtowner, it was heartening to me to visit a city with a vibrant downtown full of people enjoying the interesting things to do. In honor of that day back in 1973, I sat at a sidewalk cafe with my cousin, sipped an ice cold beer, and enjoyed the clean mountain air and the views.

Tobacco Farming and Rain Water Harvesting

So you are asking yourself, "What the heck does tobacco farming have to do with rain water harvesting in the desert?" Those of you who are horiculturally astute may know that there are varieties of tobacco that grow wild in Arizona. The Native Americans have grown native strains of tobacco for centuries and use it in ceremonies.

Tobacco grows wild in the city of Tucson in yards and allies. You can find it particularly in older neighborhoods where many citizens have cultivated native plants and small patches of wildness. (Midtown and downtown can be contrasted with the dirt-colored suburban developments that are characterized by rocks, cement, and a few neatly manicured cacti. Meow.)

If you have seen tobacco growing in fields in Kentucky, you may not recognize the wild tobacco in Tucson. I can remember driving around Kentucky in the 1960s on vacation with the family. We passed miles and miles of tobacco fields. These plants were relatively short (3 feet) and had huge leaves. The tobacco plants growing around Tucson are much taller (up to 10 feet or more) and have hand-sized leaves and pretty yellow flowers.

A friend of mine planted wild tobacco in her university-area desert garden. These plants are at least 8-10 feet tall and offer a nice blind and shade her outdoor picnic area. One day while enjoying breakfast in her yard, I decided to become a tobacco farmer. On the west side of my yard, there is a 5 foot block wall that separates my yard from the two duplexes next door. Ever since I purchased this midtown property, I've been contemplating what beautiful, hardy, tall, fast-growing, drought-and-sun tolerant plant I could put there to screen my yard from the duplexes. Tobacco is that plant.

Lucky for my new seedlings, I also have the downspout from my roof on the west side of my house. If you read any of my rain water harvesting posts from last summer, you know that I planned to put in a rain water collection cistern. Well, that project hasn't happened yet. (Good news for the tobacco; bad news for me because that means I am still transporting rain water around the yard by hand.)

I have a rectangular garbage can that collects water from the downspout, but during a hard monsoon rain, it is filled in minutes. Last summer, the overflow created rivers and lakes in my backyard. (To see last year's photos click on water harvesting link on this blog). This spring, I created a trench from the rain water collection bin to the planting bed along the wall where the tobacco seeds will be planted. I have been waiting for the summer rain to plant my seeds. Thursday we had our first big rain of the summer season. It was glorious. Tomorrow, I'm planting my first tobacco crop.

Downtown Tucson: Another Comeback?

I've lived in Tucson for 27 years. During that time, I have seen many changes in downtown-- some positive and some negative. (Yes, for those of you who live in the 'burbs. Tucson does have a downtown.)

I can remember walking downtown to shop at the old Jacome's and Penney's stores that once stood where the public library now is located. I also can remember the hey-day of Downtown Saturday Nights-- a downtown arts promotion program from the late 1980s. Hundreds of Tucsonans flocked downtown on the first and third Saturday nights to enjoy music, dancing, art, and shopping along Congress Street. (What happened to the enthusiasm of Downtown Saturday Nights and the businesses that used to be on Congress?) I also remember not too long ago when almost nothing was open on Congress Street except the Hotel Congress and the Rialto Theatre.

A small but determined group of artists and dreamers like me have been downtown supporters for years, despite multiple setbacks. Now, it appears as if downtown is rising again (even in the midst of the current traffic and parking nightmares). Along Congress Street, new shops and galleries are popping up next to bars and restaurants like The Grille, Sharks, The District, Tooleys, and Hotel Congress. The trolley tracks that will connect 4th Avenue and downtown are being installed. The city is helping businesses renovate the facades of the old buildings. There is progress.

Events like the Central Tucson Gallery Association's Summer Arts Cruise in June are bringing people downtown. Hundreds of people braved the construction to enjoy art, wine, music, finger foods, and good conversation. More than a dozen galleries were open along Congress Street, 6th Street, and 4th Avenue. (I currently have pieces in two of these galleries on Congress-- Dinnerware Artspace and the new Central Arts Gallery.)

I'm hoping that the artists, politicians, and downtown supporters will work together to wisely invest the Rio Nuevo funds to build a vibrant downtown.