On Friday and Saturday, May 4 and 5, 2012, Tucson will witness the birth of a new theatre company.  The Tucson Alliance of Dramatic Artists will present its premiere through two evenings of play readings.

Friday evening, May 4, you will enjoy three delightful one-act plays:

Two Saturdays in June   by Sydney Flynn;

Waiting   by Susan Arnold and

UROK  by Jim Ambrosek.

Two Saturdays in June–On a trip back to her hometown, a teacher confronts both her mother and the demons that have haunted her since childhood.

Waiting — A hospital waiting room; a bowler, a nurse, a woman, her daughter.

UROK — A wine tasting; a sister, two brothers, a wine connoisseur and his date.  What could happen?

Saturday evening, May 5, you can return to enjoy the reading of the full-length play, Style and Substance, A Love Story…Sort Of!   by Stuart Reich, about the problems of dating for middle-aged, single people in a techno-savvy world.

These productions are presented by the Tucson Alliance of Dramatic Artists (TADA!) – a new, non-profit, professional-quality, repertory theatre company, dedicated to producing and presenting work that reaches out to our diverse community as it entertains, enriches, and educates its audience.

TADA!  will work to encourage writers, nationally, of all ages to submit their original, never-produced plays. We will be producing events of social, human and political relevance. In addition to traditional theatre stages, TADA will be looking for new, exciting and unusual locations to present the live theatre experience.

ART Gallery is one of the most eclectic collections of beautiful fine art pieces, sculptures, relics, antiques, paintings, jewelry, and more, situated in a uniquely designed location that has become a Tucson landmark. These are evenings for the both the performing and the visual arts.

This inaugural event begins with a reception both evenings from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. followed by the performances at ART Gallery, 1122 N. Stone Ave, NE corner of Stone/Speedway, in Tucson, AZ.  Refreshments will be served. Free admission. However, donations will be accepted and appreciated, with profits going toward underwriting this new venture.

So come early, enjoy art before, at intermission, and after the show.

For more information on TADA!, call Sheldon Metz at 520-722-9553.

For ART Gallery, call 520-624-7099.

Jim Gruhl and Painting

When one thinks of fine art they seldom associate it with a scientist’s mind. WRONG. This Friday, March 16, the Stone Dragon Studio (inside the Art Gallery on Stone and Speedway) Jim Gruhl’s exhibition “Endangered Cultures” will open. Proceeds from sales of Jim’s art will go to “Children’s Medical Research for the Shriners Children’s Hospitals.”

Jim Gruhl did occasional serious paintings beginning in 1967, and became more serious in the late 1980′s.  He has been listed as an artist in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World since 1990.  His art teachers have been Virginia Stonebarger, who was a student of Hans Hofmann, and Professor Alfred Quiroz of the University of Arizona.

Jim often paints in a Fauvist style, forcing every color of the rainbow into each painting, and the most important influences on his art have been Matisse, Picasso and John Neito.

San Xavier Mission by Jim Gruhl

He likes to use contrasting colors, and sometimes uses “outlined segmentation,” as a way to improve the “accessibility” of his paintings.  He pushes for easily understood paintings, with enough detail and interesting features to keep the viewer’s interest. More of his paintings can be seen at his facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Thunder-Canyon-Gallery/178340422218037

Portrait With Green by Jim Gruhl

Navajo Chief's Daughter by Jim Gruhl

Jim Gruhl has a doctorate of science from M.I.T., and has worked as a science adviser for three administrations and to Congress. His first job was to fix the navigation system of the APOLLO moon shot launch vehicles.

He has led research programs, and taught, at M.I.T. and Harvard Medical and School of Public Health. His specialty has been building and running policy models in the area of economics, energy, environmental effects, climate and foreign policy, to simulate different policy options and different possible future scenarios.

Exhibiiton opens Friday, March 16, 2012 at 11a.m. and runs through Saturday, April 28th.

ARTIST’S RECEPTION is Friday, March 16th from 4 p.m.- 8 p.m.  Open to the public.

Additional ARTIST’S RECEPTION for Jim and his special guests will be Friday, March 23rd from 5:30 p.m.- 7:00 p.m., featuring a musical performance by well-known local singer/songwriter Alisha Peru.

Studio Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, 11a.m.-4 p.m.

In addition, we are available by appointment with Steve at (520)405-5800.

Parking lot & entry through paved alley at east end of building.

Handicapped parking & entry from Stone Ave.

Stone Dragon Studio (inside ART Gallery)

1122 N. Stone Ave. (NE corner of Stone/Speedway)

Tucson, AZ 85705

(520)624-7099

holyjoestudio.com

Dirk Arnold's Wishbone

On Friday, March 2, at the Temple Gallery  Dirk Arnold’s new exhibition, Dirk Arnold: Endangered Architecture features Arnold’s framed shadowbox miniatures of Tucson’s historic building facades, many of which have disappeared as generic urban sprawl has encroached upon the city. The exhibition opens with an artist reception on Friday, March 2, 2012, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, and runs through April 3.

Although trained as an architect, Arnold’s true love was constructing architectural models. Endangered Architecture was born of a happy communion between his training and the desire to preserve Tucson’s unique cultural heritage before it is lost to the chain stores and strip malls that are remaking the American city into a model of ubiquity and sameness.

Loft Cinema by Dirk Arnold

Arnold’s shadowboxes, such as the façade of the Tucson Warehouse & Transfer Co., transcend mere nostalgia. Architectural models, now themselves replaced by software, are the perfect, optimistic representation of the building-to-be, of the future.

Arnold’s shadow boxes capture that optimism, at the same time that they frame the architecture in a specific time. For Arnold, Tucson’s future is in highlighting and protecting the best of its past.  Arnold is also a local contributor to public art, recognized for his Tucson gateway neon saguaro. Dirk J. Arnold obtained a B.S. in Architecture from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan. His professional background includes graphic design, technicalcommunication, and multimedia development.

DETAILS of Exhibition:

Exhibition:   Dirk Arnold: Endangered Architecture

Location: T E M P L E  G A L L E R Y / 330 S. Scott Avenue/ Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: (520) 625-7370

Dates:    March 2, 2012 – April 3, 2012

Reception:   Friday, March 2, 2012, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Regular Hours: Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm & before Arizona Theatre Company performances on Sat. & Sun.