Thursday, August 30, 2012

north pole?

8/25/2012, Metal Arts Village, Tucson, Arizona
[Links: I recently watched a collection of short films at The Loft Cinema.  One of the ones that I liked is available on YouTube.  If you have 6 minutes to spare, you might enjoy joining some students in biology class and watching the animation "Robot Elephant"]


attraction

8/7/2012, Tucson, Arizona

[Links: check out these incredible pictures of an incredible bird taken by Arija of Garden Delights down in South Australia: New Holland Honeyeater.   The Tucson Murals Project recently featured pictures of a very cool mural painted car painted in 1998 and now looking for a new home.]

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

the eyes have it

8/25/2012, Toole Ave near 6th Ave, Tucson, Arizona

Kind of like something you would expect to see on the Simpsons?

[Links: Check out the incredible paper art creations of Tucson artist Nick Georgiou which he makes out of cut newspaper and paperback books -- amazing work!]

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Horse sculpture

8/25/2012, Metal Arts Village, Tucson, AZ
I like this horse sculpture, currently in the sculpture garden at the Metal Arts Village.  I missed getting the name of the artist -- I'll try to update that in the future.

Monday, August 27, 2012

metered art

8/25/2012, 6th Ave & Toole Ave, Tucson, Arizona

Saturday, August 25, 2012

kinetic butterfly sculpture

8/25/2012, Toole & 6th Ave, Tucson, Arizona

I noticed this very cool kinetic butterfly sculpture on the corner of Toole Ave & 6th Ave this morning, it was apparently installed back in May of this year.

Its a 20 ft tall, 6 & 1/2 foot wingspan kinetic sculpture made by Ned Schaper (aka Mat Bevel).

It wasn't in motion when I saw it, but here is a link to the Bevel Butterfly Company which has some nice night videos of it in flight (once on their site, click the center of their screen two times to get to first video).

Friday, August 24, 2012

noon colors

8/19/2012, 7th St, Tucson, Arizona
I really like this stained glass sunshade -- colorful and dynamic as we rotate under the Sun.  I wonder what it looks like from inside?

8/19/2012, 7th St, Tucson, Arizona
The shade appears to have an angle adjustment, presumably for different seasons of the year when the Sun is at different angles to this south facing wall?

[Links: The current Sept/Oct issue of AAA Highroads magazine has a nice article by Lorraine Darconte on Tucson's All Souls Procession.  I'm pleased to say that they used two of my event photos in the article.  The online version of the article can be viewed here.  Here are my past blog posts covering the annual All Souls Procession, in case you've missed them.]

birdcage

8/11/2012, 4th Ave, Tucson, Arizona

A little difficult to see, but there are a total of 3 red birds in the above mural

Monday, August 20, 2012

fired extinguishers

8/4/2012 Arizona Ave, Tucson, Arizona

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Toucan eat here?

Canon G12, 7/22/2012

Sabar Tropical restaurant (Grant/Campbell)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

holesome rock

8/2/2012, Near UofA Geology Bldg



Sunday, August 12, 2012

Tucson electric streetcar construction, crossing the Santa Cruz

8/12/2012, Gutierrez Bridge looking west, Tucson, Arizona
 Here are photos of the Tucson Modern Electric Streetcar rail construction project for last week, starting with the amazing new Luis G. Gutierrez Bridge (aka the Cushing Street Bridge).

This is without a doubt going to be a cool bridge.  When completed, this 320 foot bridge across the Santa Cruz river/wash will provide a shaded east-west connection for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and of course, the new Sun Link electric streetcar.

The pedestrian shade sails have a very nice look to them and are designed not only to provide shade to the walkway, but also to cast various shade patterns onto the sidewalk below -- nice idea!

Each end of the new streetcar bridge has a wide staircase on each side which leads down to the pedestrian/bike paths that run along the banks of the Santa Cruz.
8/12/2012, Gutierrez Bridge, looking NE toward downtown Tucson, Arizona
 Below, you can get a first impression of the shade cast from the sails and how the railway will run across the bridge.  I'm looking forward to the day I can walk across and capture pictures of all the shade patterns.
8/12/2012, Gutierrez Bridge looking east, Tucson, Arizona
 looking up from the bike path at one of the sails...   They kind of have a leaf looking pattern and then at the wide end, a unique shade casting pattern that is different on each of the sails.
8/12/2012, Guiterrez Bridge, Tucson, Arizona

Here you see the ends of two more sails, with different cutouts for unique shadows cast below.  I'm not sure since this is still under construction, but it appears that the stairs have a narrow ramp along one side that could be used to easily wheel one's bike up from the bike path(?).
8/12/2012, SE steps on Gutierrez Bridge
 Nice looking design / construction under the bridge.  Nothing scary or threatening along the walkway under the bridge, good feel to it.
8/12/2012, on bike path under Gutierrez Bridge, Tucson, Arizona

8/12/2012, looking SE, Gutierrez Bridge, Tucson, Arizona
 These long rails are staged for eventual installation of the final stretch of tracks at the west end of the streetcar route.  Its interesting how these massive rails sag and bend with the terrain.
8/12/2012, streetcar rails staged at west end of streetcar route, Tucson, Arizona
 Back on the east side of I-10, streetcar rail construction is continuing down University Blvd toward 4th Ave -- here they are doing initial placement/leveling of the eastbound rails and off in the distance you can see the westbound rails laying on the ground.
8/11/2012, looking east down University Blvd from 3rd Ave
 4th Ave is normally shutdown a couple of times a year for a large street fair.  According to the Sun Link info, the new streetcar is supposed to accommodate this.  I don't know, but I'm guessing they are going to do something along the lines of the old historic tracks below -- run a spur off each end of 4th Ave that will allow them to change direction (tracks) so that both ends of the route can run up to, but not through, the 4th Ave Street fair when it is in progress..
8/11/2012, old tracks at University Blvd and 4th Ave
 Here is a stretch of 4th Ave where the new track has been placed and street repaved.
8/11/2012, completed roadway on 4th Ave between 6th St and University Blvd, looking south
 I believe this patch of unfinished dirt in the middle of the completed roadway on 4th Ave will be one of the new platforms/stops for the street car.  I'm looking forward to seeing those; like other cities, the stops are supposed to feature some interesting art designs.
8/11/2012, 4th Ave, site for future streetcar stop platform
 Bars and old rebar from the demolition of the old 4th Ave roadway.  Its good to see that they are apparently breaking up the concrete around the rebar so that it can be recycled.
8/11/2012, 4th Ave, Tucson, Arizona

This crew appeared to be drilling holes to place pillar foundations.  I *think* this section west of 4th Ave paralleling the railroad tracks is going to be part of the storage yard for the 8 streetcars when they are not in use.
8/11/2012, west of 4th Ave & 9th Street

8/11/2012, west of 4th Ave and 9th Street
 and last, but not least, here is a construction shot of what will be the maintenance building for the new streetcars.
8/11/2012, 8th Street west of 4th Ave, Streetcar maintenance building and storage area
I have to say, the more I see of the new Tucson SunLink streetcar construction project, the more excited and optimistic I get concerning its impact on 4 major portions of Tucson: University of Arizona, 4th Ave, downtown Tucson, and the area west of I-10/Santa Cruz River.  Time will be the ultimate test, but I've got a good feel about this project.

To view all of my blog posts and pictures related to Sun Link, the Tucson Modern Streetcar construction project, click here.

Prickly Pear Basket

8/11/2012, Broadway & Scott Ave, Tucson, AZ

Saturday, August 11, 2012

muscle in the mural

8/5/2012, Perry Ave & 6th St, Tucson, AZ
This mural stands out as especially unique among Tucson mural designs and styles.

Friday, August 10, 2012

one large eclectic mural

8/5/2012, 191 Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ


Thursday, August 9, 2012

let's dance

8/7/2012, 4th Ave, Tucson, Arizona
"Head over to hoedown on 4th Avenue" was taken a little too literally by this group.  Although I have to admit, those two cats were really tearing up the dance floor!

Past readers of my blog may recognize the Tiki Head.  I posted pictures/video of it being moved from its original home at Magic Carpet miniature golf course on the east side of town back in December, 2008.  My, how time flies.

For all my posts/pictures related to the new Tucson modern electric streetcar track construction project, click here.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

double vision

8/5/2012, 7th Ave & Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ



Tuesday, August 7, 2012

a towering crane

Canon G12, 7/26/2012

I'm not sure what was going on here, apparently they were using the very tall crane to stabilize the communications tower over by 22nd St and Kino Parkway for some reason.  Must be fun attaching / detaching the crane from the top of the tower!

Monday, August 6, 2012

Evolve

8/5/2012, along Toole Ave, Tucson, AZ
This stretch of Toole Ave has a number of plywood panels along the sidewalk for murals to be painted on and evolve over time.


Sunday, August 5, 2012

Last week's Tucson streetcar construction photos

8/2/2012, morning, looking west down 2nd Street from Mountain Ave
Here are a few pictures taken of the Tucson modern electric streetcar track construction project from last week.  Above, fresh concrete getting smoothed out.  Progress, progress...

8/2/2012, looking east down 2nd Street from Park Ave
the eastbound track appear to be higher than the westbound tracks

8/2/2012, lunchtime, looking west down 2nd Street from Mountain Ave

the morning's concrete has set on the eastbound rail; more westbound initial rail placement, then comes the under rail metal supports, space adjustments between rails, leveling, etc.

8/2/2012, looking west down University Blvd from Park Ave


8/5/2012, looking south on 4th Ave from 7th Street
 the recently torn up stretch of 4th Ave -- still expect to see a horse drawn wagon pass by

8/5/2012, looking north on 4th Ave from 7th Street

shuttered zebra

8/4/2012, 6th St near 5th Ave, Tucson, AZ

There must be an artist in the area that boards zebras...


[Links: I saw the following short film today before seeing the french animated movie "A Cat in Paris".  Here from YouTube -- what became of the Saber-Toothed Housecat...]

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Tumamoc Hill

7/28/2012, Tumamoc Hill, Tucson


Tumamoc Hill, just west of downtown Tucson, is a popular place for a good steep walk in the evenings or early mornings.  I've posted several pictures of or from Tumamoc Hill on my blog in the past.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Be Kind to Each Other tile mural

 7/28/2012, behind business near UofA main gate

This ia a large tile mural made up of many small tiles, face designs, and repeating words "Be Kind to Each Other".  Behind businesses SW of University Blvd & Park Ave in Tucson.



Thursday, August 2, 2012

apparently the power is out...

7/28/2012, Stone Ave, Tucson, Arizona

Power outage?  The signal seems to indicate no cycles/sec to that side of town...

It is possible that the signal wasn't current, but it looked like it had the potential to change.
Worst case, I imagine one could just get off their bike and call Hertz to get over there?  ;-)

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

just chillin

7/28/2012, Cafe Passe, Tucson, Arizona
sitting on the back patio bar at Cafe Passe on a lazy Saturday morning