The University of Arizona Museum of Art (UAMA) wasn’t even open yet the morning after Thanksgiving 1985, when an employee arrived to find a man and a woman already waiting outside. The gregarious couple managed to talk their way in, following the employee into the building.
University of Arizona Museum of Art in 1982 via Gannett.
The woman, wearing a red jacket and a scarf in her hair, chatted up a security guard, while her mustachioed partner went upstairs toward one of the museum’s most important works.
Woman-Ochre had been in the museum’s collection since 1958. It was unceremoniously taken off exhibit when this Black Friday visitor hacked the canvas out of its frame, rolled it up, stuffed it under his jacket (or somewhere), and made a hasty exit with his accomplice.
The empty frame of the missing de Kooning painting via UANews.
The two were peeling out of the parking lot with the painting before anyone at the museum realized what had just occurred. Back then, the UAMA didn’t have security cameras, and there were no leads. All they had was testimony from the few eyewitnesses, police composite sketches, and an empty frame.
Composite police sketches of the thieves, along with the empty frame they left behind. On display at UAMA’s Restored exhibition.
UAMA put the theft insurance money they received from the state into getting surveillance cameras and otherwise tightening up their security.
Possibly unrelated, but the university has also renovated the area, so you can no longer pull a car right up to the front of the museum.
UAMA today – with security cameras.
Periodically, UAMA would remind the public of the missing painting. Staff held out hope for its return, but they really didn’t know if they’d ever see it again.
And, for over 30 years, they didn’t.
Willem de Kooning with Woman I peering over his shoulder, c. 1952. By Kay Bell Reynal, Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.
The Origin: New York 1955
“Beauty becomes petulant to me. I like the grotesque. It’s more joyous.”
The painting they had stolen was Woman-Ochre by Willem de Kooning, who is considered to be one of “the twentieth century’s most influential artists.” He was a contemporary of New York abstract expressionists like Arshile Gorky, Franz Kline, Jackson Pollock, Ad Reinhardt, and Mark Rothko.
Jackson Pollock, Number 20 (from 1950), painted on the back of a game board.
Woman-Ochre is part of the controversial series of Women paintings de Kooning did in the early 1950s. Described by some as “aggressive” or “violent,” they were too abstract to be considered portraits, but the recognizable human forms meant they weren’t abstract enough for de Kooning’s avant-garde friends.
Woman-Ochre by Willem de Kooning, 1955.
Perhaps his refusal to fit neatly into categories is part of what has kept people intrigued by de Kooning’s art over the years. His works are “among the most marketable in the world.” In 2016, his piece Interchange sold for $300 million, making it the world’s most expensive painting at the time. The University of Arizona (UA) estimated Woman-Ochre itself to be worth $160 million in 2005.
The Alters’ home in Cliff, New Mexico. By Cheryl Evans/The Republic.
The Discovery: New Mexico 2017
“…if the thief has kept the painting, he or she eventually dies, and the surviving family finds the painting and tries to sell it. The painting is returned — but the process can take decades.”
–UANews article written in 2015, when Woman-Ochre’s whereabouts were still unknown
In 2017, a retired public school speech therapist named Rita Alter passed away in Cliff, New Mexico, a town of under 300 people. Her husband, Jerry had passed a few years before, so their nephew was left in charge of dealing with the house and eclectic estate.
A tile-covered pyramid, one of the random assortment of possessions the Alters left behind. Image Courtesy of David Farley via Arizona Republic.
Most of the furniture and some other household items were sold as a lot to Manzanita Ridge Furniture + Antiques in nearby Silver City for $2000.
Manzanita Ridge Furniture and Antiques via their Facebook page.
That included an intriguing mid-century painting that was found awkwardly hanging behind the Alters’ bedroom door. Once it was on display in the store, people started asking if it was authentic and offering huge amounts of money for it.
Woman-Ochre hung behind the Alters’ bedroom door. Photo on display at UAMA’s Restored exhibition.
Puzzled, store co-owner David Van Auker removed it from the floor and began researching the painting. The search turned up articles from the 30th anniversary of Woman-Ochre’s theft, which UA publicized to keep the missing work in the public eye.
One UANews article from that time basically called it: “Usually, a stolen painting gets returned to a collection in one of two ways. The thief may try to sell the piece shortly after the heist and get caught. This often takes only a few years. But if the thief has kept the painting, he or she eventually dies, and the surviving family finds the painting and tries to sell it. The painting is returned — but the process can take decades.”
David picked up the phone and called UAMA. “I think I have a piece of art that was stolen from you guys….”
The Co-Owners of Manzanita Ridge Furniture + Antiques. Photo on display in UAMA’s Restored exhibition.
A few days later, museum staff made the 3-hour drive from Tucson to Silver City to authenticate the painting. They were moved to tears when they realized it truly was the piece that had been missing for so long.
“The thieves actually committed two crimes that day. First, they stole an important signature painting from the University’s museum collection. They also stole more than 30 years of access from the public and scholars across the world, depriving them of the opportunity to appreciate, learn from and be inspired by a significant artist.”
How did it get there in the first place? There’s evidence to suggest that the couple who owned the New Mexico home where the de Kooning was found were the ones who had made off with it all those years before. Since they’re both deceased, they won’t get a jury trial. However, we know the pair was in Tucson the day before the heist, celebrating Thanksgiving with family. And they do bear a resemblance to the police sketches made shortly afterwards.
Via ArtNet: “A police sketch of the suspects in the 1985 de Kooning heist released shortly after the crime took place, and a photograph of Jerry and Rita Alter at Thanksgiving dinner in Tucson the day before the robbery. Image courtesy of the police department and Ron Roseman.”
UAMA offered to purchase the painting from Manzanita Ridge, but they refused to accept any money for it.
Aerial view of the Getty Research Institute. Via the Getty blog.
The Restoration: Los Angeles 2019-2022
They didn’t steal [Woman-Ochre] from the museum, they stole it from all of us. From everyone.”
–David Van Auker, the antique store co-owner who found Woman-Ochre
It turns out that violently wrenching an oil painting from its canvas, rolling it up, and then stuffing it under your clothing are not recommended art preservation techniques.
Woman-Ochre close-ups sent to UAMA after its rediscovery in New Mexico.
When Woman-Ochre was finally found, it was a mess. The paint was cracked and flaking off. Damage caused by the theft was made worse by amateur attempts to repair it and the haphazard way it was stapled and screwed into a new frame. (Also not recommended.)
Laura Rivers, Getty paintings conservator, working on the restoration of Woman-Ochre. Via the Getty blog.
The painting was taken to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, where their team of experts painstakingly assessed and repaired the damage. They were able to use infrared photography and X-radiography to find out exactly what type of materials de Kooning had used to create his painting, so they could treat it appropriately.
Woman-Ochre before restoration: under raking light (left), XRF (Macro X-Ray Fluorescence) scan (middle), close-up of cracked paint (right, top), and microscopic paint cross-section (right, bottom) on display in UAMA’s Restored exhibition.
Conservator Laura Rivers spent months cleaning it and using a microscope and small dental tools to reattach tiny paint fragments piece by piece.
Work restoring the painting went on for about 2.5 years before it was ready to be back on exhibit.
Woman-Ochre on display in UAMA’s Restored exhibition.
The Exhibition: Tucson 2022-2023
“I believe art should be where everyone can see it.”
After an exhibition at the Getty, Woman-Ochre returned to its Tucson home.
Mark Rothko’s Green on Blue (left) and other mid-century works on display in UAMA’s Abstract Perspectives in Mid-Century Art exhibition. You can also see Woman-Ochre (centerpiece of the Restored exhibition) through the doorway on the right side of the photo.
Phillip and I got to see the Restored: The Return of Woman-Ochre exhibition, as well as Abstract Perspectives in Mid-Century Art, which displayed art from de Kooning’s contemporaries, showing the context of his work.
Phillip walks by “Number IV” by Morris Louis, 1957, at UAMA.
Restored wrapped up today, but the Woman-Ochre painting itself will remain on display at UAMA. It will return to museum’s second floor in a gallery that has been renamed the Manzanita Ridge Gallery in honor of the antique store owners who were crucial in its journey home.
Via Manzanita Ridge Antiques on Facebook.
More to Watch + Listen to about Woman-Ochre…
The Thief Collector: Documentary about Woman-Ochre’s theft and the secret lives of the crime’s main suspects. I got to see a screening with my friend Laurel at UA in October. I’ve wanted to recommend it, but there wasn’t really anywhere you could see it. Now it’s finally available to rent or buy on Amazon! (Not endorsing Amazon but glad this gripping yet thoroughly entertaining doc is getting out there!)
The Recovery: 10-minute video by the Arizona Republic.
The Happenings List is my seasonal selection of goings-on for lovers of art, craft, culture(s), and nature.
*Goodies: There are bonus items, freebies, and discounts sprinkled throughout the list and asterisked to make them easier to find.
Events you can enjoy anywhere: Happenings and Goodies you can participate in without having to physically be in Arizona are marked as “ANYWHERE” and all listed in the last section.
Tell me about it! I can’t make it to as many Happenings as I’d like, so I’d love to hear about any you go to! Send me an email or hashtag social media posts about your experience with #TCJreco.
Gem intarsia box by artist Nicolai Medvedev via Diamonds.com
now – June 2023 / Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, Scottsdale / Included with admission.
Collection of boxes covered in elaborate patterns made of gem materials. This complex form of lapidary art is known as “gem intarsia.” Artist Nicolai Medvedev uses deep green malachite and dark blue azurite from Bisbee, turquoise from Globe, as well as other minerals sourced worldwide.
*ANYWHERE:See the West from Home! Listen, read, or watch videos about subjects featured in the museum.
Project for Valley residents to document saguaros you see. Each observation can include photos, a location, and notes about the general health of the saguaro and can be recorded using iNaturalist, a free smartphone app and website.
This is a project lead by the Desert Botanical Garden.
Data will help to learn about the biology and distribution of saguaros, as well as to understand how extreme urban heat and drought affects them.
Performers at NAFA Phoenix’s deusi bhailo program in October 2022 via Nepalis And Friends Association on Facebook.
May 6, 3pm – 7pm / Chandler Community Center, Chandler / Registration fees: adults $30, kids (age 4-9) $15, ages 3 and under are free
Welcome in the year 2080 B.S. (according to the traditional Nepali lunar calendar) with the Nepalis and Friends Association! The celebration will include dinner, performances of Nepali songs, and a cultural fashion show.
The Nepali New Year festival is just one of the events the Nepalis and Friends Association (NAFA) organizes in Arizona and celebrates with the Nepalese community and American friends. The non-profit organization promotes Nepali culture and strives to educate the next generation on their heritage.
May 6, June 3, July 8, 4-5:30pm / Fushicho Daiko Dojo, Phoenix / $20
Single-class sessions on Taiko, Japanese ensemble drumming, so you can try it out before deciding whether to commit to ongoing classes. Learn the background and significance of Taiko and learn your first song! Try Taiko classes for adults are on Saturday evenings at the beginning of each month. Classes for kids happen less frequently, so watch the registration page.
June 17, 5pm – 10pm / Eastlake Park, Phoenix / Free.
Black history and culture appreciation event with musical and arts performers, community groups and schools, free health screenings, educational workshops, a youth essay contest, childrenʼs activities, arts and crafts, vendors, games, and soul food.
June 21, 11am-1pm / Burton Barr Central Library, Phoenix / Free.
Event centered around the once-a-year moment when sunlight lines up perfectly to illuminate the tops of columns across the library’s Great Reading Room, designed by architect Will Bruder. It only happens at solar noon on the summer solstice!
May 3 – May 26 / Sedona Arts Center (SAC), Sedona / Free.
Exhibition featuring painting, drawing, mixed-media, photography, and art installation that celebrates Latino/a cultural identity, histories, traditions, and contemporary social justice issues. Diverse Arizona artists – both established and emerging – have created imaginative works to spark conversation, cultural connections, and community.
May 3, 4pm: Celebrate Sedona! Bi-monthly celebration of the community’s music, food, drink, and artistry. This special edition of the event will take place in the upper parking lot of Sedona Arts Center. There will be music by Guitarras Latinas, a ceramics sale and demos by SAC, plus additionallocal art and eats.
June 15 – July 22 (Thursdays through Saturdays) / Red Rock Ranch and Farms, Concho / Free.
Six-week festival of lavender grown in the mountains of northeastern Arizona. See the fields in bloom, learn about growing and cooking with lavender, visit the lavender shop to purchase lavender plants and gift items, or cut your own lavender bouquet (clippers provided).
Red Rock Ranch’s wine tasting room will be open during the festival for tastings, as well as for purchasing wine and cheese plates.
Pets are not allowed at the farm during the festival.
Post-festival hours: Starting July 29, the Wine Tasting Room and Shop will be open Saturdays 1-6pm.
June 17, 11am – 9pm / Thorpe Park ball fields, Flagstaff / Day-of tickets: ages 11+: $25, free for children 10 and under.
Flagstaff’s family-friendly Pride Festival works to support cultural diversity and human rights by fighting discrimination of any kind. It has been held annually for the past 26 years at the Thorpe Park ball fields. This year, however, will be the 1st Annual Flagstaff Pride Parade! Also on the agenda: vendors and exhibitors, food, a beer garden, and entertainment, including music, performers, a dance tent, and drag shows.
June 24-25 / Museum of Northern Arizona (outside), Flagstaff / Admission: adults $20, youth (ages 10-17) $10, free for children 9 and under
Showcase for the diverse Indigenous cultures of the Colorado Plateau region, which include the Acoma, Apache, Diné (Navajo), Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Pai, Ute, Yavapai, and Zuni. The expanded 2023 market and mainstage will be located on the forested grounds outside of the museum, so there will be plenty of space and fresh air.
Entertainment: traditional dances, music, talks by cultural experts.
Purchases at the festival benefit the artists, who are all enrolled members of recognized Indian tribes.
*Get full weekend access to the festival for only $5 more than a single-day ticket!
now – May 20 / University of Arizona Museum of Art (UAMA), Tucson / Included with admission.
Thirty-seven years after being stolen from the University of Arizona Museum of Art, Willem de Kooning’s painting, Woman-Ochre, has returned to the UAMA galleries! This exhibition features the work and its unusual history, including the extensive restoration it underwent after being recovered.
After the Restored exhibition ends, the Woman-Ochre painting itself will remain on display at UAMA – returning to museum’s second floor.
ANYWHERE:The Thief Collector documentary looks at Woman-Ochre’s theft and the secret lives of the crime’s main suspects. You can pre-order the Blu Ray/DVD via Amazon now. Starting in May, it will be screening in select North American theaters and available on Amazon Prime in the UK.
Self-guided walking tour of haiku poetry printed on signs in planters along Congress Street and Stone Avenue. The 20 poems are winners of an annual literary competition, submitted by the public and chosen by Tucson’s poet Laureate, TC Tolbert. This year’s theme is “Planting Seeds.”
Flower mound art from Lex Gjurasic’s Radical Happiness exhibition in Chandler in 2022.
Exhibit featuring the amazing plant life of Arizona through the colored pencil medium.
The Phoenix Chapter of the Colored Pencil Society of America (CPSA) is a part of a national nonprofit organization. Members of the Society exhibit their work throughout the country and conduct workshops and lectures.
Now – August / Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Tucson / Included with admission.
Incorporating locally-found materials, Chilean artist and poet Cecilia Vicuña arranged hundreds of hanging knotted fibers and into what she calls a “poem in space,” which speaks to the way we are interconnected with each other and our environment.
Goodies:
*Outside the museum is Mini MOCA, a small artworks exchange in the style of a little free library.
*Discounts for Downtown Clifton Hotel guests: 2 for 1 admission at MOCA, as well as 10% off any purchase in the MOCA Shop.
“Solar Tower” by Jerald Jacquard outside Tucson Museum of Art.
Now – September 17 / Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson / Included with admission.
Every-other-year exhibition of innovative and diverse new works by Arizona artists. It provides an opportunity for emerging artists to exhibit their art in a museum setting and to introduce it to the public. A different juror from outside the state is selected to curate each Arizona Biennial, reviewing the works of hundreds of artists to create a cohesive exhibition that becomes an overview of artistic creativity in Arizona.
This year’s juror, Taína Caragol, is the Curator of painting, sculpture, and Latinx art and history at the National Portrait Gallery, who led the portrait commission of former President Obama by Kehinde Wiley.
*First Thursday. On the first Thursday of the month, TMA offers extended hours (5-8pm), pay-what-you-wish admission, art and gallery activities, entertainment, and a cash bar. Reserve your free ticket online.
*Second SundAZe. Focused on intergenerational learning, the Second Sunday of the month features activities and art-making for kids, as well as docent talks, free performances, and pay-what-you-wish admission.
Part of a month-long cross-border culinary celebration of maíz (corn), co-hosted with 4 other UNESCO Cities of Gastronomy: Puebla, Mexico; Mérida, Mexico; and San Antonio, Texas.
Artist talk with Justin Favela, who will offer insights into his creative practice and his relationships with the Popol Vuh creation story and the series of images it inspired artist Carlos Mérida to make.
Family Fiesta: A public celebration and performance work featuring the artist’s family’s traditions, live music, and art-making activities!
*First Thursday: This takes place on the first Thursday of May, when Tucson Museum of Art offers extended hours (5-8pm) and pay-what-you-wish admission. Reserve your free ticket online.
6 paired courses + hors d’oeuvres to highlight the wide range of uses for maíz.
Tucson Chefs Janos Wilder and Gary Hickey will welcome three visiting chefs from the UNESCO Pueblos del Maíz co-host cities, and each chef will prepare a corn-focused course.
May 5, 6:30pm: Maíz Showcase / Tucson Museum of Art / $75
A bocadito dinner experience that includes TEN small plates, ONE Pueblos del Maíz signature beer by Borderlands Brewery, and some special surprises!
Featuring a group of Tucson’s finest chefs, restaurateurs, and food artisans.
Shop native plants and seeds with music and retail booths from local farmers and artisans, including artist/designer Jenna Tomasello, and Shooting Star Pottery.
May 6, 12pm / Armory Park, Tucson / $15 general admission
Festival promoting liberty, equality, and justice for the Latino LGBTQ community! The event will include national and local performing artists, mariachis, baile folklorico, vendor booths, and food trucks.
Presented by Latino Pride Alliance (LPA). which addresses issues faced by the Latina/o lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, such as family acceptance, homophobia, xenophobia, family separation, and homelessness.
G’s Horn sculpture by Robert Wick at Tucson Botanical Gardens.
May 10, 10:30am / Tucson Botanical Gardens, Tucson / $75
Class about getting outside and taking pictures! Includes targeted instruction on basic composition, nature and landscape photography, close up / macro photography, and the use of props.
Taught and guided by William Walther and Peggy Steffens.
Bring a camera or smart phone that you know how to operate.
Arrive 10 minutes early, and meet in the Education Building Classroom.
Register soon: class limited to 12 students.
Highway 90 near Sierra Vista and the Patterson Observatory.
The Patterson Observatory has a 20” aperture telescope, capable of observing objects one million times fainter than the human eye can detect! Huachuca Astronomy Club (HAC) volunteers operate the observatory, located on University of Arizona Sierra Vista Campus.
Events are weather dependent and will be canceled in case of inclement weather. If the sky is even partly cloudy, visitors should check the recording at (520) 626-6649 for a cancellation notice.
No public viewing events are scheduled during the monsoon months of July and August.
ANYWHERE:Virtual tour of the Patterson Observatory.
Free Observation Times:
May 13 + June 10, 9-11am: Solar Saturdays. Every second Saturday of the month (weather permitting), HAC Members will show you sunspots, solar prominences and other solar features through safe solar telescopes.
May 25 + June 22, 7:30pm: Public Viewing Nights. Monthly (Sept. – June) on the Thursday nearest the first quarter moon.
View the night skies! HAC volunteers will be on site to answer questions and share images of stars, planets, and nebulas.
Observing starts half an hour after sunset.
Family-friendly event.
Space is limited, so (free) registration is required. You must present your emailed receipt for entrance.
May 14, 21, 28 at 7pm / DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park, Tucson / Free. (Donations accepted.)
Tucson Pops Orchestra’s May outdoor concert series, includes these themes…
May 14: Mother’s Day
May 21: Nothing But Love
May 28: Memorial Day
Tips for all DeMeester performances:
Bring a lawn chair or blanket.
Parking tends to fill up at Reid Park. Plan to arrive early or use alternate transportation. (#17 bus line’s Country Club/Eastland stop is near the stage.)
A week of celebrating the moment when the US “finally and truly became the land of the free.” Festivities include a kick-off concert, jubilee, legacy night, and festival.
June 11, 1pm:Tucson Juneteenth Gospel Jubilee and Luncheon at Pima College West. Annual community event, featuring the first-ever Tucson Juneteenth Mass Choir, a collective of Pima County musicians and singers bringing together praise and celebration, including performances from Ada Austin, and Nancy Jones. / Lunch: 1- 2:30pm, Concert: 3-6pm / Free (donations accepted)
June 15, 4pm: Legacy Night at The Loft Cinema. A night of learning history with Tucson trailblazers. Details TBA.
June 17, 1-9 pm:Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom at the Kino Sports Park Field. The event will feature live entertainment, vendors, educational and job booths, a car show, food trucks, and a kid zone with free toys.
Online discussion series about watching films, sharing stories, and having an honest conversation about the tough issues faced by the LGBTQ community. Registration required. Participants will receive an email with instructions on how to join the WebEx meeting.
Upcoming monthly film selections (all will be available through the library’s Kanopy collection)…
May 18: Expanding Gender: Youth Out Front. Three short documentaries explore the varied identities of trans and gender expansive youth and young adults.
June 15: Sordid Lives. Cult classic comedy about a gay actor returning home to his small town for his grandmother’s funeral. As generations of his dysfunctional family come together, the truth of their “sordid lives” is revealed.
Learn strategies to help your garden become more resilient to hot temperatures, including heat-proof plants and ways to minimize the effects of the long desert summers within the garden itself.
Taught by Noelle Johnson (a.k.a. AZ Plant Lady).
Online class participants will receive a Zoom link for the live class two hours before the class begins.
All online classes are recorded and participants receive a video replay that is available for two weeks after the date of the class.
The documentary The Thief Collector looks at the theft of the Woman-Ochre painting and the secret lives of the crime’s main suspects. Starting in May, it will be available on Amazon Prime in the UK. North American streaming release details are TBD. However, you can pre-order the Blu-ray/DVD now.
When the Tucson Gem + Mineral Society held their inaugural show in the 1970s, it was the first of its kind, welcoming both professionals and the public. It continues to be the largest gem and mineral show in the world!
2. TGMS takes place annually in mid-February.
The 2024 show is scheduled for February 8-11.
Show hours are typically 10am-6pm, except for the final day (Sunday), when it closes at 4pm.
Ticket sales for the 2024 show will start January 11, 2024. Purchase through the TCC Box Office (520-791-4101) or Ticketmaster.
3. Regular TGMS admission is $13, but there are discounts!
Single-Day Admission Prices
$13 for adults and teens (ages 15+).
Free entry for youth (ages 14 and under) with a paid adult admission.
Where to find TGMS Discounts…
Coupon: Your best bet is to watch the TGMS page closer to the event date for a flyer that includes a $3 off coupon.
2-day pass: If you’ll be spending a couple days at the show, buying a 2-day pass ($22) will save you $4.
Military + Senior Citizens: There’s a discount day during the show when anyone who is over 62 years old and/or active or retired military receives $3 off admission. (In 2023, it was the Friday of the show.)
These discounts are an either/or situation. They can’t be combined.
On a tight budget? Don’t forget to factor in parking costs! See #9 below to learn about the lowest-cost options and transit alternatives.
Mural by Chris Andrews.
4. A single show has sprouted several weeks of shows!
The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show may be the original, but it’s far from the only show in town! Over the years, more and more shows have sprung up around it, creating an entire gem and mineral show season. In fact, there are dozens that take place from about late January to mid February.
Some shows might specialize in a specific type of gem or minerals imported from a certain part of the world.
Phillip walks through the African Art Village.
To avoid confusion with the original Tucson Gem & Mineral Show [registered trademark], these other shows are collectively known as the Tucson Gem, Mineral + Fossil Showcase or simply the “Gem Show.” Most of them are free, open to the public, and take place about late January to mid February.
One very special show is the African Art Village, which happens on the Mercado District Festival Grounds.
Jewelry designer Aïssatou Bamba Kemoko.
It’s an outdoor marketplace with many different vendors selling artisan products imported from Nigeria, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Morocco, and across the African continent.
Abstract paintings by artist Harouna Ouédraogo.
While some of the items would fit under the “gem and mineral” heading, there is much more variety than that.
Abstract artist Casimir Bationo (“Caszi”) and some of his work.
You can find beautifully carved wooden furniture and figurines, jars of shea butter and black soap, baskets, bags, traditional masks, textiles, oversized necklaces, djembe drums, and even contemporary art!
6. There’s a lot to see in the Mineral District, where it tends to be less hectic.
As you head north of Speedway on Granada/Main/Oracle, you’ll start to see some gem shops and warehouses. This is where you’ll find the 1801 Oracle / Mineral Village Show, Rock Yard Show, and Mineral City Show, which boasts over 100 mineral vendors in one location. Even with all that, these shows tend to be a bit less crowded and easier for more casual shoppers to just pop in and out of.
7. Gem Shows set up in some unusual locations around Tucson.
You can find them outside warehouses, taking over hotel parking lots, crammed into a jewelry store or lobby, on festival grounds, and inside ginormous tent-like structures that are assembled solely for this purpose.
Visit Tucson creates a full listeach year of show dates and locations and which ones are wholesalers-only.
8. Hotel rooms fill up fast.
If you’re coming in from out of town, make sure you have a place to stay well in advance. Hotel rooms, Airbnbs, and all types of lodging get more difficult to find and more expensive as you approach the gem show dates.
In fact, February is the most expensive month to stay in Tucson, according to Google Hotels “When to Visit!”
Currently free to ride – and will be through at least June 30, 2023.
Easily get to the 22nd Street Shows and African Art Village by riding to the western end of the line in the Mercado District.
Also convenient gem show stops at the Tucson Convention Center (where TGMS happens), 4th Avenue, and Main Gate Square.
GemRide Shuttle:
The free shuttles that traveled between gem show locations in past years were discontinued during COVID. I’m not sure if/when this will resume.
Driving:
If you do drive, take it slow! Streets near shows can get congested with sudden stops due to bottlenecks at entrances or trucks loading/unloading. In addition, there are more people walking around and wandering across the street where you wouldn’t expect them to.
Metalwork at the African Village in Tucson.
Where to Park…
Gem Show parking isn’t super expensive, but it is something to factor in if you’re on a tight budget. Or if you just don’t like unexpected costs popping up.
TGMS: Parking at the Tucson Convention Center is $10/day. Other parking options in the area will be around $3-10.
22nd Street Mineral, Fossil, Gem + Jewelry Show makes a big deal about their free admission. But it costs $10 to park there. Which is kind of like charging admission for your car.
Parking for the Mercado District (including the African Village) is $5 during the Gem Show.
Shows in the Mineral City area typically have free street parking.
I haven’t been inside yet, but the newly-opened space has 5 different dealer showrooms, a cafe and bar on site, and promises to be a “perfect setting in which to relax and enjoy a stunning selection of the world’s finest mineral specimens.”
Located: 465 W. Saint Mary’s Rd.
Open: Monday – Friday, 10am-4pm and select weekends (next up: May 12-14, 10am-6pm)
A curated selection of crystals, plants, and handmade plant hangers at the Dunbar Pavilion by the sweet and knowledgeable Drew Berryhill. His shop is outdoors year-round, centered under a large ramada.
Located: 325 W. 2nd St. is the Dunbar’s address. However, you’ll find Drutopia closer to the northwest corner of University and 11th Ave.
Open: Thursday – Sunday, 10am-5:30pm
Mineral Artisan’s work is on the right with Tucson Gallery art on the left.
Home goods made from polished stones and geodes. Their display is the first thing you see as you walk into the merchant collective Proper Shops, which just opened at the end of 2022.
Located: 300 E. Congress St., inside Proper Shops, across from Hotel Congress
While Pantone’s 2020 Color of the Year is Classic Blue, I feel like I’ve already explored that in my 2018 Blues color story. Instead, what’s been on my mind – colorwise, at least – is teal.
It’s a tricky one to define exactly.
Teal resides at the divide between blue and green, undulating from one to the other, like waves over the border between sea and ocean. The side it falls on depends on who is seeing it and how.
You might find dark, dramatic shades of teal in a flowing river, in paint and pottery, in flora and fauna. Maybe it’s made its way into your home.
Teal can feel tranquil. Like a deep breath. Like that time after the holidays but before you’ve completely resumed your regular routine. Like the peace we need more of in 2020.
For now, maybe we can start by simply taking a moment to breathe deeply and take in some gorgeous teal tranquility.
2. Diving kingfisher near Kirkcudbright, Scotland. / One of over 720,000 photographs Alan McFadyen shot during his 6-year quest to perfectly capture the birds’ dive into the water. / via Daily Mail
3. Detail of VisionShift, Sonia King’s mosaic installation for the HALL Arts complex in Dallas.
4. Mudstone font sample. / I’m not sure whether this festival actually exists, but I kinda hope it does. / via You Work For Them
11. Sea lions and pelicans enjoying a sunny day at Old Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey, California. / I took this photo when we were there in 2012. We stayed in a cute little vintage camper that looked a bit like the lower right one on the tea towel above.
12. Lacinato kale + recipe for kale and sausage skillet via The Rainforest Garden.
14. “You Belong Among the Wildflowers” embroidered Tom Petty lyrics wall hanging by BreezebotPunch on Etsy. (Currently out of stock but you can get on the waitlist or request a custom order.)
15. Abstract sketchbook painting of the Smith River in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (Northern California) by Heather Day. / Her work is more about sensory experience than the literal represensation of a scene. She camped + painted in a spot overlooking this river in 2017. / via VSCO
16. The Vintage Turkish Over Dye Rug by Cadrys is one of the accessories “Interiors Addict” Jen Bishop selected to help your home feel cozy over the winter. (H/T The Home)
“If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.”
Or so the saying goes. But if March begins with snow in the desert… then what?!
We did indeed get snow here in Tucson late Wednesday night. Also on Valentine’s Day. It’s a strange start to the spring season!
Quijote watching it snow in Tucson the first time.
There wasn’t enough snow to cancel any events, of course, and it turned warm and sunny a day later. So the spring calendar continues to be full throughout the state!
The Happenings List
The Happenings List is my seasonal selection of goings-on for lovers of art, craft, culture(s), and nature.
*Goodies: There are bonus items, freebies, and discounts sprinkled throughout the list and asterisked to make them easier to find.
Events you can enjoy anywhere: Some of the Happenings and Goodies you can participate in from anywhere are listed throughout this List. There will be more in our upcoming newsletter, so make sure you’re subscribed!
Disclosure: I’m not paid to list any of these events. If there is an artist with an Etsy page, I’ll link to it and, as an Etsy affiliate, I may earn commission when someone makes a purchase after following one of my links.
Tell me about it! I can’t make it to as many Happenings as I’d like, so I’d love to hear about any you go to! Send me an email or hashtag social media posts about your experience with #TCJreco.
now – April 2 / Bob’s Spot Gallery at Herberger Theater, Phoenix / Free.
Group exhibit featuring artists’ interpretation – realistic, impressionistic, or abstract – of the Grand Canyon.
Exhibit open Monday through Friday, 12:00-4:30pm and during theater performances.
Enter through the box office.
*Happy Hour specials at Carcara lounge + bar (across the street at Sheraton Downtown Phoenix): $4 draft beers + $6 house wines Tuesday through Saturday, from 3-6pm. Their bar snacks menu looks pretty good too!
March 11, 11am – 5pm / Civic Center Plaza, Surprise
Celebration of the richness and beauty of the diverse cultures existing in and around the West Valley. The one-day event features music, live demonstrations, storytelling, visual arts, and an outdoor market. It will take place next to the new Xeriscape Demonstration Garden in the City of Surprise’s Civic Center Plaza.
Vendors:only Arizona artisans selling their own work
Food + beverage: local food trucks Puerto Rican Pete’s, Carnivore Creations, and Frios Gourmet Pops
Entertainment: live performances by Teri Tobin + Friends, Aaron White + Anthony Wakeman, Ballet Folklorico de Santa Maria, Pretty Precise Step Team, Mariachi Pasion, Chi’Chino Spirit O’Odham Dance Group
March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day) + April 21 / Irish Cultural Center and McClelland Library, Phoenix / Ages 13+: $8, 6-12: $5, children 5 and under are free
Monthly Irish social dance, known as ceili. No prior experience is necessary. This is a family-oriented activity with a focus on fun! You can attend an Orientation/Beginners session, and then the instructors will call the dances as you dance.
Ceilis are the third Friday of each month in the Great Hall of the Irish Culture Center.
Orientation at 6:45pm. Ceili begins at 7:30pm.
Entertainment: live music
Food + beverage: cash bar
Book of Kells related Goodies:
*The Book of Kells exhibit. The McClelland Library is home to one of the rare full-color facsimiles of the Book of Kells created in order to increase education and access to the historic work. See it anytime the McClelland Library is open. Free.
*ANYWHERE: Trinity College Dublin has a free digital exhibiton the Book of Kells.
*The Secret of Kells, a delightful animated film that weaves a story from the mythology of the Book’s creation is available on Kanopy.
Fabric selection from Elkhorn Quilt Company, who will be a vendor at Quilt Arizona!
March 23 – March 25 / Mesa Convention Center, Building B + C, Mesa / $5-10 entry fee
Arizona Quilters Guild (ACQ) annual quilt show with many types of quilts on display, including pieced, applique, hand quilted, kit, art, pictorial, and modern. The 2023 theme is “Canyon of Colors.” It features lectures for quilters and about 35 craft-related vendors.
Free parking.
*Membership Special: Sign up at the Quilt Show as a new AQG Member ($30) and receive 3 months free membership, then pay Member Admission Rates to enter the show.
March 6 – March 31 / Sedona Arts Center State Route 89A + Art Barn Road, Sedona / Free.
The largest and longest-running group exhibition of visual art in Uptown Sedona with painting, mixed media, photography, metal, wood, jewelry, and fiber art!
April 14, 7:30pm / Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, Flagstaff / Regular tickets $46-76 + fees
Haydn and Beethoven: Victory in Times of Struggle is a joint performance by NAU’s Shrine of the Ages Choir and Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra. They will play Franz Joseph Haydn’s hopeful Missa in Angustiis (Mass in Troubled Times) and Beethoven’s Eroica symphony, which is described as “a twisting journey of tension, beauty and uncertainty that arrives at one of the great victorious resolutions in the classical repertoire.”
Why it made the list: We could use some victorious sounds in these troubled times!
Community science effort to document native and invasive species in the sensitive Verde River habitat systems. To participate, use the iNaturalist app to take photos of plants, animals, birds, and insects along the Verde River, Oak Creek, or West Clear Creek.
Submitting observations through iNaturalist helps to gather important species data from the area.
If you post photos throughout the event, use hashtag #PurdyVerde and tag @friendsoftheverderiver.
Vermilion Flycatcher in a mural by Joe Pagac in Himmel Park, Tucson.
April 27 – April 30 / Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood / $35 registration fee
Annual celebration of nature that brings together experienced and amateur birders to enjoy workshops, expert-lead field trips, and inclusive events in the beautiful Verde Valley.
The 2023 Festival Theme is “Riverside Residents,” and its featured bird is the Vermilion Flycatcher.
*Apr. 29: Free Family Day in Dead Horse Ranch State Park, between the lagoons. A day of family-friendly activities and exhibits, presented alongside the Verde Valley Community BioBlitz.
Now – March 19 / Tucson Museum of Art (TMA), Tucson / Included with admission.
Why it made the list: The western genre tends to narrow its narrative to a few archetypes, overlooking the rest of the people who lived in the Old West and were a part of its history. More Than: Expanding Artist Identities from the American West explores a more inclusive interpretation of the genre, centering works of art created by women, people of color, and persons of intersectional backgrounds.
Examples of historic works are creatively paired with contemporary art to make meaningful connections between the past and present.
The exhibition includes poetry by former Tucson Poet Laureate TC Tolbert and texts by local community members.
*Mar. 2: First Thursday. On the first Thursday of the month, TMA offers extended hours (5-8pm), pay-what-you-wish admission, art and gallery activities, entertainment, and a cash bar. Reserve your free ticket online.
“Earth Meets Sky” sculpture by Elizabeth Frank, during a past Sculpture Park exhibition.
now – May / Sculpture Park (in Brandi Fenton Memorial Park), Tucson / Free.
Why it made the list: We enjoyed visiting the Sculpture Park during its inaugural season! Its current exhibit is all about awakening joy. Since it’s completely outdoors, this would be a really nice time of year to visit!
16 large-scale sculptures.
Mar. 17-19: 2023 Sculpture Festival Show + Sale
“Protective Coding” by Rocki Swiderski at MOCA Tucson.
Now – August / Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Tucson, Tucson / Included with admission.
Incorporating locally-found materials, Chilean artist and poet Cecilia Vicuña arranged hundreds of hanging knotted fibers and into what she calls a “poem in space,” which speaks to the way we are interconnected with each other and our environment.
Why it made the list: This is an exhibition created specifically for the Great Hall of MOCA Tucson, shaped by contributions from the community!
ANYWHERE: Live stream events in the UA Poetry Center’s Spring 2023 Reading + Lecture Series or find them afterwards on the Poetry Center’s YouTube page.
Goodies:
*Outside the museum isMini MOCA, a small artworks exchange in the style of a little free library.
*Discounts for Downtown Clifton Hotel guests: 2 for 1 admission at MOCA, as well as 10% off any purchase in the MOCA Shop.
Community-wide celebration of literature and literacy, featuring author talks and panels, poetry readings, workshops for writers, and Science City.
Vendors/exhibitors: authors, museums, independent booksellers, local media outlets, non-profit organizations, publishers, educational institutions, and other literature-related products and services
Food + beverage: food court with over a dozen local restaurants and food trucks represented
Parking: Free parking TFOB weekend in U of A’s Park Avenue Garage, Highland Garage, and several surface lots. $5 parking in the Cherry Avenue, 6th Street, Tyndall, Stadium and Main Gate Garages.
Transit: Sun Link street car 2nd St/Highland Ave stop.
Entertainment…
For kids: storybook character parade, book nook activity tent, the Bumble Bee singers (Tucson Girls Chorus Kindergarteners and First Graders), Pawdemonium interactive children’s theater, magic show
For teens: young author + young artist competition, author interviews by teens, YA workshops
For all ages: accordion duet, Ballet Folklorico (Mexican folkdance), Literary Circus (The Circus Academy of Tucson’s show inspired by literary works throughout the ages), local musicians, Lion Dance, Scandinavian dance, Klezmer music, Hula group
Inaugural Honor the Earth: Water Is Life Music + Resistance Festival, an Indigenous-led benefit concert. Proceeds will go to funding Indigenous land back, sovereignty, and food and water initiatives by Indigenous People in Arizona. The event will feature local and international Native speakers, art, food, and music.
Vendors/exhibitors: regional artist village, environmental organizations, Southwest Folklife Alliance
Food + beverage: local + indigenous food vendors
Entertainment: performances by Keith Secola, Papago Warrior, Rebel Diaz, XIXA (acoustic), David Huckfelt, Giant Sand, Gary Farmer, Djentrification, One Way Sky, Cihuatl Ce, Humblelianess, DJ Q, Lady Gugu
March 12, 4pm / Riverfront Park Outdoor Grass Amphitheater, Oro Valley / Free.
The Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra concludes the Riverfront Park Classical Concert Series with a special performance showcasing their 2022-2023 season.
Why it made the list: These free outdoor concerts give classically trained musicians a monthly opportunity to perform on Tucson’s North Side.
Final concert of the season.
Concerts are 60-90 minutes in length.
Limited seating is provided. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or chairs.
March 20 – June 1 / Downtown Tucson, Tucson / Free.
Self-guided walking tour of haiku poetry printed on acrylic signage and placed in planters along Congress Street and Stone Avenue. The 20 poems are winners of an annual literary competition, submitted by the public and chosen by Tucson’s poet Laureate, TC Tolbert.
Submissions accepted through the online form until March 9, 2023!
April 1 – September 17 / Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson / Included with admission.
Juried exhibition that showcases innovative and diverse new works being created in the state. For emerging artists, this exhibition provides an opportunity to exhibit their art in a museum setting and to introduce it to the public. It will be on view in the James and Louise Glasser Gallery and Chann Gallery at Tucson Museum of Art.
For each biennial, a new juror from outside the state is selected to review the works of hundreds of artists and create a cohesive exhibition that becomes an overview of artistic creativity in Arizona.
This year’s juror is Taína Caragol, Curator of painting, sculpture, and Latinx art and history at the National Portrait Gallery. (She led the portrait commission of former President Obama by Kehinde Wiley.)
April 6, 5:30 -7pm at TMA: Arizona Artist Spotlight. Join Arizona Biennial 2023 artists as they discuss their process, share insights on their works in the biennial and discuss how they relate to their larger body of works. / $5
*March 12 + April 9, 10am-5pm: Second SundAZe Family Day. The second Sunday of every month TMA features art-making, performances, and Pay-What-You-Wish Admission.
Emily Pratt, who learned macrame from Jessica Melrose, arranges plant hangers in their shared market booth.
Workshop on how to make your own macrame plant hanger by expert maker Jessica Melrose. All materials are provided, including different yarn color options. You can take home written instructions and a video, so you can try making another one on your own.
Registration fee also includes a mimosa and a tamale!
April 19 – April 30 / Downtown Tucson area / Tickets TBD. (Last year: $8/individual film admission.)
The Arizona International Film Festival is a venue for independent filmmakers in search of an independent audience. Screening locations this year include The Screening Room, MSA Annex, Hotel Congress, and UA Main Gate.
The Selection Committee will be announcing the finalists for the 2023 Festival by March 16.
April 22, 10am-4pm / 6th Street + 6th Avenue (in front of the Firestone Building), Tucson / Free.
Created and run by local artisans, DAM is a popular popup market that aspires to be a day of joy and connection! This spring’s market will be held on Earth Day and a portion of vendor fees will be donated to a local conservation non-profit.
Tucson Poetry Festival (TPF) is celebrating 40 years of poetry in Tucson! The schedule for TPF XL: Poetry and Presence includes workshops at the UA Poetry Center, a featured reading at the Temple of Music and Art, and a Sunday morning open mic brunch.
April 27 – April 30 / Tucson / Includes both paid and free events.
Sustainability-focused celebration of the agave plant, the culture surrounding it, and the spirits made from it. Events include workshops, traditional agave pit roasting demonstration, spirit tastings, heritage dinners, a Mezcrawl, and an agave fiesta.
Ritual Chocolate booth during the Agave Heritage Festival.
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