August 2020 Updates and Follow-Ups

A few news items worth mentioning and items I’ve mentioned that deserve some follow up…

Black Lives Matter mural by To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf — Smoke from the Bighorn Fire behind To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf’s mural, 6/16/20.

Bighorn Wildfire: Out

The monsoon rains have arrived, and the wildfire I wrote about is no longer making the Tucson air all smoky.

After burning across the Santa Catalina Mountains for a month and a half, the Bighorn Wildfire was finally 100% contained on July 23.

Catalina State Park campground — View of Santa Catalina mountains from Catalina State Park (before the fire), 5/25/20.

Thankfully, firefighters were able to ensure that no lives were lost and no homes or businesses burned down. Many of the mountains’ recreation areas (including Sabino Canyon and parts of Mt. Lemmon) are tentatively closed due to road repairs, flash flood danger, etc. until November 1, 2020.

Mt. Lemmon

Initially, all access to Mt. Lemmon was going to be shut down that long. But businesses in its mountaintop communities of Summerhaven and Ski Valley urged the County for a quicker opening, so visitors could return sooner.

Road crews were able to repair fire-damaged guardrails along the Catalina Highway, which goes up Mt. Lemmon. Amazingly – in what may be a construction project first – it reopened 3 months early! Officials may limit traffic to prevent crowding, since many areas are still restricted, but at least there is some access.

Open:

The Cookie Cabin: Its patio seating has been arranged for social distancing.
Mt. Lemmon General Store and Gift Shop.
Ski Valley Sky Ride, which is the ski lift when there’s no skiing. (Tickets $15)

Closed:

Coronado National Forest trails and campgrounds: No picnicking, hiking, or fishing.
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter: Observatory closed to the public.
Trails in nearby Sabino Canyon.

Watch: Our drive up the Catalina Highway from the Tucson desert to Mt. Lemmon pines in 2015.

Murals at MSA Annex: New

There are a couple more mural additions at MSA Annex!

The mural honoring ancestors that To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf was working on when I met her is finished now.

Black Lives Matter mural by Adia Jamille — Mural by Adia Jamille.

Also, textile designer Adia Jamille completed a sweet painting of a couple next to her larger “Black lives matter when they are…. alive” mural.

"Black Lives Matter when they are alive..." mural by Adia Jamille — Mural by Adia Jamille.

Watch: Star Wars actor John Boyega – who plays Finn, the former Stormtrooper turned “big deal” in the Resistance – gave an impassioned speech at a protest in Hyde Park, London: “Black lives have always mattered. We have always been important. We have always meant something.” It’s beautiful and makes me tear up every time.

Anaheim Convention Center — Star Wars Celebration, 2015.

Star Wars Celebration: Postponed

The 2020 edition of Star Wars Celebration, the big non-annual convention we attended a few years back, has been canceled. It was supposed to return to Anaheim this month, but, of course, this is not really a time for crowded cons. It has been rescheduled for August 18-21, 2022.

Watch: In lieu of the in-person event, some fans are organizing a virtual conference, ForceFest, August 28-30. I think you need an account on the GetVokl platform to see the livestream, but you can just sign up free with your phone number, Twitter, Facebook, or Patreon account. (I did. It was pretty quick.)

Disney Parks: Reopening in progress

Speaking of Anaheim (and Star Wars), Disney properties have began to open back up in phases. Precautions they’re taking include operating at reduced capacity, adding distance between parties on rides, requiring masks, and sanitizing the heck out of anything that can be sanitized. Some attractions will remain closed for the time being.

Opened in July:

Walt Disney World Resort theme parks
Many (but not all) Walt Disney World Resort hotels
Disney Springs (the dining and shopping area near the Orlando Parks)
Tokyo Disneyland
Tokyo DisneySea (yep, that’s real)
Disneyland Paris
Downtown Disney District (the dining and shopping area near the Anaheim Parks)

Pixar Pier in Disney California Adventure Park — Disney California Adventure Park by Joshua Sudock / Disneyland Resort.

Still closed:

Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure (opening delayed due to state restrictions)
Disneyland Resort hotels
Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and several other Walt Disney World Resort hotels

Listen: Podcast the Ride episode on the craziness of the day Disneyland first opened in 1955. (Heads up: Even though it’s about theme parks, this is not a podcast meant for kids.)

Paper Disney park — Via Disney Parks Blog.

DIY: A couple Disney Imagineers designed these cute Disney Paper Parks. Print out Sleeping Beauty’s castle, buildings from Main Street, U.S.A., and floats from the “Magic Happens” parade (which barely debuted before the coronavirus shutdown), and then color, cut out, and fold them to set up your own little Disneyland!

July 4, 2020December 17, 2020

The Fight to Breathe

It’s a weird time to be alive.

It’s a weird time to be breathing.

Because this virus keeps spreading across the world, carried by breath. You could inhale sickness and never know where it came from. You could exhale death and never know where it landed.

Bighorn fire photo by Phillip. — Fires burning near the top of the Santa Catalina mountains on 6/10/20.

Because wildfire keeps spreading across the mountains in Tucson. Even far from the danger, we feel its burn in our eyes and throats as we breathe in the smoke.

Because violence keeps spreading across the U.S.

When you saw that an officer would block an unarmed man’s windpipe with the weight of his knee, did you feel your own throat tighten? When you saw how quickly police would turn on the people they’re supposed to protect, did you realize you were holding your breath?

When you remembered that air can still pass into your lungs, did you wonder what it means that you’re still breathing? And what we should do now?

Some raged against the injustice by smashing windows and starting fires. Some by showing up in the morning to pick up the pieces and sweep up the glass. Some by activism and art.

Tucson Together mural by Jessica Gonzales.

Tucson has a history of making art in response to tragedy, mosaics from shards.

After two nights of anger spilling into downtown Tucson streets, volunteers came to clean up.

Over boarded-up windows, they painted the Ben’s Bells symbol – that bright green flower shape with the words “be kind” in the center. If you’ve been to Tucson in recent years, you’ve seen it. But you might not know the project’s story, that it began as a way for founder Jeannette Maré to work through the grief of losing her son, Ben. She threw her energy into spreading kindness and making ceramic windchimes.

Art is helping us navigate this perplexing time too.

Black Lives Matter Tucson held a Celebration of Black Lives on the U of A campus with speakers and music. You can see videos of it on their Facebook page, including this transcendent dance performance by Na-il Ali Emmert.

Hotel Congress with Camila on Canvas mural — Black Lives Matter mural by @CamilaOnCanvas.

There are new murals popping up around Tucson. One that feels particularly of the moment is by Camila Ibarra on the north wall of Hotel Congress. Her portrait of a face-mask-wearing Black woman with the words “Black Lives Matter” in her natural hair has this intensity, this electricity in every brushstroke.

Muralist Joe Pagac has been connecting Black artists with downtown Tucson walls. Several murals have already gone up at MSA Annex. I was walking Quijote around there the other day and got to meet one of the artists, To-Ree’-Nee’ Wolf, who was in the process of painting an extension to her mural.

A week after George Floyd’s death, there was a vigil in his honor outside The Dunbar Pavilion, an African American art and cultural center. There was a stage set up, where Tucsonans took turns at the mic, sharing stories of loved ones they’ve lost to police violence, about fearing for their children, about the need for grassroots change.

Because being Black in America – simply existing – puts you in more danger.

As nature photographer Gina Danza wrote, “Peace doesn’t come without worry, fear for Black womxn. There is never a moment where we can be fully at peace.”

We can’t let that continue to be the case.

Candles at a vigil for George Floyd. — Photo by The Dunbar Pavilion of candles lit in remembrance of George Floyd.

The Enough is Enough vigil wrapped up with a moment of silence – actually 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence – to remember George Floyd. As we lit candles or turned on cell phone lights to hold up, the speaker said, “When your arm starts getting tired, remember that at least you’re not on the ground with someone’s knee on your neck.”

Before leaving, people placed flowers and candles and handmade signs on a table in front of the stage, turning it into a kind of a shrine.

Tucson wildfire smoke — Smoke rising from the Bighorn Fire in the Santa Catalina mountains on 6/17/20.

Of course, the fight is far from over.

There’s been some rain, but the fire in the Catalinas isn’t out yet. There was a short reprieve, but the virus is spreading quickly. There has been some progress, but the violence hasn’t stopped.

We need to look out for each other, make sure everyone can keep breathing.

We need to be kind.

January 15, 2020January 15, 2020

What’s Your Favorite Mural? #LocalArtLoves

The Sacred Heart of Tucson mural — The Sacred Heart of Tucson by Alexandra Gjurasic (@lexgjurasic).

February is coming up, which means it’s time to take a moment to appreciate the art around you!

Share photos of your favorite murals (and other art from your neighborhood) by using the hashtag #LocalArtLoves.

Mural by Chip Thomas (@jetsonorama) in Yuma, Arizona.

What’s Local Art Loves about?

Local Art Loves is an annual online celebration of art and artists from different corners of the globe. During the month of February, anyone can join in by using the hashtag #LocalArtLoves to share art they love from wherever they are.

The purpose is to be more aware of the art around you and the artists in your community.

I was inspired by all the colorful walls around Tucson to make murals the focus for 2020. What mural(s) do you love seeing near where you live?

Citrus mural Downtown Tucson — By Isaac Caruso in Tucson, AZ.

FAQs

How do I participate in Local Art Loves?

Take a photo of a mural, post it on Instagram with #LocalArtLoves, and boom! you’re part of this.

Only murals?

Nope! Murals are just a starting point. You can share any art from your neighborhood that you really like.

More ideas: sculptures in the park, paintings in your favorite cafe, street art, exhibitions at your local library, comics, chalk art, mixed media pieces at an art fair…

Sonora sculpture in Tucson — Sonora sculpture by David Black in Tucson, AZ

Can I share my own art?

Yes! Please do! Every year, several artists participate and share their latest pieces or work in progress.

If there are other artists in your community whose work you admire, feel free to tag them and share some of their work too.

What counts as local? What if I’m traveling / not in my hometown this month?

“Local” is wherever you happen to be in the world. How broadly you define your neighborhood is up to you.

Greetings from Tucson — Greetings Tour mural, Tucson, AZ.

Can I share more than one piece?

Yes!

What if I’m not on Instagram?

You can also post (and hashtag) photos on Twitter and Facebook – make sure your post is set to public. Or contact me directly.

Anything else I should know?

Please only share your own photos of the work.
Mention the artist if you know (or can find out) who it is.
Don’t take photos where it’s not allowed. If you’re not sure, ask the artist or venue. While you’re at it, find out their Instagram so you can tag them!
I’ll be re-posting #LocalArtLoves on social media throughout February and rounding up highlights here on the site at the end of the month.
Follow along on our new @TravelcraftJournal Instagram!

May 14, 2018May 14, 2018

April 2018: Downtown Tucson

We visited Tucson in April for the Arizona International Film Festival.

I was drawn to patches of bright colors downtown near The Screening Room…

Bistro tables in Jacome Plaza.
Geometric floor pattern in Hub Ice Cream Factory.
Planters with these red flowers the hummingbirds must love!
Citrus and a blue quail in a mural by Isaac Caruso.

March 19, 2018

Steamrolled Art

Wandering through art spaces opened for Phoenix’s annual Art Detour event, my friend Anne and I stumbled across Steamroller Sunday.

Artists had carved large designs into plywood and covered them in ink. A steamroller rolled over the top, pressing the inked designs onto sheets of canvas.

I started taking video of one artist getting his stamp ready and ended up recording the whole process, because, really, how often do you see art being made with construction equipment?!

You can check it out (condensed to 1 minute) above or on YouTube.

PS While you’re there, feel free to subscribe to Travelcraft Journal’s channel!