The circular public art installation pictured above can be found east of La Cholla Blvd., along the Rillito River path on the north side of the wash, south of River Road. Artists Chris Tanz, Susan Holman, and Paul T. Edwards created this “Sun Circle”, with the assistance of planetary scientist Will Grundy. Four of the taller sculptures mark the cardinal positions of N, S, E, and W.

The plaque in the middle of this sculpture states that thousands of years ago the Hohokam and Anasazi Indians “used these positions and a calendar to orient themselves in their ritual and agricultural year, to time their ceremonies and planting of crops.”

Photos courtesy of Chris Tanz.

I encourage you readers to drop by there on the upcoming Winter Solstice (December 21 at sunrise or sunset) to see how the rays of the sun line up with the sculpture’s stones. (Photo above courtesy of Chris Tanz.) Or you can wait for the Summer Solstice in June, or the Equinox (March or September).

Artist Chris Tanz was interviewed on KUAT Channel 6 on September 10, 2009 (click here) about her inspiration of this “Sun Circle” which came from the ruins of the Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico.

Two ways to see this astronomical calendar next to the Roller Coaster wash in the Rillito River Linear Park–by parking about 1/2 east of it in the River Park parking lot (west of La Canada Drive, south side), or in a parking lot with commercial buildings near the southeast corner of La Cholla Blvd. and River Road. You can catch a glimpse of this sculpture driving north on La Cholla over the bridge, heading to River Road. And of course if you exercise along this part of the Rillito, you’ll be sure to walk/jog/bike/skate right by it.

Mark your modern calendar now to visit this solar inspired calendar along the Rillito River.

Chris Tanz, a sculpture artist and friend of Dr. Maurice Grossman’s, asked me to post this photo of Maurice doing what he loved, registering voters. Maurice was a ceramic artist, retired professor, and well-known community activist in Tucson. There were so many heartfelt comments under my first blog (click here) which I wrote two days after Maurice passed away on January 21.

Maurice with his register to vote sign, taken by Chris Tanz

If you have a photo of Maurice which you would like me to post online in this gallery, please send to my email address at carolynclassen@yahoo.com.

The Celebration of Life of Dr. Maurice Grossman will be held on Sunday, February 7, 5:30 pm at the Tucson Museum of Art, 140 N. Main Avenue, with stories, sharings, and farewells.

Maurice as Pride Parade Grand Marshall, courtesy of Wingspan

Here’s a photo of Maurice heading into the Conrad Wilde art gallery (formerly on 4th Avenue, now on E. 6th Street):

Maurice at art gallery, courtesy of Wingspan

Maurice and his register to vote sign, taken by Vincent Wicks

Maurice and Darla Wandell, photo taken by Lisa McAllister

Maurice and friend Vincent Wicks on New Year's Eve, courtesy of Vincent

Another photo of New Year’s Eve 2009, with friend Tom Cline, courtesy of David Morden:

Tom Cline and Maurice at New Year's Eve 2009

Pat Woelke and Maurice at the Loft Theater, taken by Luanne Withee

Maurice, Andrea Dalessandro and Steve Cody, taken by Emily Herrell

Maruice with Arizona Together tag, courtesy of Ross Grossman

Have you found your face yet on those black/white portrait tiles under the 4th Avenue Underpass?

My husband located his on the Northeast panel and I found mine last night on Southwest panel 1, as all 4 panels are now up on the walls. We were excited to finally locate our portraits amongst the thousands of other tile portraits.

Check it out at www.tucsonportraitproject.com. The photographer was Darren Clark and the concept was created by Gary Patch.

I blogged about this project on August 21, after Tucson’s Birthday Celebration in 2009, but only one panel (the Northwest one) was up at that time. Click here to read my original blog, with details on how to locate your face.

What a great sense of community we felt by being amongst 7,000 other Tucsonans.

Note: Here’s a partial list of some faces I recognized:
NE panel – Randy Accetta, Michael Carson, Al Classen,Tim Keene, Phil Lopes, CT Revere, Ruben Reyes, Regina Romero, Ken Scoville, Chris Tanz;

NW panel – Donna Branch-Gilby, Michael Patrick Brewer, Michael Bryan, Gail Cordy, Albert Elias, Gene Einfrank, Julia Fonseca, Bud Foster, Joyce Gee, Jim Glock, Nancy Janetta, Roslyn Miller, Ron Spark, Karin Uhlich;

SW 1 panel – Laura Burge, Roger Carrillo, Pat de Vito, Carmen Dolny, Rodney Glassman, Maurice Grossman, Jim Hannley, Gary Low, Pancho Medina, Monique Martin, Jim Nintzel, Tom Prezelski;

and SW 2 panel – Katie Bolger, Raul Grijalva, Sat Bir Khalsa, Erika O’Dowd, Alan Leibensperger, Diana Rhodes, Shirley Scott, Nina Trasoff, Robert Walkup.