Desert Times 02/22/2023

Volume 13 • Number 4 February 22, 2023

INSIDE INSIDE

Energy & Rock expert to appear at debut gem show

BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA STAFF

LNavy Week sails into Tucson during rodeo | Page 9 Vet practice expands to meet pet care need | Page 12 Spring arts preview | Page 13

a Encantada shopping center and Energy & Rock Positioning Expert Michal “The Queen of Rocks” Mael will present the first La Encantada Gem Show.

From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, to Sunday, Feb. 26, near L’Occitane, the show will feature gems, geodes, jewelry, small crystal pieces and large geode décor artifacts on display and on sale for a limited time in the La Encantada Angel Courtyard. Visitors can participate in a crystals and design-focused lecture series and an amethyst meditation.

A complimentary lecture series is included. From 11 a.m. to noon Sunday, Feb. 19, visitors can attend a champagne and charcuterie lecture

“Ten Fundamental Crystals You Must Have in Your Space,” presented by The Queen of Rocks & Foothills gourmet marketplace Seared Living.

Mael presents “Designing Your Home with Energy” from 4:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21.

La Encantada Gem Show visitors and shoppers can also take part in a complimentary amethyst meditation from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb.

See GEM SHOW 7

Visitors and shoppers may participate in an amethyst meditation from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20 at Tucson Geodes and Gems at La Encantada shopping center. (La Encantada/Submitted)

Catalina hosts kids’ construction competition

BY VERONICA KUFFEL Tucson Local Media Contributor

Students from around the area competed in the Southern Arizona Construction Competition at Catalina Magnet High School on Feb. 10.

The 120 teens participated in seven trade categories — construction tech, advanced carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, cabinetry and team works — to earn trade-specific tools and medals.

It was hosted by the nonprofit SkillsUSA, which connects students with trade and technical occupations. They showcase these opportunities by hosting competitions on district, state, regional and national levels.

While the kids contended for recognition, company partners looked for recruits to combat construction work shortages. Mike Goodwin, Southern Arizona chairman of the Arizona Builders Alliance, said he hopes that the connections made will spur action for the industry.

“That’s the main catalyst,” Goodwin said regarding the competition. “We bring industry together with potential kids to make sure we have a good funnel into the industry.”

The Arizona Builders Alliance has officially been a part of SkillsUSA competitions for the past six years, but affiliate Arizona companies have worked with them for over 20.

Catalina Magnet High School hosted the nonprofit’s Region 6 Construction Competi-

See CONSTRUCTION Page 6

Hot Picks

ARTS

Ongoing

The African American Museum of Southern Arizona has opened its doors at the UA. Co-founded by Beverly and Bob Elliott, the museum presents a cultural and educational experience through items of significance and intentional storytelling to preserve African American and Black life, culture and history in Southern Arizona to benefit the community. Admission is free to the museum in room 244 of the Student Union Memorial Center. Until regular hours are established, interested visitors can schedule an appointment by emailing aamuseumofsouthernaz@gmail. com. Visit aamsaz.org for more information. African American Museum of Southern Arizona, 4511 N. Campbell Avenue, Suite 255-2.

Wednesday, Feb. 22, to Saturday, May 20

Willem de Koonig’s “Woman-Ochre” was stolen in 1985 from the University of Arizona Museum of Art. It’s returned home and on display through May. Tickets for “Restored: The Return of Woman-Ochre” are $8 general admission; $6 seniors 65-plus and groups of 10 or more; and free for students with ID, museum members, UA faculty, staff, military personnel, AAM members, visitors with a SNAP card or Tribal ID, and children. For more information about other ongoing exhibits, visit artmuseum.arizona.edu.

The University of Arizona Museum of Art, 1031 N. Olive Road.

Saturday, Feb. 25, to Friday, Aug. 4

The North American premiere of the Linda McCartney Retrospective comes to the University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography, Saturday, Feb. 25, to Friday, Aug. 4. Spanning McCartney’s entire career from 1965 to 1997, this exhibition features 176 photographs and archival materials including polaroid images and presents three sections such as family life, photographic experimentation and artists. Open from 10 a.m. to 4:30

BY KATYA

p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, the exhibition will feature various community events inspired by the collection. For more information, visit ccp.arizona. edu. Center for Creative Photography 1030 N. Olive Road.

Saturday, Feb. 25, to Saturday, April 8

The Tucson Desert Art Museum presents its “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues/ En los barrios y las grandes ligas” now through Saturday, April 8. Organized by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in collaboration with the National Museum of American History, this exhibit examines the sport and how Latinos helped shape it. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, $6 students/children, and free for active military. For more information about permanent and ongoing exhibitions, visit tucsondart.org. Tucson Desert Art Museum, 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road.

THEATER

Through Sunday, Feb. 26

The Invisible Theatre presents Cary Gitter’s, “The Sabbath Girl,” through Sunday, Feb. 26. A story about finding love in a big city and the surprise of encountering another culture, “The Sabbath Girl,” is a contemporary romantic comedy with an old-fashioned heart. Dates and times vary. Visit invisibletheatre.com to purchase single or season tickets. Invisible Theatre, 1400 N. First Avenue.

Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26

Don’t miss your chance to see Broadway in Tucson’s presentation of “Dear Evan Hansen” Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, at Centennial Hall. Winner of six Tonys and a Grammy, “Dear Evan Hansen” is a profound contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. The runtime is approximately two-and-a-half hours. For more information on showtimes and

FOOTHILLS NEWS

The

ADMINISTRATION

Steve T. Strickbine, Publisher

Michael Hiatt, Vice President

Claudine Sowards, Accounting claudine@timeslocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, Executive Editor christina@timeslocalmedia.com

Katya Mendoza, Sta Reporter kmendoza@timeslocalmedia.com

Hope Peters, Sta Reporter hpeters@timeslocalmedia.com

Karen Scha ner, Sta Reporter kscha ner@timeslocalmedia.com

PRODUCTION

Shannon Mead, Design/Production Manager smead@timeslocalmedia.com

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ADVERTISING

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Zac Reynolds, Director of National Advertising Zac@timeslocalmedia.com

EDITORIAL

LIVE

THE DIAMOND CENTER

ticket prices, visit broadwayintucson. com. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Through Sunday, April 2

Huzzah! The 35th annual Arizona Renaissance Festival returns to Pinal County. The medieval amusement has a 16-stage theater, a 50-acre circus, arts and crafts fair, and jousting tournament and feast. Mingle with more than 2,000 characters in costume and don’t forget to eat a giant roasted turkey leg. Eat, drink and be merry, for there is so much to see and do. Tickets are $33 for adults, $21 for children 5-12, (children 4 and under are free) if purchased in advance at any Bashas’ or Food City statewide. For a full list of activities and schedule of events, visit arizona.renfestinfo.com. Arizona Renaissance Festival, 12601 E. U.S. Highway 60 Gold Canyon.

Thursday, Feb. 23, to Sunday, Feb. 26

One of Southern Arizona’s oldest traditions, La Fiesta de los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo features six rodeo performances at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds. Don’t forget about the Tucson Rodeo Parade on Thursday, Feb. 23, with over 150 western-themed floats, buggies and groups. Tickets are only sold via the Tucson Rodeo website, tucsonrodeo.com. Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823 S. Sixth Avenue.

Thursday, Feb. 23, to Sunday, March, 5

The Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson present the Spring Ikebana Festival - Yume Japanese Gardens’ 10th anniversary celebration. Also known as “the way of the flowers,” Ikebana is the “meditative art of Japanese floral arranging.” This art, which dates back to the 15th century incorporates nature with an emphasis of lines, shapes and form throughout the arrangement and the hand of the arranger. General

admission tickets are $18; members, $10; and children under 15, $5. Tickets include entry to the gardens. For information on times and dates, visit yumegardens.org. Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson, 2130 N. Alvernon Way.

Thursday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, May. 7

Journey into a Western Experience at Old Tucson Studios and witness the spirit of the Old West come alive. Get a glimpse of a historic town in Arizona territory during the 1800s and enjoy live action cowboy gun fights, death-defying stunts, rides and attractions. Tickets are $34 for adults, $17 for children (5 to 11), which includes admission and attractions. A Western Experience will be open 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance at oldtucson.com. Western Experience at Old Tucson Studios, 201 S. Kinney Road.

Saturday, Feb. 25

Tucson Foodie presents the Tucson Craft Beer Crawl from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Join this walkable journey to several local breweries and take your pick from over 20 craft beers. Check-in begins at 11 a.m. General admission tickets are $50 and include a commemorative tasting glass and 30 (2-ounce) drink sample tickets or $75 for VIP admission, for earlier entry, 40 (2-ounce) drink sample tickets and an exclusive lounge experience at Playground. To purchase tickets online and for venue information, visit tucsoncraftbeercrawl.com.

Saturday, Feb. 25, to Sunday, April 2

It’s racing season at the historic Rillito Park Racetrack. Every Saturday and Sunday this spring, check out fast horses, jockeys and big purses for nine weekends. Gates open at 11 a.m. on race days. Post time is at 1 p.m. Visit rillitoracetrack.com for more information. Rillito Park Racetrack, 4502 N. First Avenue. 

AGING WELL Waves That Work: Targeting Wellness by Relaxing the Brain

What if you could tell your brain to relax for a while, and learn to let go of “mental chatter,” negative thoughts, and spiraling inner monologues? There is a high-tech tool that basically does this: the Gharieni Welnamis spa wave bed uses computer-controlled vibrational therapy and audio frequencies to train the brain to relax. Similar to meditation, certain sounds heard through stereo headphones slow mental activity, while the bed’s vibrational frequencies target the body’s energy centers.

Residents and staff at Splendido, a Life Plan Community for those 55 and better in Oro Valley, have been using the spa wave bed since the end of 2022.

“The technology of the bed was originally developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorders of American veterans,” explains Todd Lutz, Splendido’s spa and fitness manager. “It has different settings for treating not only PTSD, but also stress, depression, and poor sleep, as well as headaches and

difficulty focusing.”

The high-tech bed, located in one of the massage rooms in Splendido’s spa, allows individuals to choose their desired wellness goal, such as improving sleep quality.

The spa wave bed is just one of the latest wellness opportunities at Splendido, which in 2022 was ranked #1 in wellness among senior living communities in all of North America, earning a ICAA NuStep Top 5 Pinnacle Award. The honor was bestowed to Splendido for providing exceptional performance using wellness as a foundation, and partnering with residents and staff to create relevant, meaningful opportunities that empower people to age well.

In that spirit, Todd recently asked interested Splendido residents and staff to participate in a pilot program where they would try out the spa wave bed and then report on its effectiveness. Over two weeks, 18 residents and nine employees tested 30- and

60-minute sessions with different treatments. The most popular treatments among the group targeted improving sleep, relieving stress, general well-being, reducing fatigue, and enhancing positive energy.

“My mind is always racing. I thought the wave bed might calm it… and that’s exactly what it does,” says Amy Lohr, one of the residents who participated in the pilot program. “When I’m using the spa bed, my mind empties, and I can just focus on the sensations of the bed, which feels like a waterbed, and on the sound. You can select from a couple of sound levels, and I choose the quietest; you can also pick the color that glows out from under the bed. It adds up to a whole-body experience.”

Jean Nerenberg, another resident participant, says, “I was curious about it, and I wanted to relax. It was very relaxing—it felt like meditating, and took me away from my thoughts. While I was using the bed, I used breathing techniques that

Residents and staff at splendido use the gharieni welnamis spa wave bed for relaxation and to target mind-body issues from sleep problems to headaches.

I learned in my meditation class, and I think that enhanced the experience.”

A survey of all participants in the pilot program reveals they enjoyed a variety of benefits from using the wave bed. The most

prevalent include the following:

52% - Reduced feelings of depression and stress

48% - Felt an improvement in mental focus

48% - Reduced anxiety

40% - Reported having

better sleep

For those who used the bed in hopes of reducing specific pain, the wave bed worked best at relieving pain in the lower back, shoulders, and upper back.

“I’m using the bed weekly, and I really look forward to it,” says Amy. “I enjoy having my mind clear. It’s a feeling that lasts for the rest of the day, and even into the next day. I just feel like my mind is less full of

In addition to the spa wave bed, Splendido’s spa offers salon services and signature treatments for body and skin health on a fee-for-service basis. From new healing technology to soothing skin treatments, its spa services are just a few of the community’s offerings that support residents on their unique wellness journeys.

Interested in learning more about Splendido? For floor plans, photos, and information on upcoming events, visit splendidotucson.com. 

from Page 1

tion of Southern Arizona. Each competition has a sponsor from one of the associated contracting companies, who set up a project or task the students completed. When the kids arrived, they exchanged their resumes for plans and tools. They finished their projects within five hours and the sponsors judged their work. Overall, the competition serves as an affirming gateway into the construction industry.

“Our job is to make sure we give all these kids a positive experience and then plant some seeds for the future,” Goodwin said. The participants had general classroom knowledge of construction, thanks to programs like career and technical education and Pima JTED.

Career and technical education programs help students balance their education with work interests. It can help streamline students into their careers by providing real-world experience, skill certification and sometimes dual college credit.

Pima JTED, or Joint Technical Education District, provides career and technical education programs to Tucson school districts, which can connect high school students to trade programs outside of the university system.

Some programs introduce passionate kids to the construction industry, but an obstacle is finding passionate and qualified instructors to lead the classes. This

call for help influenced teachers like Mishari Otaibi and Adrian Morales to act.

“My high school construction teacher reached out to me and said there was a need for instructors,” Otaibi said, now in his sixth year at Catalina High School.

Otaibi and Morales met in a construction class. Their teacher persuaded them to join the career and technical education programs at Catalina and Sahuarita high schools. According to Morales of Sahuarita, they instruct students in almost everything related to construction.

“We’re basically teaching these kids how to build a house from the ground up,” Morales said. “When we have a kid that really shines in something, we encourage them to stick with it, but we cover everything.”

Otaibi and Morales prepare their classes in real-world situations, whether it’s building a cabinet or configuring an electrical system. Their skills are then put to the test in events like the Southern Arizona Construction Competition. Along with winning prizes and recognition, students receive feedback on their work and evaluate where to make improvements.

Morales said he appreciates this exposure because he can bring their experience back to the classroom. The results of the competition are motivating, but teachers focus on the struggles, interests and fun to reconfigure their lesson plans.

Moreover, Otaibi acknowledged the importance of networking for a lot of his students, regardless of their status in the competition.

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“All these contractors are hiring, and they’re looking at all of our wonderful students out here,” Otaibi said. “We want to know how we can help them get to that next level.”

Construction companies across broader Tucson partner with the SkillsUSA competition for this same reason. Every winner is recognized, but every student is an opportunity.

Many of the sponsors also have apprenticeship programs they advertise during the competition. Interested students can build connections with industry leaders and find opportu-

nities to be certified in their chosen field.

Sun Mechanical Contracting sponsored the plumbing category, during which Kathy Smith, its apprenticeship and training coordinator, watched and made notes of candidates. Among other advocates for trade schools, Smith noted that there are great career options outside of a university education.

“The trades are always going to be needed,” Smith said. “You don’t always have to go to college to be successful. We hope they know a trade can be a career.”

Sponsors like Sun Mechanical Contracting see the potential of students and try to

support them through their journey, both in and out of the competition. They work alongside programs like career and technical education, their teachers and other organizations to combat labor shortages in an essential industry.

It’s still far from over.

“The 150 or so kids you saw at the competition are a drop in the bucket for what we need,” Goodwin said. “There are things we need to do to stem the tide in order to continue building.”

But according to Goodwin, change starts in small circles, and the competition and programs play a big role in it. 

Team works, construction tech and plumbing competitions were judged in the Catalina High School parking lot. (Veronica Kuffel/Contributor)

Freshman John E. David, left, and junior Augustus Pike work on their projects in the masonry competition. (Veronica Kuffel/Contributor)

Michal Mael presents the inaugural La Encantada Gem Show, set for Saturday, Feb. 18 at the La Encantada shopping cente. The weeklong show, which closes on Sunday, Feb. 2, will feature lectures about living with crystals. (La Encantada/Submitted)

GEM SHOW from Page 1

20, at Tucson Geodes and Gems, located on La Encantada’s level one.

Valet services will be available from 4 p.m. to close Thursday to Saturday during the La Encantada Gem Show. Valet services will be in the roundabout in front of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and North Italia. 

La Encantada Gem Show

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, to Sunday, Feb. 26

WHERE: La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Drive, Tucson COST: Free admission INFO: laencantadagemshow.com.

WARNING! PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

Oro Valley AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin.

The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness, tingling, pain, and balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves to degenerate – an insidious and often painful process.

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves

cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “BandAid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

Thankfully, Oro Valley is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Arrowhead Physical Medicine in Oro Valley, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling

It’s completely painless!

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!

Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.

The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope!

Arrowhead Physical Medicine begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for comprises a detailed your friends and family.sensoryEach exam evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

Arrowhead Physical Medicine begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for comprises a detailed your friends and family. Each sensory exam evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy ndings.

Arrowhead Physical Medicine will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until December 31st, 2022. Call (520) 934-0130 to make an appointment

Arrowhead Physical Medicine will be o ering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until February 28, 2023. Call (520) 934-0130 to make an appointment

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 c allers Y OU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (520) 934-0130 NOW!!

We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Arrowhead Physical Medicine 10425 N Oracle Rd., Suite 125 Oro Valley, AZ, 85737

Navy Week sailing into Tucson during rodeo

SPECIAL TO TUCSON WEEKLY

Tucson will host the city’s first Navy Week since 2020 when the Navy visits the area for a week of events Monday, Feb. 20, to Sunday, Feb. 26, in conjunction with La Fiesta de los Vaqueros - The Tucson Rodeo.

Tucson Navy Week brings sailors from across the fleet to the area to emphasize the importance of the Navy to Tucson, the state of Arizona, and the nation. Rear Admiral Brad Rosen, commander, Navy Region Southwest, will serve as the Navy’s senior executive host.

“I think Navy Week Tucson is an opportunity for the Navy to show what we do to people who might not be familiar,” Rosen said.

“We are the Navy of the American people, and we are very excited to highlight what we do on a daily basis. We’ll have 75 personnel from a several units, most of whom have connections to Arizona.”

Participating Navy organizations include namesake sailors from USS Tucson (SSN 770), USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10), and USS John S. McCain (DDG 56), Navy Band Southwest, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group One, USS Constitution, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, U.S. Ceremonial Guard, Navy Reserve Center Tucson, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Phoenix, Navy Supply Systems Command, Navy History and Heritage Command, U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. America Vietnam War Commemoration, Department of the Navy – Office of Small Business Programs, and U.S. Fleet Forces Command.

More than 75 sailors will participate in education and community outreach events throughout the city, including the Tucson Rodeo & Parade. This is the third Navy Week hosted by the city of Tucson since the Navy Week program started in 2005.

Cmdr. Robert Burke, commanding officer, USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), and a native of Tucson is excited to return to Tucson for Navy Week. Burke graduated from Palo Verde High School and NAU.

“I am honored to represent the U.S. Navy and share my experiences with my hometown during Tucson Navy Week,”

Burke said.

“I am filled with gratitude that the leadership skills, work ethic and resiliency I developed growing up in Tucson have enabled my service.”

Navy Weeks are a series of outreach events coordinated by the Navy Office of Community Outreach designed to give Americans an opportunity to learn about the Navy, its people and its importance to national security and prosperity.

Since 2005, the Navy Week program has served as the Navy’s flagship outreach effort into areas of the country without a significant Navy presence, providing the public a firsthand look at why the Navy matters to cities like Tucson.

“We are excited to bring the Navy Week program to Tucson,” said NAVCO’s director, Cmdr. Anthony Falvo.

“Seapower and America’s Navy are more important now than ever before. The U.S. Navy remains our nation’s most

powerful instrument of military influence and Navy Weeks allow us to showcase how the Navy serves America at sea, in the air and ashore.”

Among the activities sailors will participate in across the area include engaging with students at local high schools, The University of Arizona, and volunteer opportunities with Boys and Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity Tucson, Ronald McDonald House, the Humane Society, Casa Maria Soup Kitchen and several others. Residents will also enjoy free live music by Navy Band Southwest at venues throughout the week.

Tucson Navy Week is one of 15 Navy Weeks in 2023, which brings a variety of assets, equipment and personnel to a single city for a weeklong series of engagements designed to bring America’s Navy closer to the people it protects. Each year, the program reaches more than 140 million people — about half the U.S. population.

Rosen said he joined the Navy to serve the nation.

“I was always very excited to be a part of something that was bigger than myself,” he said.

“I was very interested in the opportunity to fly. I jokingly say I saw ‘Top Gun’ one too many times. I went to the Navy Academy and became a Navy flight officer.”

Mike Brewer, commanding officer of the Navy Reserve Center Tucson, is excited about Navy Week. He’ll participate in the rodeo parade.

“It’ll be nice,” he said. “I get to reconnect with my fellow sailors. I also get to, in some way, participate in some of our Navy traditions that you don’t often get out here in Tucson. I’m looking forward to showing the people what the Navy does.” 

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski contributed to this story.

Cmdr. Doug Pratt, commanding officer of USS Tucson (SSN 770), administers the oath of enlistment for future sailors in the Tucson area at the 95th annual Tucson Rodeo during Tucson Navy Week. The Navy Office of Community Outreach uses the Navy Week program to bring Navy sailors, equipment and displays to approximately 11 American cities each year for a weeklong schedule of outreach engagements. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Cole C. Pielop/U.S. Navy Photo)

Rodeo brings professional cowboys, cowgirls to Tucson

BY LAURA LATZKO Tucson Weekly Contributor

Participating in and watching rodeo is a tradition in Tucson, and La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo is an established part of this history.

Dating back to 1925 and organized by the Tucson Rodeo Committee, La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo is set for Saturday, Feb. 18, to Sunday, Feb. 26. During its six performances, it attracts around 70,000 people.

Rodeo Chairman Jose Calderon said the rodeo stays true to its roots.

“We have kept it pretty traditional. We don’t like to make too many changes,” Calderon said.

In addition to rodeo events, the venue will host a beer garden, a Vaquero Mercantile with western-themed vendors and visits from the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile the first weekend.

Calderon said multiple generations enjoy the rodeo.

“When I see a little boy with a cowboy hat or a little girl with pigtails, that to me is generation after generation they have been coming,” Calderon said.

“There’s nothing better than seeing the simple smile and the laughs of a little kid and then the life it brings to the parents and the grandparents.”

During the rodeo, cowboys from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) will compete in rough stock events such as saddle bronc, bull and bareback riding and timed events such as tie-down roping, steer wrestling and team roping.

For cowgirls from the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), there will be women’s barrel racing.

The Tucson rodeo kicks of the PRCA season, as the National Finals Rodeo is held in December. The rodeo brings in 600 contestants from around North and South America.

Each day of the rodeo starting at 12:30 p.m. there will be a junior rodeo for young people 6 to 13 and mutton bustin’ for kids

The Tucson Rodeo Parade, the largest nonmotorized parade in the country, will feature a number of decorated wagons. (Tucson Rodeo Committee/submitted)

4 to 6. During the junior rodeo, participants compete in steer riding, barrel racing, bull riding and roping events.

Lonestar, known for their songs “Amazed” and “I’m Already There, will perform on Saturday, Feb. 18, after the rodeo.

The following day, the rodeo will host Wear Pink Day to create awareness about breast cancer.

On Thursday, Feb. 23 as part of Navy Day, members of the U.S. Navy will sing

RODEO from Page 10

the national anthem, and six new Navy recruits will be sworn in.

On Saturday, Feb. 18, Sunday, Feb. 19, and Thursday, Feb. 23, to Sunday, Feb. 26, following the rodeo, barn dances will be held with live country bands.

Tucson Rodeo Parade

Before the rodeo on Thursday, the Tucson Rodeo Parade will create a festive atmosphere.

It is the largest nonmotorized parade in the country, attracting around 150,000 spectators. Organized by 29-member Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee, the event runs from Ajo Highway and Fair Avenue east to Park Avenue, south on Park to Irvington Road, west on Irvington to Sixth Avenue and north on Sixth to the Tucson Rodeo Grounds.

Wagner is a longtime parade fan.

“I was born and raised here in Tucson. I remember going to the parade as a kid, watching my sister march in the high school band,” Wagner said.

The committee expects 116 entries, including marching bands, dance and mu-

sical groups, western riding groups, Native American royalty, re-enactment groups and businesses.

This year in honor of U.S. Navy Week, a vice admiral from the US Navy will ride in a wagon with submarine veterans. Sailors from the USS Tucson, the USS Gabrielle Giffords and the USS John S. McCain will also take part in the parade.

The League of Mexican American Women and the Mormon Battalion have been part of the festivities for more than 50 years.

Decorated wagons are main features of the parade. More than 65 of them come from the Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum, and others are owned by companies and individuals.

Entrants have a chance to sponsor and decorate these wagons.

In the past, participants have often adorned these wagons with crepe paper, paper flowers or streamers.

This year, the grand marshal is Jessica Cox, a motivational speaker, author, pilot and Guinness World Record holder. She was born without arms and uses her feet to complete tasks, such as operating

planes.

There will be pre-parade entertainment from the Square and Round Dance Association of Southern Arizona, a lion dance team from the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, the U.S. Navy Honor Guard and Drill Team, Mariachi Aztlán de Pueblo

La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Rodeo

WHEN: Gates open 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, to Sunday, Feb. 26; both Saturdays and Sundays, Thursday and Friday

WHERE: Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823

S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $18; $9 per vehicle for parking at rodeo grounds

INFO: 520-741-2233, tucsonrodeo.com

Tucson Rodeo Parade

WHEN: 9 a.m. start. Thursday, Feb. 23

WHERE: Ajo Highway and Fair Avenue to Park Avenue, Park Avenue to Irvington Road, Irvington Road to Sixth

High School and the Grupo Folklorico Los Guerreros de Pueblo High School. The parade museum, which will be open on select times during the rodeo, has more than 125 horse-drawn vehicles on display at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds. 

Avenue, Sixth Avenue to Tucson Rodeo Grounds

COST: Free admission, $10 for prepurchased grandstand seating for adults and $5 for children 12 and under INFO: tucsonrodeoparade.com

Tucson Rodeo Parade Museum

WHEN: 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 18, Sunday, Feb. 19, Wednesday Feb. 22, Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26

WHERE: Tucson Rodeo Grounds, 4823

S. Sixth Avenue, Tucson

COST: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $2 for children under 16, 50% discount for military and first responders.

INFO: tucsonrodeoparade.com/ the-museum

Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit expands to meet need for pet care

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Tucson Local Media Writer

Pet owners in Tucson will soon have a reliable, affordable pet vet in their backyard with Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit’s new brick-andmortar clinic.

The specialized veterinary practice recently purchased the former Camino Seco Pet Clinic at 8860 E. Broadway Boulevard, which will be its first Tucson brick-andmortar. It’s the third overall location, with the other facilities being mobile.

It’s expanding due to demand and its success operating primarily from mobile units, through which it pursues its mission to provide convenient, low-cost surgical and dental care for dogs and cats directly in their neighborhoods.

“This (expansion) means that we’re doing the right thing. It means we are finding people and pet owners who are in desperate need of care at a cost model that makes sense for them,” said Douglas Patriquin, co-owner and CEO of Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit. “It means a lot for us to touch that market, to help those people, to get those calls that say, ‘Thank goodness we found you. We really appreciate what you do.’”

Patriquin owns Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit with his wife, Dr. Kelly Patriquin, DVM. The prices range from eCollars at $15 to leg amputation starting at $550.

The team is remodeling its new clinic with plans to complete it over the summer. While the new location is under construction, a fully operational mobile unit will be parked on the lot.

The practice also has a presence in Phoenix with five doctors across four locations, which includes a new North Phoenix location, a brick-and-mortar building in Peoria, and two mobile surgical units.

Known for its mobile units, Dr. Kelly’s model enables them to better serve Tucson and Phoenix, thanks to business partners across the areas.

Patriquin said the addition of the brickand-mortar practices allows their company even more flexibility and “gross potential.” With the expandability of the new facilities, they will be able to have more doctors to accommodate pet owners

across a wider geographic region.

Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit specializes in surgical care, including spays and neuters, dental work, extractions, bladder stones, mass and tumor removals, and surgeries like soft tissue and amputation.

The company’s mobile units provide amenities including an extensive surgical prep area, large surgical areas that accommodate two doctors, a recovery area for post-operative care, and a floor plan designed to house specialized services.

In this space, each doctor can perform over 18 surgeries per day.

Patriquin compares their model to traditional human medical care, like a specialist in comparison to a primary doctor.

“The trade-off is that we’re not your (general) wellness practice. We’re not doing routine six-month bloodwork, urinalysis, ear infections,” he said. “For us, the high-value health intensive services are the trade-off of doing everything.”

Unlike most veterinary practices, Dr. Kelly’s offers surgical care at affordable prices.

The company’s goal is to allow owners to receive the treatments they want without having to make the considerable financial sacrifices requested by many traditional veterinarian offices — which

is timely considering pet ownership’s costliness and increasing popularity due to people working from home.

“The vast majority of the clients we see take good care of their animals, but they bristle at big numbers, is what it comes down to,” Patriquin said.

In comparison to a traditional full-service vet, Dr. Kelly’s offers surgical care at a third to a half of the typical price.

A release stated that ER vet bills ranged from $150 to $1,200 in 2022.

“When you couple the efficiency of just doing surgeries, not adding on all of the fitness and wellness exams, we can be very efficient. So we found that to be fast. We can save our time and effort by the doctor and pass those savings on to clients,” Patriquin said.

“The fact that we’re able to continue to grow; continue to provide a low-cost, affordable model; and still survive and grow as a business is a testament to not only that the clients are there but that it’s possible,” he added. “Not everything has to be a massive four-digit number just to get routine care.”

The Patriquins founded Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit in 2016.

A 1997 Colorado State University graduate, Kelly worked for a number of clinics

over the years but always had a particular passion for surgery.

The husband-and-wife team sought to establish a veterinary clinic that could serve more pets, and realized that there was a big market for the affordability model they had created. Quickly, they collected a handful of locations.

Over the past seven years, the clinic has performed over 100,000 pet surgeries, assisted more than 150,000 clients and served nearly 80 pet rescue organizations.

The clinic saw a 60% expansion in 2022, 50% in 2021 and 160% in the previous three years.

“The industry is growing, expanding; it’s getting expensive; doctors and staff are hard to find. That’s why you can’t get an appointment at a practice,” Patriquin said. “It’s hard — they’re all full, the pet space is growing, and the demand for vets is not really keeping up. But it’s great that we’re able to help as many people as possible get the care that their pets need at the surgical level.” 

Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit

520-636-7387

drkellysvet.com

Dr. Kelly’s Surgical Unit is a specialized veterinary practice in the Phoenix and Tucson metropolitan areas. The company operates primarily from mobile units, providing convenient, affordable surgical and dental care for dogs and cats. (Holly Morgan Media/Submitted)

Spring Arts

The UA Center for Creative Photography mounts the exhibition, The Linda McCartney Retrospective, the first U.S. retrospective of the late photographer's work. More information on page 16. (Center for Creative Photography/Submitted)

Spring art exhibits paint perfect picture of talent

BY MARGARET REGAN Tucson Local Media Contributor

Tucson has been an art town for years, a haven for artists and art lovers alike. From the big museums Downtown and at the University of Arizona to the upscale galleries in the Foothills to the small edgy warehouses on Sixth Street, and the newer venues in Barrio Viejo, there’s plenty to choose no matter what your fancy.

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA CENTER FOR CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY

“The Linda McCartney Retrospective” ccp.arizona.edu/

The highlight of the season is a major exhibition of Linda McCartney’s wonderful photography. As a young woman in the 1960s, she emerged as a hot-shot photographer of rock ’n’ roll musicians. Later, when she married Paul McCartney, she started doing many pictures of her children and of the beautiful lands around their country home in Scotland. She also loved to do photos on the

streets of people who were not famous. Some Tucsonans have known for years that the McCartneys have had a ranch on the east side of the city. But many don’t know that the New York-born Linda lived in Tucson long before she met Paul. She came to Tucson to study art history at the University of Arizona. During her short time here, she met Hazel Archer, an extraordinary photographer and teacher. Linda made her first photos under Archer’s guidance at the Tucson Arts Center, which later became the Tucson Museum of Art. Linda would always say, “It was Hazel who made me a photographer.”

The Center for Creative Photography at the university is at long last mounting a show honoring her work, featuring 176 photos from the family archive in London. It’s Linda’s first retrospective in North America. The show is in three sections: family and domestic life, experimental, and the popular portraits

See ART Page 16

The UA Center for Creative Photography mounts the exhibition, "The Linda McCartney Retrospective," the first U.S. retrospective of the late photographer's work. (Center for Creative Photography/Submitted)

The LINDA McCARTNEY Retrospective

The University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography is proud to host the North American premiere of “The Linda McCartney Retrospective,” opening Feb. 25!

Celebrate McCartney’s 30-year, barrier-breaking career, and her connection to Tucson. Free to all!

ccp.arizona.edu | Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00a-4:30p

Linda. New York, 1967.

© Paul McCartney

/ Photographer: Linda McCartney.

Linda McCartney, Jimi Hendrix. London, 1967.

© Paul McCartney

/ Photographer: Linda McCartney.

of musicians and others. Keep your eyes open for the many events that the center is planning. Runs Saturday, Feb. 25, to Saturday, Aug. 5.

“WOMAN-OCHRE” artmuseum.arizona.edu

Across the way at the University Museum of Art, the dazzling “Woman-Ochre” stands in splendor. If you have not visited her then get thee to her heavily guarded perch. As everyone knows, this abstract painting by Willem de Kooning, done in 1955, was stolen from the museum in 1985 but recovered in a shop in Silver City in 2017 and restored at the Getty. It returned to its home in Tucson last fall. Closes Saturday, May 20.

The museum has built a whole show, “Abstract Perspectives in Mid-Century Art,” around de Kooning and his contemporaries, with a large collection of abstract paintings from the same period, roughly 1950 to 1970. Among the artists who are in the show are Elaine de Kooning, Lee Krasner. Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. That show closes Saturday, March 25.

Chris Rush, Anna and Madda, 2023 print, (Etherton Gallery/ Submitted)

THE ARIZONA STATE MUSEUM statemuseum.arizona.edu

ASM, also on campus, is sparkling with Southwest native jewelry for the exhibition, “Ancient — Modern: Continuity and Innovation in Southwest Native Jewelry,” which closes Saturday, Oct. 28.

Beautifully put together by curator Diane Dittimore, more than 70 pieces are on display, created across the ages, from ancient, historic and contemporary times. Indigenous artisans created these jewels to adorn themselves and their loved ones. Their styles vary and denote different regions and practices. Many used shell, silver and turquoise.

Another show at the museum, “Sámi Dreams,” explores the history of the indigenous people of northern Europe, with photographs by Randall Heyman. It runs Saturday, March 18, to Saturday, June 17.

DOWNTOWN ETHERTON GALLERY ethertongallery.com

Etherton Gallery shows off two excellent Tucson artists in the new exhibit

ARIZO NA T HEATRE COMPANY

KennedyGordon Clapp

Mimi Kennedy (Mom, Dharma & Greg, Midnight in Paris) stars as Prudence “Pru” Payne, an esteemed critic widely recognized as a wit, a scholar, and a public intellectual. But as her memory begins to fade, all her preconceived notions — about herself and, more importantly, others — also slip away. Gordon Clapp (NYPD Blue, Emmy winner) stars as Pru’s unconventional love interest Gus in this remarkable, funny, and emotional journey about the evolution of love and identity in the face of memory loss.

CAN’T LIVE WITH ‘EM, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT ‘EM

This hilarious classic comedy starts when an explosive divorced couple and their new spouses inadvertently honeymoon in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. When combustible chemistry reignites, mayhem occurs, and strong passions and stronger personalities take over.

A BIG-HEARTED, FIERCE, MUSIC-FILLED COMEDY

When successful Elvis impersonator Casey loses his gig, a drag show moves in and “The King” transforms into an all-out queen with some help from his new friends. With snappy zingers and dance-worthy numbers, this wildly entertaining story is full of sass and good spirits.

Mimi

“Chris Rush and Ellen McMahon: Again with the Real.”

At one time, Rush was mostly known in town for a giant baby mural. Now, in this big show of his paintings and drawings, he covers many of his styles, from remakes of 19th century documents to compassionate portraits of children. In this show, he has another baby, this one flying happily over a lake and woods.

Ellen McMahon has created two melancholy series. “Lost Language of the Desert” uses a letterpress to make letters and symbols, known and unknown, and colored in gray and red. “What Is Lost and What Remains” features moody landscapes on paper, colored in ink, chalk or pastel. Closes Saturday, April 15.

ANDREW SMITH GALLERY

andrewsmithgallery.com/

Next door, an excellent photography gallery is showing another Tucson artist: Michael Hyatt. For years, Hyatt has made images of people of all kinds; his pictures of desperate migrants in the

desert led to a successful book, “Along the Migrant Trail.” The new show, “Crossroads: The Music & Streets of Los Angeles 1969–1981” takes us to gritty Downtown neighborhoods. He made beautiful black and white pictures of musicians and sex workers, drinkers and gospel singers and the down-andout. Hyatt’s own grandfather was a reg-

ular on Skid Row. His new book, “Fifth and Wall Street: Skid Row, Los Angeles in the 1970s,” can be purchased at the gallery. Closes Thursday, March 30.

PHILABAUM GLASS GALLERY philabaumglass.com/

A new exhibition at Philabaum has the enticing name: “Stories Reimagined.”

The four glass artists don’t disappoint. Sandy Pendleton of Cave Creek and Pinetop makes fused glass pieces that interestingly have cloth and textures inside. Phoenix artist Andrew Shultz is inspired by Southwestern landscapes and colors. Look for one of his lovely pots of sky blue, desert yellows and sienna. Richard Satava of Chico, California, is a master of glass; he wields his wares with gleaming glass jellyfish and glass petroglyphs.

Jim Scheller uses kilns for bowls whose designs are somehow between paleolithic and midcentury modern. The longtime gallery, founded by glass artist Tom Philabaum, is now happily owned and directed by Alison Harvey and Dylan Harvey. Closes Saturday, June 24.

TUCSON MUSEUM OF ART. tucsonmuseumofart.org

All winter, the museum has been showing the American West from a new point of view. In “More Than: Expanding Artists Identities from the Ameri-

Dyani White Hawk in collaboration with photographer Tom Jones, "I Am Your Relative" (front), 2020, two-sided archival pigment prints mounted on Dibond. (Dyani White Hawk and Bockley Gallery/Submitted)

can West,” you’ll find African American cowboys on their horses captured in photography. Among other photographic works is a giant installation of six life-size native women wearing traditional skirts and contemporary black T-shirts, each inscribed with the name of her tribal nation. Closes Sunday, March 19.

In early February, a companion show opened, “Enduring Legacies: The James T. Bialac Indigenous Art Collection,” with paintings, prints and works on paper by Native American artists from around the country. Tohono O’Odham Michael Chiago, a favorite in Tucson, is represented with a painting of tribal baskets. Be on the lookout for the late Julian Martinez’ charming watercolor of a barnyard battle between a skunk and a rooster. Martinez was from San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico. Closes Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024.

Later in the spring, fans can visit the Arizona Biennial 2023. The popular juried exhibition brings in the work of artists from all over the state. Runs Saturday, April 1, to Sunday Oct. 1.

MOCA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART

moca-tucson.org

The latest MOCA show is inspired by centuries-old Indigenous art from South America. Among the ancient peoples of the Andes, webs of knotted cords called quipus were used to record community histories. Even after the Spanish banned them in the 16th century, local peoples continued to make them. Now artist Cecilia Vicuña has reimagined them as an art form. Vicuña, from Chile, invited people and organizations in Tucson to gather

pima.edu/community/the-arts

The Bernal Gallery is bursting with 19 painted panels of the Grand Canyon. Each gorgeous painting, 7 feet high, represents one hour of the day’s 24. From the pinks of sunrise to the golden shadows of sunset to the darkness of night, the colorful shadows and light move across the landscape. Five of the original 24 panels are not in the show, but who’s counting!

everything from discarded kitchen waste to alley-way junk for their own “Sonoran Quipu.” The piece is a multi-media sculpture, with videos and soundscapes. According to the gallery, the artist “invites viewers to consider the beauty and precarity of our world, and our interconnected relationships to the environment and to each other.” Closes Sunday, Sept. 10.

WE ST LOUIS CARLOS BERNAL GALLERY AT PIMA COLLEGE WEST

The creator of this masterpiece, Joseph DiGiorgio, painted the work in pointillism, a style that makes images with colorful dots. The Brooklyn artist (19312000) typically worked in the pointillist style and often showed his paintings in Tucson.

DiGiorgio gave the whole of “The Grand Canyon” as a gift to the Tucson Museum of Art years ago. A portion of the work was first exhibited in New York City, but has been shown in its entirety just once, here in Tucson, at the museum in 1997. Thanks to a collaboration between TMA and the Bernal Gallery, now, at last, it is being shown again in Tucson after more than a quarter century. Closes

Bobb Vann, "Ranch Wrangler," 2010, oil on canvas, 24 by 48 inches. Collection of the Tucson Museum of Art. Gift of the artist, through the Western Art Patrons.

Friday, March 10.

Pointillist fans who come to see the painting in early March can also see a student performance of “Sunday in the Park with George,” a play that honors George Seurat, a French master of the style. Runs Thursday, March 2, to Sunday, March 12.

Also, over at the Visual Arts Gallery on campus, an exhibition honors Pima College professors the late Darla Masterson, known for innovative monotone landscapes, and Phillip Bellomo, for his ceramics. They helped found the Visual Arts Department. Closes Friday, March 24.

WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

RAICES TALLER 222 ART GALLERY raicestaller222.com/

Raices Gallery opens the spring with two shows, jointly titled “Historias, Lugar, y Tiempo/Histories, Place, and Time.”

John Salgado, the gallery’s co-director, said he is excited to bring in nine UA undergraduates from the College of Fine Arts. When Raices started more than 25 years ago, student artists were among the first to be shown there. In the new batch, all have studied with Alejandro Macias, an exciting new member of the faculty. The second of the two shows presents the work of established members of the collective in the large room to the back. They have happily given over the front gallery to these promising young artists. Open only 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Closes Saturday, March 11.

CONTRERAS GALLERY AND JEWELRY contrerashousefineart.com/index.html

Contreras Gallery, up the road from Raices Taller, is staging “Organic,” a three-woman show of abstract works. Sylvia Garland and Ann Tracy, regulars in the gallery, both seem to conjure the ocean. Garland’s richly colored paintings suggest tidepools and the ocean deep. Tracy also seems enamored by the sea. One of her pieces, to my eye, conjures the shoreline in Ireland. Eve McEwen is the guest artist. The highlight of her work in the show is a southwestern church, painted all in white, with signs asking for peace and unity. Closes Saturday, March 25

Later in spring, Contreras brings in nine artists for “A Group Show, No Theme,

Any Medium” from Saturday, April 8, to Saturday, May 27.

STEINFELD WAREHOUSE

steinfeldwarehouse.org

The old Downtown warehouse is filled with small galleries. They include Untitled, Seven-Legged Spider Gallery, and Steinfeld Gallery and Studios. You never know just which ones will be open for their regular Art Walks, but give it try on the first Saturday of every month from 4 to 9 p.m.

MIDTOWN EVERYBODY GALLERY

everybody.gallery/

This avant-garde gallery at the unlikely location of 437 East Grant Road wraps up its current exhibition “Sunsets” this weekend on Saturday, Feb. 18. The show includes works by Amy Granat with Shane Rossi, Sundblad / Granat Films, and DIRT. Starting in March, José Villalobos brings his multimedia and performance works to the gallery. His art explores border cultures and the tensions between traditional and contemporary identities. One piece, “La Agua Que Nos Carga (The Water that Carries Us),” is a water jug encased in barbed wire, a haunting memory for migrants crossing the desert.

MADARAS GALLERY

madaras.com/collections/dianamadaras-originals

Diana Madaras’ bright watercolors and acrylics are all over Tucson and fans love her saguaros, birds and desert landscapes. Besides her own work, the Madaras Gallery sells paintings, sculpture and photographs by other artists. One is sculptor Al Glann, whose metal horses can be seen along the Loop. Another is Rocky LaRose, a celebrated UA athlete who’s become an accomplished nature photographer.

EAST SIDE

TUCSON DESERT ART MUSEUM tucsondart.org

At the museum far east of town, a new photography show “¡Pleibol! In the Barrios and the Big Leagues / En los barrios y las grandes ligas” tells the history of baseball in Latino communities across the country. This exhibition was created in collaboration with the National Muse-

um of American history. As the curators have written, “Latino players helped to make the game what it is today.”

A second show tells the dreadful story of the incarnation of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II. Photographs by Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee and others show the agony of those who were torn from their homes. Arizona had three camps, the Gila River War Relocation Center near Phoenix, the Poston Internment Camp in Yuma, and the Federal Honor Camp nearby in the Santa Catalina mountains outside Tucson.

Housed within the museum is the Four Corners Gallery, with small works by the Tucson Barrio Painters Group as well as paintings and sculptures by other southwestern artists. Ongoing.

FOOTHILLS

TOHONO CHUL GALLERY

tohonochul.org

Two of the best artists in Tucson — or anywhere else — take the stage at their home base in the old Pueblo with a show at Tohono Chul Gallery. In “Prescience Remains,” according to the gallery state-

ment, both women “exalt the castaway, celebrating the wonder and beauty of nature while confidently looking forward, steadfast in the belief that beauty is found everywhere.”

Kate Breakey is a multimedia artist of photography and hand-coloring, and Barbara Rogers makes brilliantly colored large-sized paintings. Both are known nationally and internationally. Breakey is perhaps best known for her early work, “Small Deaths,” photographs of the beautiful remains of feathered birds made human-sized in hand-colored prints. She also makes gorgeous photographs of the sky, the moon and the clouds over the ocean, and gives them a shine of gold. Rogers paints large oils, with bold planes of color overlayed with images from nature, such as acorns Opens Thursday, Feb. 16.

JANE HAMILTON FINE ARTS GALLERY

janehamiltonfineart.com/

Hamilton’s latest show is “Canyons and Cactus,” with Greg Heil and Dawn Sutherland. Both artists paint bright, richly colored oils of familiar western landscapes, many in Northern Arizona. Heil has an eye for architectural forms

in mountain canyons, while Sutherland is known for her plein air work in the Grand Canyon. A party celebrates their opening from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17. This year, the Jane Hamilton Gallery is celebrating 30 years in Tucson.

SETTLERS WEST

settlerswest.com/

Settlers West has opened a huge show of tiny paintings, miniatures of the American West by 150 different artists. Closes Saturday, March 4. Starting Saturday, March 25, “Tales of the West,” will showcase six artists. Five works in oils, but Rachel Brownlee draws remarkably realistic images of cowboys and horses in charcoal. Closes Saturday, April 8. A summer show will follow, Saturday, May 6, to Saturday, May 27.

MARK SUBLETTE MEDICINE MAN GALLERY

medicinemangallery.com/mark-sublette-biography

The Medicine Man Gallery carries a wide variety of high-end Western and Native American art. On any given day, you may find Louise Serpa photographs of Arizona rodeos, early twentieth century oils of cowboy life by artists like Edward

Borein, fine historic Diné blankets, or a painting of a Diné family by contemporary artist, Tony Abeyta. Sublette also is well-known for his collection of Maynard Dixon paintings, prints, and memorabilia, a kind of museum within the gallery.

TUCSON JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER

tucsonjcc.org

Artist Lauri Kaye has for years been making multimedia images of the people she meets in coffee shops and along the streets of Tucson. She gets their permission to make their portraits by using hand drawings, photography, digital coloring, and printing on metal.

Now her “Tucson Portrait Stories” will be the highlight of a fun art happening. On Sunday, March 12, the JJC hosts an afternoon event, with 60 of Kaye’s portraits. Some 15 of their subjects are scheduled to be on hand for what is billed as an interactive festival. Renowned Chef María Mazón, one of those lucky to get her portrait done, will run a tasting for her salsa and chips. Another is Yaqui classical guitarist, Gabriel Ayala, who will give a concert. The fun goes from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 12. Free for all. 

Dance events aplenty in Tucson this season

BY MARGARET REGAN Tucson Local Media Contributor

BALLET TUCSON

SPRING CONCERT, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, TO SUNDAY, MARCH 26

Leo Rich Theater

Ballet Tucson’s Spring Concert offers five dances, including another Balanchine piece: “Walpurgisnacht Ballet.” He originated it as a small piece for the final act of a 1925 Paris Opera production of “Faust.” In New York, in 1975, he reimagined it as a standalone ballet. The dance is known for its many roles for women, 24 total, as Balanchine famously said, “ballet is woman.”

Mark Schneider, a regular guest choreographer, mixes jazz and ballet. His piece “Joplin,” is a crowd-pleaser set to the ragtime music of Scott Joplin. Imada’s piece “Bossa Nova” is a comedy for five dancers. Set in a 1950s Bossa Nova lounge, new connections lead to confusion and romance.

Ballet Tucson will present George Ballanchine's "Walpurgisnacht Ballet," for its spring concert. (Ballet Tucson/ Submitted)

Suddarth’s choreography returns with the Ballet Tucson premiere of “First Light.” This fast-paced and athletic ensemble piece is set to the piano music of Carly Comando. Each year “Footprints at the Fox”

invites company dancers to choreograph their own pieces. Last October, the audience got to vote for their favorite, and, in the March show, dancer Brooke Amundrud will get to bring

her winning piece to the Ballet Tucson mainstage.

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCHOOL OF DANCE dance.arizona.edu/news-events/events

In April, the professors and the young dancers will be hitting the stage at the Stevie Eller Dance Theater on the UA campus. In “Dance Springs Eternal,” the teachers and guest artists show off their own choreography, handing off the performance to their students. But the students have the stage to themselves for “Awaking: Student Spotlight.” presenting and performing works they have choreographed themselves.

The two shows alternate on different days on consecutive weekends in April, from Wednesday, April 19, to Sunday, April 30. To conclude the spring season, on Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, Arianna Aquino, Cat Cogliandro, Gabriel Speiller, and Halston Strange will present their MFA graduate thesis projects, Loud Undertone, in the Stevie Eller Dance Theatre. 

Tucson theaters serve up smorgasbord of stories

BY BRIDGETTE REDMAN Tucson Local Media Contributor

This spring, Tucson theater goers can choose from an eclectic mix of works, heavy on the comedies and musicals with a few dramas sprinkled in. From new works to classics, local theaters are offering a diverse selection of tales to tantalize their audiences.

ARIZONA REPERTORY THEATRE + NEXT PERFORMANCE COLLECTIVE theatre.arizona.edu

“Romeo & Juliet,” Thursdays through Sundays, Sunday, Feb. 26, to Sunday, March 19 William Shakespeare’s story of two star-crossed lovers whose feuding families force their love to happen in secret with tragic results. Matinee performances for high schoolers available.

“Head Over Heels,” Thursdays through

Sundays, Sunday, April 9, to Sunday, April 23

The musical features songs by the GoGo’s and follows the escapades of a royal family on a journey to save their kingdom. Based on Sir Philip Sidney’s “The Arcadia,” the musical celebrates love as the royal family learns the secret to survival is in their hearts.

New Directions Festival, Fridays through Sundays, Friday, April 21, to Sunday, April 30

The second festival showcasing undergraduate student-created, student-designed and student-performed content.

ARIZONA THEATRE COMPANY atc.org

“Pru Payne,” Wednesdays through Sundays, Saturday, March 4, to Saturday,

See THEATER Page 26

FOX TUCSON THEATRE

Celebrating ELVIS PRESLEY’S

Records from Sun Studios HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN & TYLER HILTON 2/17

LOS LOBOS 3/10

THE PLACE TO BE — THE ARTISTS TO SEE

Legendary Vegas Magicians PENN & TELLER 3/1

John Pizzarelli &

Catherine Russell salute

Billie Holiday & Frank Sinatra BILLIE & BLUE EYES 3/4

MEOW MEOW 3/29

An intimate, bawdy night with internationally iconic burlesque artist

STILL THE ONE: PABLO CRUISE & ORLEANS 2/18

Gary Mullen & The Works ONE NIGHTOF QUEEN 2/28

PRESERVATION HALL

60th Anniversary Tour

JAZZ BAND: PASS IT ON 3/8

Special guest Gaby Moreno THE FABULOUS THUNDERBIRDS & RUTHIE FOSTER 3/14

Limited Engagement Tour

WYNTON MARSALLIS 3/31

Only 5 U.S. Concerts

ROSANNE CASH & JOHN LEVENTHAL 3/24

MARTY STUART & HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES 4/27

MELISSA ETHERIDGE 4/29

40+ SHOWS NOW ON SALE

March 25

This world premiere by Steven Drukman explores love and identity in the face of memory loss. Critic Pru Payne, a wit, scholar and intellectual, questions her preconceived notions of identity and finds unexpected love.

“Private Lives,” Wednesdays through Sundays, Saturday, April 15, to Saturday, May 6

Noël Coward’s most popular comedy about a divorced couple having honeymoons with their new spouses in adjacent rooms at the same hotel. Combustible chemistry reignites and mayhem ensues in this battle of equals.

BROADWAY IN TUCSON broadwayintucson.com

“Dear Evan Hansen,” Tuesday, Feb. 21, to Sunday, Feb. 26, the hit musical’s national tour.

A high school student inserts himself into a tragedy, taking on a role he has no right to. The teen story deals with sui-

cide, survival and loneliness.

“Mean Girls,” Tuesday, March 28, to Sunday, April 2, the national tour.

The musical based on the movie in which a new student has to make choices about what clique she will belong to and how she will treat people. With a book by Tina Fey and music by Jeff Richmond, this coming-of-age story finds Cady adapting to life in a Chicago high school after growing up in Kenya.

Riverdance, Friday, April 28, to Sunday, April 30

The Irish dance troupe makes its 20th anniversary tour with their Irish dance, music and song.

GASLIGHT THEATRE thegaslighttheatre.com

“The Ballad of Two-Gun McGraw: A Wacky Western Adventure,” Tuesdays through Sundays, through Sunday, March 26

Gaslight Theatre brings back its 2015 melodrama set in San Pecos, Texas, in the 1880s when corrupt businessmen come to town and are challenged by a

singing, gun-toting Texas Ranger, Two Gun McGraw.

“Robin Hood,” Tuesdays through Sundays, Thursday, March 30, to Sunday, June 4

A wacky musical adventure of Robin Hood, as he and his merry men steal from the rich, give to the poor, try to protect the throne for King Richard and defy the evil sheriff of Nottingham. Also known as “It Sherwood be Fun.”

Broadway in Tucson brings its musical version of Mean Girls to the Centennial Hall. (Submitted)

An NAACP-award winning musical that follows the haunting journey of Billie Holiday, some of her amazing songs and the winding road of love, joy, blues and racism.

“Small Mouth Sounds,” Wednesday, April 19, to Sunday, April 30

INVISIBLE THEATRE invisibletheatre.com

“The Sabbath Girl,” Tuesday, Feb. 15, to Sunday, Feb. 26

This rom-com by Cary Gitter is about Angie, a successful woman working at an art gallery with a new apartment on the Upper West Side, who runs into Seth, a divorced Orthodox Jew who needs someone to help him with tasks he is forbidden from doing on the Sabbath.

“Billie! Backstage with Lady Day,” Saturday, March 18, to Sunday, March 19

This play tells the story of four strangers who go on a silent retreat in the woods. Bess Wohl’s humor-filled play is a compassionate look at how people address life’s biggest questions when words fail them.

LIVE THEATRE WORKSHOP livetheatreworkshop.org

“On the Verge, or the Geography of Yearning,” Thursdays through Sundays, Thursday, Feb. 23, to Saturday, March 25

Set in 1888, three female explorers attempt to conquer Terra Incognita, an unexplored territory where they encounter

See THEATER Page 27

cannibals, trolls and artifacts. Eric Overmyer’s fantasy/sci-fi tale is a study of ambition and the human condition.

“Tell Me About You,” Fridays and Saturdays, Friday, March 3, to Saturday, March 11 Set on the theater’s new Etcetera Stage, this one-woman show takes place on a first date. Playwright, director and actor Ally Tanzillo plays a version of herself in this comedy about modern dating.

“Tooth Fairies in Training,” Saturdays and Sundays, Saturday, April 15, to Sunday, April 30

Richard Gremel’s children’s show takes place on the first day of tooth fairy training for Bridget Bicuspid and Marty Molar. Their miscues make Calvin McCavity threaten to end the Fairy Flight Force forever and they must save the day.

MYSTERY AND MAGIC DINNER THEATRE tucsondinnertheater.com

“Murder at the Magic Show,” Saturdays and Sundays through Saturday, April 1

This dinner theater production includes a murder mystery and a magic show. A candlelit three-course dinner is served along with a comedy three-act murder mystery. Actors serve the meals, providing clues to the audience who can win prizes by solving the mystery.

ROGUE THEATRE theroguetheatre.org

“The Seafarer,” Thursdays through Sundays, Thursday, March 2, to Sunday, March 19

Conor McPherson’s classic play is about an alcoholic drying out and living with his blind brother. He reluctantly hosts a Christmas Eve gathering with friends and most confront a promise he made decades ago to an ambiguous figure with supernatural echoes. A dark, funny and intense play.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Thursdays through Sundays, Thursday, April 27, to Sunday, May 14

Shakespeare’s comedy comprises four lovers and forest full of fairies. Hermia and Lysander run away into the woods when she is told she must marry her fa-

ther’s choice, Demetrius. He chases her along with Helena, who is in love with Demetrius. Fairies intervene and rude mechanicals rehearsing for the wedding of the prince provide additional hijinks.

SCOUNDREL AND SCAMP THEATRE scoundrelandscamp.org

“Brontë,” Thursdays through Sundays, Thursday, Feb. 16, to Saturday, March 5

“Brontë” is a dramatic and literary examination of the lives of the three Brontë sisters by Polly Teale. It is 1845 and Branwell Brontë returns home in disgrace, turning the lives of his three literary sisters upside down as they live their isolated lives.

“One Twig at a Time,” Thursdays through Sundays, Thursday, April 13, to Sunday, April 30

A world premiere of Wolfe Bowart’s physical theater, the show incudes found art puppets, poetic visual theater, humor, pathos, drought, flood, overabundance and the vacuum of space.

Five multigenerational actors explore community through visual poems.

“Pooh,” Fridays through Sundays (with

weekday matinees for schools), Friday, May 12, to Sunday, May 21

A new Scoundrel and Scamp adaptation of A.A. Milne’s beloved characters from “Winnie the Pooh” features humans and forest-dwellers romping through the Hundred Acre Woods learning about courage, friendship, growth and acceptance.

WINDING ROAD THEATRE ENSEMBLE windingroadtheater.org

“Tick, tick, BOOM,” Friday, Feb. 24, to Sunday, March 5

Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical musical, written before “Rent,” is the story of a composer and the sacrifices he makes. It features 14 songs, 10 characters and three actors. It’s the story of a composer’s journey to a big Broadway blockbuster.

Eight 10s in Tucson, Friday, May 19, to Sunday, May 28

The fifth annual 10-minute play festival features eight original scripts chosen from hundreds of blind submissions, vetted and curated to create an eclectic collection of comedies and dramas. 

Music strikes a chord in Tucson this spring

BY LAURA LATZKO Tucson Local Media Contributor

spring in Tucson, music fans

of acts.

of what listeners can expect.

· Cuarteto Casals, Wednesday, Feb. 22, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· Americana/folk artist Mark Stuart, Thursday, Feb. 23, Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· A Phoenix native who now lives in New York, Michael Eckroth will return to Arizona to perform with his trio, Friday, Feb. 24, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Metal Fest 22, Friday, Feb. 24, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Locash with Drake Milligan, Saturday, Feb. 25, Desert Diamond Casino, Sahuarita, ddcaz.com

· Tucson Symphony Orchestra: Latin Fire, Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, The Linda Ronstadt Music

Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· Piano Explosion! with Ricky Nye, Eric-Jan “Mr. Boogie Woogie” Overbeek, Saturday, Feb. 25, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Brujeria, Saturday, Feb. 25, The Rock, rocktucson.com

· Coco Montoya has spanned blues, rock and soul genres with his music and released 11 albums since going solo in the ’90s, Friday, Feb. 25, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson. com

· Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, Sunday, Feb. 26, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Wildcat Jazz Band performs Fats Waller music, Monday, Feb. 27, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· South-Korean hip-hop trio Epik High, Monday, Feb. 27, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Southern blues rock guitarist and singer Tinsley Ellis, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Gary Mullen and the Works will bring “One Night of Queen,” Tuesday, Feb. 28, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Post-punk’s Holy Faint, Friday, March 3, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Longtime friends Dave Alvin and Jimmie Dale Gilmore bring blues/ folk music, Saturday, March 4, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Artists John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell will play homage to Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, Saturday, March 4, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· The Queen’s Cartoonists, Saturday, March 4. Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· Southern Gothic’s The Legendary

Locash with Drake Milligan will perform at Desert Diamond Casino on Saturday, Feb. 25. (Submitted)

Shack Shakers, Wednesday, March 8, Club Congress, hotelcongress. com

· Dawson Hollow with Nite Tides, Thursday, March 9, Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, theseaofglass. org

· Skeletal Remains, Friday, March 10, The Rock, rocktucson.com

· Liam St. John, Friday, March 10, Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, theseaofglass.org

· Los Lobos, Friday, March 10, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Tucson Swing Festival, Friday, March 10, to Sunday, March 12, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress. com

· Wisconsin-based pianist Geoffrey

See MUSIC Page 29

Keezer, Saturday, March 11, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Rapper Aaron Smith, also known as Shwayze, Saturday, March 11, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Led by Dublin-born singer Dave King, Flogging Molly is Celtic punk rock group formed in Los Angeles in the 1990s, Tuesday, March 14, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Fabulous Thunderbirds, Tuesday, March 14, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Blues/Southern rock’s North Mississippi Allstars, Wednesday, March 15, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Tucson Symphony Orchestra: Tantalizing Tricksters, Friday, March 17, to Sunday, March 19, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· The Southern Arizona Blues Heritage Foundation will pay tribute to Arizona Blues Hall of Fame artist Anna Warr with a special memorial concert, Sunday, March 19, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· Greta Van Fleet, Monday, March 20, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.org

· Black Violin, Tuesday, March 21, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Mexican musician Oscar Alfonso Castro, otherwise known as Caloncho, Wednesday, March 22, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· Tucson Symphony Orchestra: An Evening with Hilary Hahn, Wednesday, March 22, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· “Stayin’ Alive: One Night of the Bee Gees,” Thursday, March 23, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Country singer-songwriter and author Rosanne Cash, Friday, March 24, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Country’s Jimmie Allen, Friday, March 24, Desert Diamond Casino, ddcaz.com

· Metalachi blends mariachi and metal, Friday, March 24, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· Nashville gospel/country singer Josh Turner, Friday, March 24, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· Tucson Symphony Orchestra: The Magic of John Williams, Saturday, March 25, and Sunday, March 26, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· Saxophonist, singer/songwriter

Vanessa Collier, Sunday, March 26, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· TobyMac’s Hits Deep Tour, Tuesday, March 28, Tucson Arena, tucsonmusichall.com

· Formed in 1985, the Silos are a New York-based alternate country, rock and Americana group, Wednesday, March 29, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Postmodern artist Meow Meow, Wednesday, March 29, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· After performing during Tucson Jazz Week, Christian Sands and his trio return, Friday, March 31, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Tucson Symphony Orchestra: Mahler’s Resurrection, Friday, March 31, to Sunday, April 2, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· Gabriel Ayala, Friday, March 31, Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, theseaofglass.org

GET A JUMP ON RISING INTEREST RATES TODAY!

· Jazz’s Wynton Marsalis, Friday, March 31, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Over a 20-year career, funk and soul musician, composer and producer Eddie Roberts has worked with pop names in the music scene, Saturday, April 1, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Drummer Holly Channell, the winner of the Jazz Education Network’s 2023 Sister in Jazz honors, will pay tribute to composer Dorothy Fields, Sunday, April 2, Century Room of Hotel Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Foreigner: Greatest Hits Tour, Monday, April 3, The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, tucsonmusichall.org

· Grammy-nominated Christine Santelli, a New York-based singer, and Heather “Lil Mama” Hardy, an inductee into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, Tuesday, April 4, Hotel Congress Plaza, hotelcongress.com

· Grammy-Award-winning twins and Julliard graduates Peter and Will Anderson will pay tribute to the music of George Gershwin, Friday, April 7, the Century Room of Hotel

Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Indigo Social Club, Saturday, April 8, Sea of Glass Center for the Arts, theseaofglass.org

· South-Korean group SURL plays British rock music, Sunday, April 9, Club Congress, hotelcongress.com

· Third Eye Blind, Wednesday, April 12, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· A five-piece Americana group, Brothers Comatose bring high-energy bluegrass, country and rock music, Saturday, April 15, 191 Toole, 191toole.com

· Los Angeles Azules de Iztapalapa, Saturday, April 15, Casino Del Sol, casinodelsol.com

· Canadian artist Gordon Lightfoot, Thursday, April 13, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Silverstein, Tuesday, April 18, Rialto Theatre, rialtotheatre.com

· The Cream of Clapton Band, a group of musicians with ties to Eric Clapton, Friday, April 28, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com

· Melissa Etheridge, Saturday, April 29, Fox Tucson Theatre, foxtucson.com 

Artist donates pieces to support nonprofits

SPECIAL TO TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA

In celebration of her 81st birthday, Carolyn Eastman Cazares has commissioned The Center Gallery Fine Art in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, to sell her personal “legacy” collection.

Cazares is donating the profits from the sale of some 200 originals to her two favorite causes: The Sierra County Student Art Show (aka Tiger Art) and TorC’s People Growing Together.

When Cazares was 4 years old, she drew a tree that she notes did not look like the “lollipop trees” that her peers drew. Her nursery teacher proclaimed her an artist and her parents supported her art by buying $1 Walter Foster “how-to” books, which she “preferred to classes.”

At 7, she received her first set of oil paints. At 14, she took life drawing classes taught from renowned artist Warren Hunter. She said drawing the human figure still fascinates her.

Her work broadened over the years and from her 20s to 40s, she explored fashion design and sculptures, collage, acrylics, pastels, air brush and watercolors.

In the ’60s, she painted with Alberto Mijangos, a member of San Antonio’s “angry young artists” and was the Mexican American Institute of the Arts’ director at the time. She studied sumi painting (Chinese brush and ink) in Virginia with sumi master, I-Hsiung Ju.

Cazares said sumi came to her quite naturally and has influenced almost everything she’s done since. Her sumi master calls sumi painting a performing art.

“The brush dances and the ink sings,” she said.

She has produced thousands of pieces, from large paintings to calligraphy of Hebrew letters, as well as ink drawings as small as a postage stamp. Cazares is fond of saying “no piece of paper is safe around me.”

She summarizes her body of work as the four Fs — faces, figures, flowers and fruit. She is including her “small treasures” in this show gleaned from her years of accumulated sketchbooks, many which had never been shown.

Carolyn Eastman Cazares’ “Cowgirl,” watercolor on paper, framed 21 inches by 24 inches. (Carolyn Eastman Cazares/Submitted)

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cazares opted for quarantining at home and devoted herself to further studies in “ancient wisdom, comparative religion, conspiracy theories, historical fiction, and the relationships between humans and extraterrestrials.” With no TV or radio, she found “a book a day keeps reality away.”

Cazares calls this stage of her life the fat lady’s swan song:

“If I live, I live and if I die, I live,” she said. Tiger Art is the popular name of the Sierra County Student Art Show, sponsored annually by the Sierra County Arts Council and The Center Gallery Fine Art. The show allows sixth through 12th grade students, selected by a panel of judges, to sell their art at the show and compete for scholarships and prizes. The second Student Art Show will be held at the TorC Civic Center from April 21 to April 22.

The nonprofit People Growing Together organizes community assets to maintain Sierra County food security through building an underground sustainable greenhouse for year-round production. 

Join

Latin Fire

February 25 & 26

Tantalizing Tricksters

March 17 & 19

An Evening with Hilary Hahn

March 22

The Magic of John Williams

March 25 & 26

Mahler’s “Resurrection”

March 31 & April 2

May 12 & 13

Return of the Jedi in Concert

José Luis Gomez, Music Director

Student Chronicles

BY TUCSON LOCAL MEDIA STAFF

Know of a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@tucsonlocalmedia.com.

Kelly Thorstad of Marana has been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s fall 2022 dean’s list. The fall terms run from September to December. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.5 to 3.699 for the reporting term are named to the dean’s list. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over

each 16-week term or paired eightweek terms grouped in fall, winter/ spring and summer. Info: snhu.edu

Claire Conger of Oro Valley and Madelyn Filer of Tucson were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2022 semester at Marquette University in Milwaukee. Conger is pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, while Filer is studying bioelectronics, working toward a Bachelor of Science degree. To make the dean’s list, students must have earned at least 12 credits for the fall 2022 semester and have no disqualifying grades.

Info: marquette.edu

Maddy Bohman of Tucson earned a spot on the Drury University dean’s list in Springfield, Missouri. The recognition means a student earned a grade-point average of 3.6 or greater (on a 4-point scale) while carrying a full-time course load of 12 or more semester hours at Drury. Info: drury. edu

Catherine Wilson of Marana, Gabrielle Gendreau of Oro Valley, and Grace Ehler and Michael Mandala of Tucson have earned placement on

the Gonzaga University dean’s list for fall semester 2022. Students must earn a 3.5 to 3.84 grade-point average to be listed. Info: gonzaga.edu

Tiffany Sinclair of Tucson made the honor roll at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh for the fall 2022 semester. The term grade-point average (GPA) requirement for university honor roll is 3.3. To qualify, a student must have been enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits. There can be no individual grades below a “C” and no incomplete or nonreported grades at the time the process is run. 

Your Trusted Source for Community News

It’s time to try something new

BY TOM DANEHY Tucson Local Media Columnist

When Steve Martin was a standup comedian — admittedly, a long, long time ago — one of his bits was about how he had reached an age where he was resistant to change. He would cringe whenever he heard the phrase, “Hey, let’s try this new thing!” And then the door in his brain would slam shut.

Well, the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA), after having performed yeoman’s duty in guiding our state’s schools through the awful pandemic, has emerged on the other side not content to be back to normal but instead wanting to try this new thing.

With the regular season for the state’s big schools having just been completed, we would normally be looking at the state tournaments at the various levels. Instead, we’re being treated (subjected?) to this new open tournament, which brings to mind the old saying that a camel is a horse built by a committee.

For far too long, the AIA has used the horribly flawed Power Points system to determine which teams would advance to the state tournaments in the various sports. The Power Point system is a bad algorithm, the creator of which will spend a considerable chunk of the afterlife in Purgatory for having done so and then passing it off as good math to unsuspecting AIA executives.

It has always been an abomination, but now they’ve expanded it to select teams across the AIA Classification spectrum to compete for an open championship. Teams from the 6A (the biggest schools in the state), as well as some from the 5A and 4A, will vie for the state’s first open title. The inaugural open tournament got off to a completely predictable horrible start.

It has been an odd year for the Flowing Wells girls’ basketball team. The previous two years, they were the toast of the 5A. Two years in a row, they reached the Class 5A State Championship game. Their team leader, Navine Mallon, was named 5A State Player of the Year last season.

This year, after the AIA did their biannual reclassification, Flowing Wells dropped down to the 4A level, where they would face competition from schools with smaller populations than those in the 5A. It’s fair to say that it didn’t work out like some might have thought it would. Flowing Wells was put in a region that included last year’s 4A state champion, Salpointe, plus, two other teams (Pueblo and Sahuaro) that have been to the 4A state title game in the past four years.

At the end of the regular season, Flowing Wells ended up in a three-way tie for second (or fourth, depending on how you look at it). Still, their Power Points position was relatively strong and they were included in the 32 teams that would make up the open division.

Just to show you a relatively tiny flaw in the Power Points system, in the final rankings, both Tucson Sahuaro and Flowing Wells had identical 14-4 records. Flowing Wells had a strengthof-schedule rating of 1.61, while Sahuaro’s was 1.19. And yet, somehow, Sahuaro was slotted two spots above Flowing Wells in the rankings, which, as it turns out, would make a huge difference.

Sahuaro’s first-round opponent was Seton Catholic, a tough team, but one from the 4A ranks. Sahuaro lost by 16.

Flowing Wells would play Desert Vista, a 6A monster that is one of the best teams in the western United States. I bought the game on the NFHS (National Federation of High Schools) net-

SPORTS & RECREATION EXTRA POINT WITH TOM DANEHY Your

work and, for a time, was watching it as I wrote this.

During the regular season, Flowing Wells had handed out some whuppins against lesser competition, winning games by scores of 70-21, 85-21, 77-8, and 92-7. I don’t know if anyone on the Flowing Wells team was prepared for what would happen. (I know I certainly wasn’t.)

Desert Vista won the opening tip (out-jumping FW’s 6-foot-2 center Sydney Capen) and scored a quick layup. Then DV’s press got a steal and got another layup. Flowing Wells’ inability to get the ball past halfcourt in the allotted 10 seconds led to another turnover, after which Desert Vista hit a three-pointer. With less than a minute gone in the game, Flowing Wells was down 7-0.

Then it got bad.

Midway through the first quarter, it was 19-0 before Flowing Wells scored its first bucket. Mallon hit a three right before the end of the first quarter to cut the lead to 29-9. She hit two free throws right before the half to make it 53-19.

I didn’t watch the second half, but I saw that the final score was 91-43. However, according to the open format, teams that lose in the first and second rounds get to drop back into their own classification and participate in those state playoffs, which begin this week. So, Flowing Wells and Sahuaro still have a chance to win the 4A state title.

I had spoken with several coaches and players who would be participating in the first round of the open and not one person was looking forward to it. They all said that the AIA could have easily hand-picked the top eight teams in the state and just held an open tournament with those teams.

But, you know, let’s try this new thing… 

Athlete of the Week: Jessica Hidalgo

BY TOM DANEHY Tucson Local Media Columnist

One might think that if a wrestler were to adopt a nickname that involved a color, it would be something menacing like “Black Magic” or “Red Fury.” However, the Amphi High School sophomore girl who will be wrestling in the 120-pound class at the state championships this weekend goes by Lavender. Nice color, nice fragrance. Soothing, non-threatening Lavender.

“Everybody calls me ‘Lavender,’” she explained. While her given name is Jessica Hidalgo, she has gone by Lavender for as long as she can remember. It’s a pretty good guess that half of her friends wouldn’t be able to correctly guess Jessica as her first name.

Lavender clinched a spot in the state tournament by finishing third in the southern sectionals. She had to win multiple matches to advance to the final four. After losing a tough match in the semifinals, she was up against it. A win and she would advance to state; a loss and her season would be over. She came through and will be making the trip up to Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum at the State Fairgrounds in Phoenix for the state meet.

Wrestling is a relatively new sport — and with high schools coming completely out from the COVID-19 cloud. The relative records of the wrestlers are all over the place. Lavender has a gaudy record of 26-4 on the season, while her first-round opponent, Dobson High School senior Alexia Rivera-Perez has a rather pedestrian mark of 13-5.

One girl in her weight class has a losing record of 13-16, but obviously wres-

tled well when it mattered most. Then there is Bisbee’s Adacelli Noriega, who is 31-0 on the season.

Lavender is soft-spoken and thoughtful, responding to questions in a careful and polite manner. But her demeanor belies an underlying passion for aggression. Apparently, combat is in her blood. When asked what other sports she might participate in, I was expecting the normal, “Oh, I used to play soccer” or “I played softball in middle school.” Instead, I got, “Oh, I like all of the martial arts. I’ve done jiujitsu, karate and judo. Probably my favorite is boxing. It gives you such a good workout.”

Her eyes light up when she talks about boxing, both the difficult training regimen necessary for preparation and the actual competition in the sport.

With nearly two and a half years left in her high-school education, she is already laser-focused on what she wants to do when her prep time is up.

“I want to go to Penn State,” she said confidently. Penn State is a college wrestling powerhouse, ruling the sport along with longtime monster Iowa.

Roman Bravo-Young, perhaps the greatest high school wrestler in Tucson history, is now competing for Penn State. He had a stellar career at Sunnyside High School where he went 182-0 and won four State championships. He has since won the NCAA national championship at Penn State and is favored to do so again this year.

The dream of getting to Penn State is out there and one she will continue to pursue. But right now, she’s going to state and hoping to Unleash the Lavender. 

Edited by Will Shortz No. 1121

Edited by Will Shortz

HOROSCOPE

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Sometimes a setback gives you a chance to get a sharper perspective on the situation at hand. Your cheerful nature will help you override this temporary disappointment. What you learn from this pays o soon.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Be careful not to charge into something you don’t fully understand. Being asked to act on trust might be all right, as long as you can trust the one who asks.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) A chance for romance beckons from someone you thought was far out of reach. But Cupid can always come up with a shortcut. How you respond to the situation determines how the relationship develops.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) A career move seems more likely now than when you first considered it. Some of your plans will need readjusting as new facts emerge. Be careful that you don’t allow jealousy to create an unnecessary obstacle.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Your love for beautiful things is part of what makes you the fine feline you are. But a little caution is advisable for a while. Resist the urge to splurge until your money signs look a little better.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Well-meaning friends might try to persuade you to give up on that project that seems to have hit a dead end. Someone will take notice, and your persistence will pay o .

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) It’s one thing to make a di cult decision, but you also have to stick with it, despite any pressures to get you to change your mind. You need to reassure someone you care for that you can keep your commitments.

as light

Tilling tool 15 “Be quiet!” 17 South African horn that produces only one note

Whole

Zoned (out)

21 Having a thermal exhaust port lead straight to the reactor of your Death Star, e.g.

23 California’s ___ Fernando Valley 24 Musical symbol resembling an ampersand

26 Victory of all victories

28 Repetitive cry of encouragement

32 Word before or after spa

33 List-ending abbr.

34 Cheadle of the Avengers films

35 The “E” of 27-Down, for short 37 Air pollution portmanteau 40 Mythical river of the underworld

43 Small but important machine part

Inquisitive to a fault

Rock’s ___ Leppard

Reeeeeeeeally long

Harrison Ford’s “Star Wars” role

Shock

Football stat: Abbr.

Salsas, e.g. … or salsa moves 58 Puts in o ce

62 Kevin ___, former “Weekend Update” anchor on “S.N.L.” 64 International event where 17-, 28- and 48-Across can be heard

66 Requiring rare knowledge

Yellowfin tuna 68 Rowlands of “Gloria” 69 Some eye sores 70 Big name in S.U.V.s

What was all about Eve?

Races, as an engine

“My turn!” 3 Goddesslike pop or opera star 4 It means “plaster” in Italian 5 Particulars, slangily

N.Y.C.-based pioneer in instant messaging

Like many sign language users

Pennypincher

Go crazy

Superlative su x

“Unacceptable!”

Train service to 33

Sounds from

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A co-worker could be trying to undermine you. Resist the temptation to retaliate. Instead, keep careful records of what you do so that you’ll be ready to present a strong position when the time comes.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Family problems have been simmering for a while and could soon boil over. Avoid taking sides. There are many facts you don’t know yet. Meanwhile, a business decision proves to be more complicated than you expected.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Cupid’s arrow can pierce hearts, but it can’t open tight lips. Only you can do that. That special someone you’ve been silently pining for all this time would love to hear you express those feelings.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) This is a good time for you to remember to be good to yourself. A trip to a place that was once very special in your life reawakens many precious memories, and soon leads to making new ones.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) An old health problem flares up and needs attention. Also, a chilly reaction from a once-warm friend needs to be confronted. Set the record straight before it’s too late to save the friendship.

BORN THIS WEEK: You enjoy helping others. You have a taste for life’s luxuries and will take risks to get what you want. In matters of amour, you love deeply, and you expect your amorous intensity to be returned in kind.

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