Ajo Street Art Happening — Part 7

Although artists have been working in the alley for about a week, new work is still showing up. I discovered these 2 pieces this morning. (If you know who painted them perhaps you can drop me a line as I’d like to credit their work.)

Here are some updates since yesterday …

Val Uschuk

Do you know this artist?

Mike (DaWolf) Baker

Victor Garcia

Adan Alvarez

Jesse Ismael Reyna

Do you know this artist?

The street art will continue over the coming days. If you haven’t had an up-close-and-personal look yet, you’re missing out on a great adventure. Do drop by.

This amazing gallery of street art is part of the Community Arts Gathering which wraps up today. The Gathering was a wonderful event filled with ideas, energy and talent provided by locals as well as artists from other parts of the state and the country.

Many thanks to all the presenters and the attendees. And a standing ovation to all the volunteers who worked long hours to make this happen. This is truly an amazing town. 🙂

Ajo Street Art Happening — Part 6

This morning was a perfect time to visit Plaza Alley — the air was still cool and the light was just right for viewing.

Among the first artists to arrive were a number of students from the nearby high school. This is definitely a “group” effort, as it seems different students arrive each day to work on the mural. Click any image for a larger view.

The youngest artist at this event is two-year-old Silas. His mural is right at ground level, perfect for short arms and short legs.

Silas and Mike (DaWolf) Baker

Silas’s mural

Changes since yesterday …

Porter McDonald – how many countries can you see?

Tiffany Farrar – palm trees with a night sky behind. In progress.

Tiffany Farrar – painstaking work to paint the grate

Adan Alvarez

Jesse Ismael Reyna – beautiful work created by blending only 3 colors

Alice Glasser – a calming, peaceful presence

Val Uschuk

A new mural started since my visit yesterday …

If you don’t feel like trekking down to the alley in the heat of day, come down after dark. There’s been some great live music in the evening along with art.

Ajo Street Art Happening — Part 5

We wandered through Plaza Alley last evening, my first chance to see the artists and their work at night.

The first artist I spotted was stretched out flat on several pieces of cardboard in order to do the lettering at the bottom of the Desert Senita mural.

At the other end of the alley I found an artist working almost in the dark, the only light was from a street light. (The photo actually makes it look much brighter than it was.)

Neoglyphix’s Dwayno and Jamie, who’d just started their work that morning, had already finished it by the time I arrived. What an amazing “landscape” of color and imagery.

Clicking an image will give you a larger view.

Getting “down” to work

Dark sky (see below for next phase)

Dwayno & Jamie’s finished piece

I headed back to the alley this afternoon. It was like an oven but despite the heat, I found at least half a dozen artists at work.

I met several new artists and had a chance to chat briefly with them about their work.

Jesse Ismael Reyna, originally from Phoenix and now living in Ajo, is working with colored markers to create his mural. He was using just three colors and yet by careful blending, it looked like more.

Jesse Ismael Reyna

Jesse Ismael Reyna

Tiffany Farrar, with AmericCorps, is working with ISDA for 6 weeks. She chose one of the most interesting (and to my mind, more difficult) parts of the Alley — a mesh grate. I watched her briefly last night, painting each little piece. Today she was cutting out pop cans to add to her design.

Tiffany Farrar

Tiffany Farrar

Tiffany Farrar

A little further down the alley I found Porter McDonald, an artist and photographer from Tucson who often focuses his work on migration and border issues.

Outline

Porter McDonald

On the wall next to Porter I met Tanner Lee, an AmeriCorps volunteer from Connecticut. He took a lot of sculpting classes in high school and that, he says, is where he’s most comfortable. “I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I like painting but it always turns out really abstract compared to what I want it to be.”

He described his plans for this mural so I’m eager to see how it turns out.

Also seen on my trip today …

Val Uschuk gets a hand with the ladder

Check above for how this looked last night

Alice Glasser

Three nationalities

Saguaro