I’m picking out old, half frozen strawberries out of a bowl and wondering what does this have to do with an artistic Tucson.

It’s hot like the dickens outside. I’m inside with the air conditioning turned off, thinking about the end of the month electric bill. My shirt is on my body like a hot wet leaf. My balding head, erupting with beads of Alien hell sweat.

But like a TV private investigator’s street informer, I hear myself say “I’m cool. Yo, I’m cool.”

Downtown is my bowl of mixed fruit. I found the bowl in the Dinnerware Artspace refrigerator leftover from the Salon des Refuses artist reception. It’s been in there over a week.

I start with the strawberries on top. They look like they’re half frozen. I hold the fruit by it’s green, leafy stem. Not bad. A bead of sweat disappears from by forehead. I feel comfortable eating about 75% of it. The rest, I send into the office garbage by my foot. I find the strawberries refreshing. They’re not brand spanking new off the plant, but I like them. Not unlike some of downtown’s old buildings. Their is something that tastes good about buildings that have been around for a while. They have character. They’re tattered along the edges. And they still have surprises.

Next are the cherries in my fruit bowl. I didn’t see them at first, but there they are. They’re cold and wet. They’re in season right now, so they’re cheap. They have long stems making them easy to grab. Nobody’s around.  I spit the pit into the garbage below. I miss. The pit bounces and rolls on the floor. I don’t mind. It’s the summer. Things are laid back. I’m having fun.  Who can be sad with the satisfying flavor of a cold cherry? Cherry picking is like choosing paintings from a local artist. Lots of variety, color, themes, and mediums to choose from. And the characters that produce works of art. Don’t get me started.

I pick a blueberry next, except it’s not a blueberry. It’s a dark blue, seedless grape.  I grab one, but a cluster of them come out instead. The grapes look strong, firm and happy to be on the same little branch. I know they’ve been at the bottom of that bowl for a while, yet they don’t seem bothered by that. They’re just happy to be together being grapes. This isn’t the first time I’ve felt that feeling. Artists like to be around other artists. They don’t necessarily need to be bumping into each other, but there is some comfort in knowing that other artists are nearby. Artists like to be in clusters. There’s strength and happiness in that.

This is my first blog entry at the Tucson Citizen. I’m just getting a taste of this fruit, but hope to start sharing more thoughts, images, information about goings on, especially in and around downtown Tucson. Most of the things I noticed seem to largely unnoticed. They can be small things that are big. Big things that are actually small.

I like cooking up innovative events and hope that others will do the same. I see it happening with special people like Colleena Cardelabra, or the Parasol Project, or Steven Eye at Solar Culture, Sharon Holnback up at the Triangle L Ranch, and so many more. I hope to shine some light their way this Fall. These are people who take the risk of doing interesting, and innovative things.

Hello.

My name is David Aguirre, and this is my blog at the Tucson Citizen. I’ve been in Tucson since 1987. I’m a ceramic sculptor, and I’ve been doing community volunteering for arts groups since I came here. I am the Director at Dinnerware Artspace where we help local artists find exhibit space, studio space, and live space.

Thanks to the Tucson Citizen staff who are putting a lot of effort into this website.

Come back often for thoughts and updates on Artistic Tucson.

It seems like the debate over art space in Tucson is ramping up again. Every so often we see a story in the local media about some “sweetheart deal” local artists are getting at tax- payer expense. As a veteran of many art space development projects downtown I can tell you it is not as simple as it sounds. Development is hard, whatever of the end use. There are risks, benefits and headaches along the way for all projects.

What many people forget, or did not know, is that downtown used to be filled with quirky art spaces (galleries, studios, small theatres) and then big developers saw a potential for profit due to the crowd these spaces brought in. (especially during the heyday of Downtown Saturday Night as presented by the Tucson Arts District Partnership).

This almost-gentrification was amplified due to the chimera of free, easy cash from Rio Nuevo and, consequently, many artists fled for the warehouse district or simply left the core. Is it worth reasonable public support to keep part of what makes our community vibrant – yes. We need only to look at other communities to see what works and what does not. We have some vital parts of the puzzle, let’s keep adding the rest until the image is complete.