Tucson Mural Arts Program Blog

MLK Day of Art Service

2012-01-24T11:57:00.000-08:00

On Monday, January 16 from 1-4pm in Winsett Park, 316 N. 4th Ave. we were joined by dozens of people to paint and dialogue about the importance of Dr. Martin Luther King in our daily lives and work.

This was an opportunity for Tucson to honor Dr. King’s legacy through arts service. The MLK Day of
Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community. A Walk Up Art Station was present on site where the public shared stories, ideas and commented on our Together We Thrive Mural Project design for the site.

Howenstine Magnet High School, 555 South Tucson Boulevard.

Here are some samples of the work created:

BEYOND photo essay

2012-01-08T23:58:00.000-08:00

Watercolor by Amy Orr

On January 7, as part of the BEYOND festival, TAB unveiled the proposed mural design for "Together We Thrive Mural". This was also a time to reflect and share ideas revolving around the January 8 tragedy. Over 50 people stopped by throughout the day, including drummers from One Heartbeat.

An example of one of the artworks created Jan. 7

The public had an opportunity to comment on the design, and suggest changes and additions.


Artists of all ages contributed.

2012

Next week join us for the Dr. Martin Luther King
Together We Thrive Mural Project: Community Input and Walk Up Art Station

Monday, January 16 @ 1-4pm
Winsett Park, 316 N. 4th Ave.
All ages FREE event

This is an opportunity for Tucson to honor Dr. King’s legacy through arts service. The MLK Day of
Service empowers individuals, strengthens communities, bridges barriers, creates solutions to social problems, and moves us closer to Dr. King’s vision of a beloved community.

TAB will be hosting a Walk Up Art Station where the public can share stories, ideas,create water color reflections and comment on the proposed mural design.

BEYOND Festival January 7

2011-12-02T13:08:00.001-08:00

Are you ready to make the world a more beautiful place? Do you have stories and feeling to share emerging from the January 8 tragedy?

Join us for a day of Community Arts Service and reflection on January 7 as part of the city wide BEYOND Festival. Review and comment on the mural design, help repair the wall, draw your ideas and write reflections.

January 7, 2012

Location: Winsett Park, 316 N 4th Ave.

Time: 1 - 4pm

Contact: info@tucsonartsbrigade.org

So what have we been up to? This fall we hosted a series of community design workshops at Howenstine High School, and gathered ideas at neighborhood meetings and events. There were 17 workshops, regular field trips and lots of discussions.

Some of the most interesting conversations revolved around what it means to bully, what it means to have power over – or control. “The goal of the bully is to get under your skin” offered one student, “then they get a reaction”. Many people spoke of the need to communicate more, get to know one another and depict images of people working together, brick by brick, to build community. We learned that place and community are critical to the story of Tucson so we have incorporated the history and folklore of the area surrounding the mural, 4th Avenue. Rose Taulton is the Community Outreach Coordinator for this project, and grew up on 4th Avenue. She describes in detail the people and places that make up life in this area.

A Detail of the fading mural to be restored.

Another hot topic has been youth voice and tagging. We had several conversations about civic responsibility and stewardship. It was pointed out that adults tag too, and we need solutions that are creative and reflect the identity of our community. We paired youth with adults, the adults listened and wrote, while the youth talked about the lack of places for free expression, being inundated by advertising, violence and apathy. The solutions they offered included working with the Tucson Arts Brigade on beautification projects.

Service Learning Students from throughout Tucson joined in a Nov. 9 Day of Service

On November 9th we hosted Americorp, Service Learning students from City High, Howenstine and Vail for a day of service to begin repairing the wall in preparation for the transformation of the Share the Bounty Mural into the Together We Thrive Mural. TAB painted the original mural in 1997. A campaign was launched to request that the Arts Brigade create a mural for the victims of January 8. The theme of the original mural matched the idea of individuals playing a vital role in building community over many generations. This spring we will begin painting the mural, with your ideas included.

On January 7, you can become a part of this mural.

If you would like to get more involved in this project weekly workshops resume on:

Tuesday Jan. 17, 2012 3:30 – 5pm

Howenstine Magnet High School555 South Tucson Boulevard

ALL AGES WelcomeFree, registration required.

Winter 1997 TAB Newsletter

2011-08-23T02:06:00.000-07:00

For a several years TAB produced and distributed a newsletter once or twice a year. They are really wonderful keepsakes, so over the coming months we will feature various issues.

These newsletters and the writings they contain speak to the diversity of TAB and dedication it's numerous supporters, members and friends.

To best read these you can click on the image to enlarge. Enjoy!

Community Arts Lab

2011-05-15T22:45:00.000-07:00

The Community Arts Lab (CAL) was a unique experiment in community art making that has deeply informed the TAB narrative and practice. CAL was a learning environment, a production facility, a a gathering place, a theater, puppet production studio, gallery, library, office and who could forget “art-supply alley”. This was a place where artists and cultural workers of all ages could come to teach, create art, learn or launch new initiatives. Every day and evening was busy, with phones ringing and schedules packed. It was a dynamic environment that birthed many new initiatives at a time of renewed interest in civic engagement and social change.

There were several ongoing program areas that included workshops for people of all ages and abilities. These initiatives fell under four program areas:

Youth Community Arts Training Program (YATP)
Community Arts Training Program
Popular Education and Labor History
Women’s Space

Workshop samples included drawing, painting, sewing, paper making, print making, collage, photography and theme based workshops such as “How Would Fredrick Douglas Respond to Big Mountain?”, “Stone Soup” and “Community W.O.R.K.S.”.

From 1998-2004 CAL grew and developed alongside of TAB. Events became larger and more dynamic. CAL had outgrown it’s small studio. The center, maintained by a volunteer collective, simply didn’t have the resources needed to re-open at a new location that was up to code.

In 2004 the decision was made to close CAL, incorporating it’s rebirth into our long range planning. That day may not be far off, and as with all TAB projects, it will be something new, unexpected, exciting and cutting edge.

DIETZ ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MURAL PROJECT

2011-02-11T17:04:00.001-08:00

The “Whole Systems Ecology” mural at Dietz Elementary School was designed and painted by 48 students in Ms. Kievit’s and Mr. Requadt’s third grade classes.

Teaching Artist and muralist Michael Schwartz worked with students over 12 sessions to design and paint this student work. This mural sought to illustrate the connection between art and ecology in our desert bio-region. Our theme revolved around the classroom curriculum of whole system ecology and sustainable design. Students studied observational drawing , the elements of art and artistic design elements such as balance, repetition, and symmetry in nature.

After combining our ideas we transferred the designs to four 4 x 8 panels. There were daily journal exercises and writings and looking at works of art. Painting was an exciting step of the process, and everyone wanted to continue working. For one session we tried an experiment by inviting classical musician Bret Lashley to play music as we painted on our mural. Mr. Schwartz asked him to think of works that expressed the design concept of Unity and Variety and various types of line. Among the works he selected were “Magic Flute Variations (Theme by W.A. Mozart) Opus 9 by Fernando Sor (b Feb 1778; d Paris, July, 10 1839) and “Study in A minor Opus No. 50” by Mauro Giuliani (July 27, 1781 – May 8, 1829). The live music added a wonderful element to the classroom. We worked several more sessions carefully layering our paint onto every part of the mural.

Finally we finished and had some time to reflect on our experiences. Mr. Schwartz worked with Dietz Custodian Alan Hall to install the mural in the cafeteria, where the Dietz Community will be able to enjoy the work for years to come.

A special thank you to all the staff and parents at Dietz, and to Christine and Greg and Cheryl for helping out in class!

Move, Paint Create!

2010-11-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

Over the past few weeks we have been working hard getting the word out about Tucson Arts Brigade and our work bringing artists to work in school, community centers, with neighborhoods and organizations.

A few weeks ago we were honored to host guest artist Mizu Desierto from Portland and local Tucson artist Jodi Netzer. They teamed up to teach a dance/theatre workshop and present a special premiere performance at the Rhythm Industry Performance Factory. Bodies of Water was a preview of the 2nd annual The Water Project: Tucson’s Synergistic Water Festival, a festival that promotes creative and proactive solutions for our most precious resource.

We have a great new website, you have to check it out!

Also we participated in a bunch of fall fiestas including Barrio Centro, the 29th Street Celebration, Tucson Meet Yourself, Green Builders Expo, and the HOKO Festival. People could come get their face painting or create recycled art from plastic bottles.

Our Mural Arts Program up and running!

Tuesday - Howenstein High School 3-5pm (For youth living in Barrio Centro)

Wednesdays - Boys and Girls Club on 29th and Columbus, 2:30 - 4:30

Thursdays - Arts For All on Oracle (for youth city wide), 4 - 6pm.

We are scheduling several other projects so look for some fantastic new murals in the months to come!

Our Youth Advisory Board will be meeting this winter. If you know youth who are interested in facilitating their OWN community arts project please contact us so we can tell you how to get involved. This group will have their own budget and 100 percent youth led process.

We are asking artists to bring examples of their work to our next meeting Monday November 15 6-7pm at the Armory Park Community Center 220 S. 5th Ave.. We will be sharing our work and talking about an upcoming exhibition and TAB fund raising opportunity.

More updates soon!

Looking Forward Looking Back

2010-09-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

For the September 11 National Day of Service we prepared

the mural site at Arts for All.

That night we led the Play Area Sandbox at BatNight

I love this blog, mostly because I can share the story of TAB's 15 years of work in an open environment. Many of the murals we have created in Tucson over the years have been connected to a group or event. That is to say they are community initiated and involve dozens of people in every step of the process.

This fall we will be starting three new projects. We will be working with Arts for All, Barrio Centro Neighborhood Association and the 29th Street Coalition on designing and painting a series of four murals. We created blogs for Barrio Centro and the 29th Street projects. We are still awaiting the go ahead on the plans for the Archer Center mural. We expect that project to take place in 2011.

Also we are in the early stages of planning a mural about water to coincide with the annual Water Project Festival.

I have no idea what these murals will look like, that's part of the fun of this work. The people who live, learn, play and work in these areas will be doing the designing and painting.

The same is true for the two murals seen below. These projects were both done before digital cameras took over the world. I'll see if I can't dig up some better images.

NAAPAE (North American Alliance for Popular and Adult Education) Mural
5 1⁄2’ X 30’ on Canvas
Where: OISE/University of Toronto, CANADA
When: February, 1999
Lead Artist: Michael Schwartz

About this mural:
Mural from the Commonfire Conference: Coming Together Across Borders and Issues for Economic, Environmental and Social Justice. This Participatory mural was created by over 75 participants during the five day conference in Tucson, AZ. The mural, on canvas, was then shipped to Canada.

Seeds for Life
7’ x 7’ Acrylics on Wood
Where: Private Family Garden, Tucson, Arizona, USA
When: 1999
Artist Facilitator: Michael Schwartz
About this mural:
This project involved 26 people in an intergenerational 12 week project. The mural depicts the four directions, four elements (water, air, fire, earth) and the genetic diversity of the Sonoran Bioregion. We discussed gardening, seeds, rotations of life, the moon and much more.

More to come next month!

Two New 2010 Murals

2010-06-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Miracle Manor Neighbors reviewing their mural design.

2010 - "Miracle Manor Neighborhood Mural"
Location: 2520 N. 15th Ave
14' x 64'
©2010 Tucson Arts Brigade/YES Network/Michael B. Schwartz

2010 - The 4 B's
Location: Wakefield Middle School
8' x 30'
©2010 Tucson Arts Brigade/Wakefield Muralists /Michael B. Schwartz

The Tucson Arts Brigade's Mural Arts Program (TMAP) has several new murals about town that have involved dozens of people in every aspect of the mural planning and production process. You can follow the links to the project sites.

Early TMAP Murals Part 1

2009-12-04T00:42:00.000-08:00

Each of these murals has their own story and memories. There were many hundreds of people who helped create these and more than 70 other works during the early TMAP years (1995-2004). Most of these works were never documented digitally, so we will be adding more images and stories over time.

"Building Community"

1998

3-5th Graders from Miles Exploratory School

(Scott St. building demolished)

"Our Yaqui Culture"

Old Pascua Plaza

1998

"Share the Bounty"

4th Avenue - Winsett Park

1998

"Save the Scenic Santa Ritas"

1998

Queen Ave., Dunbar Spring Neighborhood

"Do Justice Love Mercy" "forgive the Debts to the Poorest of Nations"

2000

(destroyed) had been on River Road

"Hope Beyond Conflict" Mobile Mural

2003

Create by students of many faiths.

"The Old and New Tucson" Mobile Mural

2002 Summer Mural Arts Camp

Tucson Mural Arts Program Blog

2009-10-27T18:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Tucson Mural Arts Program Blog!

This month we are working in the Miracle Manor Neighborhood on a history based mural. You can read all about the project by clicking here.