I don’t want to repeat myself too much (only as much as is tolerable) but can’t resist writing about the Summer Art Cruise that debuted on June 5th along 6th Street and 6th Avenue, taking the place of the First Saturday Art Walk. Picture a hot summer night, the luminous twilight sky, a shimmer of activity and a babble of enthusiastic, animated conversation among the crowds of art seekers.
Some changes are afoot at the Firestone Building, which anchors the gallery scene at 6th and 6th, including dismaying news about Platform Gallery deciding to close its doors, citing the economy (or lack of same) as the motivating factor. Luckily, though, other ventures in that locale seem to be surviving, including our favorite, Conrad Wilde, which outsmarted the sorry thief who made off with an irreplaceable stack of small paintings in March by presenting a fundraiser in May that basically recouped their losses and enabled Miles and Ryan to reimburse the artists. Their current show features the aptly named “Poetics” of Emilia Arana, glowing abstracts that expertly manipulate the medium to breathtaking effect, especially making use of artfully placed, not-at-all accidental drips that seem to perfectly balance compositions and add that necessary touch of the random. The happy souls who thronged the place seemed appreciative, as well as congratulatory and relieved.
Nearby, inhabiting the space recently occupied by some quickly forgotten, short-lived enterprise, David Aguirre initiated what was dubbed “The One Night Only Phantom Gallery” by P.J. McArdle, who, with his wife To-Ree-Nee Wolf, showed off his hybrid photo collages mounted on old car hoods and her glittering mixed media pieces, plus a number of large and small drawings and installations by others. P.J. wanted to know, “Where have all these people come from?” Whatever the answer to the question is, for several hours they drifted up and down the street, popping into and out of the various Cruise-related venues to ponder all the offerings: the 18th Small Works Invitational of Davis Dominguez, &ldquoSmall Things Considered,” Contreras Gallery’s “My Circux” by Martin Quintanilla; Mel Dominguez Wood Rounds at 5th on 6th, toys and funky items at Lulubelle Toy Bodega; Gary Bjorklund’s photos, Raices Taller’s “Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres” – all in all, enough visual stimulus to satisfy even the greediest of art consumers, and enough wine, cheese, crackers, veggie trays and assorted snacks to easily substitute for dinner.
Summertime in Tucson might exemplify wasteland for some, or an excuse to head for points north to escape the heat, but for lovers of visual art, at least, sustenance was plentiful and delightfully ripe, courtesy of the Central Tucson Gallery Association, sponsors of this and other annual events. And with Downtown’s Second Saturday in the offing on the 12th, at least in the near future, consumers of vibrant culture, entertainment and diversion will be well served.
