Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance and Oro Valley Marketplace Shopping Center will host a community-minded event that supports Southern Arizonan both artists and businesses, March 17 & 18

Jan. 12, 2012—After many years in the antique furniture business, Suzanne Webb-Rees decided to turn her talents towards something new that encompasses her love of antiques and creativity.

She began producing whimsical typewriter key bracelets and jewelry and will showcase her creative works at Festival of the Arts – Saturday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Webb-Rees also uses copper to her line of jewelry and, together with her husband Jeff Rees, has added resin pendants and earrings – sometimes combining typewriter key charms with the copper pendant and bead charms.

The jewelry artists include an old typewriter in their display, making this nostalgic jewelry fun and educational for all ages.

Festival of the Arts will feature plenty of activities for youngsters as well as handmade artworks and great food. Held in the beautiful and bustling upscale outdoor mall just minutes north of Tucson, Oro Valley Marketplace – on the southwest corner of Oracle and Tangerine roads – will host the free festival, presented by Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance, SAACA.

Also, displaying handmade crafts at the festival will be Teena Barnett with Teena’s Totes. Barnett began making tote bags of old records when she wanted to make bag for herself. Neighbors urged her to continue, and she designed more. Less than two years later, she has sold hundreds, and she loves searching for albums and still enjoys making them.

Festival of the Arts attendees can find creative gifts from The Designing Lady, faux cacti designs from Bella Fiore Custom Designs, wood boxes from Walter Mehne, metalwork from I-Ron Designs, digital art from Quail Lane Studios and more.

The arts festival was winner of “Best Annual Event” for Tucson in 2011 at the Arizona Foothills magazine.

 

Oro Valley Marketplace

Festival of the Arts, featuring a large variety of works by some of the regions finest artisans and craftsmen, will take place ata new, environmentally-responsible 115-acre shopping destination.

Oro Valley Marketplace, the first Arizona retail destination integrated with a restored riparian habitat, boasts a trail system feeding into the treasured Catalina Mountains. Opened in 2008, the Marketplace features 800,000 square feet of retail, theatre and dining destinations with water-harvesting features and Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.

Spring Oro Valley Festival of the Arts

When: Saturday, March 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, March 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Oro Valley Marketplace, southwest corner of Oracle and Tangerine Roads

Cost: Free admission

Details: Shoppers can find unique artworks, including jewelry, sculptures, textiles, photography, framed paintings, hand-made candles, glass art, custom wood creations, pottery and ceramics, metal work, clothing and much more, while enjoying live performances, an array of food andchildren’s activities.

Online: http://www.orovalleyfestival.org/

Phone: (520) 797-3959

NOTE TO MEDIA: More photos available upon request

About the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance

The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a not-for-profit organization that exists to ensure that, through engagement in arts and culture, our communities produce strong, inspired citizens. SAACA enlists artists, businesses, governments, and individuals to expand artistic and cultural opportunities in their respective communities. To enhance access to the arts and to promote cultural awareness in the communities it serves, SAACA presents large-scale festivals, events and other programs. The Alliance also promotes educational opportunities in the arts and culture for both the young and the old.

Organization History
The Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance (SAACA) grew out of the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council (GOVAC), an organization established in 1997 to provide artistic and cultural opportunities for residents of northwest Tucson. GOVAC eventually became one of the largest arts organizations in the region. In 2009, owing to its success, the group expanded its mission to include creation of partnerships with business, governments, and communities throughout Southern Arizona that would encourage innovative, creative cultural expression in the arts for years to come.

For more information about programs and events produced by the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance, go to www.saaca.org.

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