Golden Mean at Swindlers
Thursday, July 1 5-8pm
Swindlers, 906 E. University Blvd.

Bring your boring ol’ blank t-shirts, pants — heck, even underwear! Chase Eurele, Adam Reed and Dave Carender of Golden Mean Art Collective will be doing live screenprinting and art. Falcotronik and Metrognome DJ, plus 50% off select merchandise at Swnidlers.

Front Seat View
Thursday, July 1 5-8pm
Caffe Luce, 943 E. University Blvd.

Featuring the Front Seat View series, photographs of found streetside couches around Tucson. I’ve been stalking Aimee’s images on Facebook: amusing, poetic, kitschy, derelict, and a little sad.

First Thursday Featured Artist Barb Nersesian
Thursday, July 1 5-8pm
Vila Thai, 820 E. University Blvd.

Art show for Bar Neresian, live music by Latin Project and live art in Geronimo Plaza. Other events include a wine tasting at Vila Thai for $5 and other live/participatory art and music experiences up and down University. Parking is available in the Tyndall Garage and valet parking is located between Gentle Ben’s and Urban Outfitters.

Both the shows at T.A.C. Gallery and “How Brown Am I?” at Raices Taller were amazing this weekend. Great mix of outsider, established and emerging artists. Please check them out if you can! T.A.C. is probably by appointment for the next few days by calling 409-4751 (I haven’t gotten my artwork back yet so I assume it’s still up); ”How Brown Am I?” gallery hours are Friday and Saturday 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. or by appointment thru July 24.

But in saying this, I also immediately reconsider my definition of these three categories. To me, “established” means someone whose style is consistent, technically well-executed, critically/institutionally well-regarded, has collectors/patrons, and possibly publicly reknown. Initially I thought this category could almost be interchanged with “professional” but Mr. Saxton (no one to sneeze at) of Borealis Arts brought up on Facebook the “matches my sofa” category of artists. There are “professionals” who certainly fit the first two criteria of an “established” artist, and possibly one or two of the other descriptions.

Now I wonder if “emerging” means people who are headed on possibly one of these two paths. I don’t think it means age anymore, emerging artists aren’t just 20-somethings, or even 30-somethings. This could be the artist who will eventually (and this could mean anywhere from 1-30+  years)  find their way into commercial galleries and/or museums; OR mass-produced Bed, Bath & Beyond/Urban Outfitters/Target/[Insert Big Box Store Here] prints through agents and corporations. …Yet the invisible hand of commercialization (compromise or sheer luck), to some degree, seems to be inherent to both paths, no?

Then we have those tricky little “outsider” artists. How to describe them? Someone lacking artistic training in a higher canonical venue of learning? Artists with no financial or critical success? No, they might actually have a better chance of becoming darlings of institutional acclaim than “emerging” artists. Or vice versa: a public (and possibly commercial) smash but an institutional/academic reject.

Here’s a new description I am getting comfortable with to work out the kinks in my brain, for myself anyways: “Vernacular artists.” Like the dudes who transcribed the Latin Bible into local languages around the time of the centuries-long insanity of the European Reformation. People who translate the “higher language” of art to the regular people can span all of these three categories, I think.

On the other hand I feel the opposite, artists also translate the realities of everyday life into a “higher language” to gain for themselves (and possibly others) a more comprehensive understanding of these experiences.

In lieu of explaining, questioning, researching and debunking myself further, I ask you readers: Are artists special? Why or why not? What are your definitions of these categories? How do you fit in? Do you purposefully or inadvertently categorize other artists? Do you want to fit in? Gallerists, how do you define the artists you show? Is any of this important to collectors/general viewers?

I’ve tried to whittle down my own endless questions, feel free to chime in, respond or pose your own questions to other readers in the comments.

Lots of good quality art events happening this weekend, but not so many that you’ll get overwhelmed or sidetracked and wind up missing out on some things.

Friday, June 18

TPAC’s 25th Anniversary Celebration
7-10pm
Mercado San Agustín
100 S. Avenida del Convento
Advance tickets $25 at showup.com; $35 at the door

25 years of being an arts organization is no small feat, particularly a publicly funded arts organization. TPAC does its best to represent and support the community, and that community is YOU. Everyone is invited to celebrate on a lovely summer evening in toasting some of Tucson’s most esteemed artists, advocates, supporters, and leaders of all disciplines. Enjoy the live sounds of Chamber Lab, Olga Flores with Trio Amanecer followed by DJ Carl Hanni mixing it up. Hors d’oevures, cash bar.

Art/Party
7-10pm
Flux Gallery in Plaza Palomino
2960 N Swan Rd., Suite 136

The title pretty much sums is up: art, refreshments + music = party. Check out artist Bryan Crow‘s latest pieces and kick back to jams from DJ Brother Jacob. If you’re not familiar with Bryan’s work, this is a perfect opportunity to get up close and personal!

Sizzlin’ Summer Fashion & Live Art
8pm-2am; Live art: 9pm-12mid, Fashion show: 10:30pm
Level Bar & Lounge in St. Philip’s Plaza
4280 N Campbell Rd.
21 + over only, no cover for ladies all night, gentlemen are free before 10:30 ($5 after 10:30)

Collaboration between artists plus two great local businesses that also happen to host regular art exhibits! Live graffiti and mural painting will be presented by Rock Martinez of Art Terrain Mural & Design and 3 guest artists. Art will be available for purchase the night of the show. Zoe Boutique will bring you the best of and must have pieces for summer 2010. Accessories and select merchandise will be for sale on the patio. Make-up by locally owned Still GlamorUs Cosmetics (also available for sale) and hair by SOHO Salon. Two things not to forget: 1) you have to dress up for this; 2) those drink specials.

MADFLVR Launch Party
8pm-2am
Sky Bar
536 N. 4th Ave.

Pretty visuals, shiny lights and soothing sounds. Dancing, pizza slices and drink specials, too. No cover.

Saturday, June 19

One More Before I Go – T.A.C.’s FINAL SHOW EVER!
7pm-10pm
T.A.C. Gallery
416 E. 9th St.

Come celebrate T.A.C.’s accomplished run and contributions to the art scene in here in Tucson. I’ll have work in this exhibit along with some other pretty darn wonderful folks including Matlock the Artist, Mike Esser, Sathya Honey, Alex G, S&A Jimenez, Kimberly Largey, Pauline Pedregon, Cristin Phibbs, Christian Ramirez, Joe Ronin, Steve Soloway and many more. Bring some coin, too — owner John Thornton will have an open studio selling paintings for his cheapest prices EVER before he moves to NYC next month.

How Brown Am I?
7-1opm
Raices Taller 222
218 E. 6th St.

Another one not to be missed! A socially conscious art exhibition of original artwork that addresses stereotyping, racism, sexism, racial profiling, and how we see each other. Created in response to the passage of SB1070, How Brown Am I? will feature work from over 40 artists including Paco Velez, Glory Tacheenie-Campoy, Mary Theresa Dietz, Larry Gomez, David Tineo, Ruben Urrea Moreno, John Salgado, Ceci Garcia, Martin Quintanilla, Colleena Candelabra and many others.

www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com

Art Show & Potluck
Saturday, June 12, 6-9pm
Solar Culture
31 E. Toole

Bring a dish to share if you plan to eat. And buy some art! 100% of the sale price goes directly to the artist.

TALA Student Showcase
Saturday, June 12
Arts Marketplace
40 W. Broadway

Arts Marketplace will have open gallery hours for the Tucson Academy of Leadership and Arts Charter School’s end of the year art exhibit. Student work includes grades K-8, exhibiting masterpieces in drawing, arts & crafts, and photography. Arts Marketplace is a non-profit program for individual artists and creative entrepreneurs providing training and tools for professional development, mentoring, networking and money management. Artists: become a member for access to some amazing resources you won’t find anywhere else — it’s worth it!

Scene in Tucson: Art by Stephen Boughton & Michael Lundquist
Reception: Saturday, June 12, 5-7pm
Cafe 54
54 E. Pennington

More info: http://www.cafe54.org/downtown/art/current-artists.html

Also hoping The Drawing Studio and Sacred Machine will be open…

The Totally Rad PhotoRadar Show
Call for pics: Photoradar images accepted through June 10 [details below]
Reception: Friday, June 11, 7-11pm
Candelabra Gallery
412 E. 7th St.

hail mary full of gas
the law be w/ thee
blessed art thou among drivers and blessed is the
fuel of thy engine sparkplug
holy mary mother of car
brake for our speeders now
til the mile of our death
fill ‘er up!

A tongue-in-cheek “art show” featuring speeding ticket photos and red-light violations along with a Banned Music dance party! Photoradar pics are still being accepted until June 10. Send violation # and the code # to candelabra7@gmail.com. So don’t let those speeding tickets be in vain! Be vain and submit those photos… for the Speeders’ Hall of Fame!