Bronze Pour at Industria Studios

The local Tucson non-profit Industria Studios is having a big fundraiser this Saturday titled: Hot Fun in the Summertime! There will be art auctions, bronze pouring demonstrations, blacksmithing , life body castings, music, and theatrical performances.

Industria Studios Inc. was founded in 2003 by local artists to provide a non-competitive educational and working studio. Six years later they became a non)profit 501c3 corporation with a 5000 square foot studio loaded with tools, machinery for sculptural fabrication, ceramics foundry, and a forge for bronze casting.  In 2009 Industria established Tucson’s first sculptors guild named Arizona Sculpture Society.

Industria Studio’s main mission is to enhance the educational experience for the arts community and to increase involvement and participation of the fine arts. It is dedicated to increasing the awareness, activities, and appreciation for fine arts among the community

Bronze Pour at Industria Studios

The Arizona Sculpture Society was formed to allow individuals to further explore themselves and their individual creativity outside of a classroom environment. Members are allowed studio time and use of studio tools and equipment to develop and create their own artworks. Membership in the society provides the opportunity to interact, share ideas and build associations with other artists.

Industria’s Hot Fun in the Summertime open house and fundraiser will take place from 6:00 PM – 10 PM at their studio location: 1441 E. 17^th Street, Tucson, AZ 85719. Music will be provided by Anarchestra, A Son Y Sol A and SSS. Theatrical performances are by Tucson Puppet Works and the Parasol Project. Members of the Arizona Sculpture Society will conduct the Bronze pouring demonstrations.

A $10 donation is requested at the door for Admission.

Get more information call 520- 235-0797  or visit http://www.industriastudios.org

Location:

Location of Industra Studios & Arizona Sculpture Society

Tucson’s award winning artist Rebecca Thompson is our featured artist of the month.  Art for Rebecca is a visual language, a way to cross barriers of gender, culture and economics through her creations.

When I asked WHY she creates what she does she answered, ”Creating with my hands, making ideas, stories, concepts into tangible forms is really about language. It is my language…the way I express views and observations.  Without this language of visual art I would be silenced and sad.”

Through her art she continues to explore human interactions as well as those of nature and science.  She continues to ask questions and is forever curious.  Like many artists the process of making art calms her senses and takes her to that blissful place we often call Nirvana.  Most artists of all types of creativity whether painters, musicians, dancers etc. experience this loss of time and escape into this magical zone while they are creating.  It is the point of their greatest creations.

Below is a slideshow of a number of Rebecca’s art forms.

Slide 1 of 35.
The Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 2 of 35.
Longley-Cook Memorial Seating (Ithaca, NY)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 3 of 35.
Rillito River Lounges (Tucson, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 4 of 35.
Rillito River Seating/Bronze Still Life (Tucson, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 5 of 35.
Detail Bronze Still Life (Tucson, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 6 of 35.
Rillito River Seating (Tucson, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 7 of 35.
Centennial Garden (Ithaca, NY)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 8 of 35.
La Puerta (Tucson, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 9 of 35.
The Opponents
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 10 of 35.
Sarvodaya Garden (Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 11 of 35.
Scientific Graph (Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 12 of 35.
Artist & Scientific Graph (Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 13 of 35.
Rainwater Feature (Oro Valley,AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 14 of 35.
Artist & Bronze Inlay of Medicine Maze ( Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 15 of 35.
Maze ( Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 16 of 35.
Maze (Oro Valley, AZ)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 17 of 35.
Marriage Of The Pine (Ithaca, NY)
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 18 of 35.
Contemplation
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 19 of 35.
Aubrey
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 20 of 35.
Detained
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 21 of 35.
Waiting For Manna
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 22 of 35.
Book of Numbers
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 23 of 35.
Noh Girls I
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 24 of 35.
Noh Girls II
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 25 of 35.
The Fury
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 26 of 35.
Top View
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 27 of 35.
October Sky
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 28 of 35.
The Veil Of Mary
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 29 of 35.
Twighlight
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 30 of 35.
Embrace
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 31 of 35.
The Hills
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 32 of 35.
Peaks
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 33 of 35.
Pink Sky
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 34 of 35.
Dusk
Source: Rebecca ThompsonSlide 35 of 35.
Medicine Maze
Source: Rebecca Thompson

As you can see from the works above the artist constantly strives to create work that is dedicated to connecting to the viewers or to connect communities with themselves or their environments. Art for her is about connections on many levels. It is about discovery, discovering what has always existed and bringing these treasures to the surface of our consciousness.

(more…)

Sarah Gonzales & students L-R Katherine, May, Kim Espe, Brianna, Margaret, Jusu, Paul

A showcase of the visual arts created by students involved in an art program Nuestra Voz: Latino Youth Initiative Youth, Art & Activism was presented to the public yesterday.  Almost 40 students participated in the art program creating paintings, photography, sculpture from recycled materials and video. This unique art explored the positive effective ways to express their feelings and commitments as they participate in improving their community. Sarah Gonzales led the arts program.

Our Leaders Are Us by Espe, May, Addriana, Peter, Greg, Iris, Vanessa

The talks and exhibition of student’s work took place Friday, July 16^th at the YWCA Frances McClelland Leadership Center at 525 N. Bonita Avenue. Congressman Raul Grijalva gave a very moving motivational speech to the audience of children and adults.

The presentations during the program allowed the students to talk about their artwork and what they were expressing through it. By viewing the work you could obviously see the healing needed by these unique individuals through their expression from their heart. Each creation expressed adverse effects on their lives the current pending legislation will have on them and their families.

Roots of Knowledge by Margaret, Paul, Syrena, Athena

The YWCA Tucson Racial Justice Program has received a $200,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation to support our Latino Youth Initiative:  Nuestra Voz/Our Voice.  In the wake of the recent legislation dealing with immigration and the attempt by the Arizona Legislature to ban ethnic studies programs, Nuestra Voz is particularly needed and the YWCA is grateful for this very generous support.

Graffiti Nametags by ALL students in program

Nuestra Voz will build on ten years of effective racial healing work to develop and implement a new initiative for the emerging, too often silenced, Latino youth population in an on-going effort to combat prejudice, intolerance and to work towards racial healing and youth empowerment.  Nuestra Voz will:

• Develop Latino youth leadership
• Heal historical trauma through dialogue
• Promote positive cultural identity through youth initiated community racial healing projects
• Provide training for teachers/administrators to promote a positive healing experience.

Nuestra Voz/Our Voice is one of 119 awarded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to support racial equity and healing and the only grant awarded in Arizona.