City Week

A Spatial Undertaking

Expedition, by Camden Hardy

Exhibit on display 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; and noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 13-23 and Jan. 3-5

Lionel Rombach Gallery

1031 N. Olive Road, Room 108

626-4215;

web.cfa.arizona.edu/galleries

Tucson is a city crisscrossed with various waterways, though dry and sandy they may usually be. When heavy rains come, these washes swell up and flow underneath bridges and over roadways, carrying whatever evidence of humanity they come across.

Camden Hardy, a graduate student at the University of Arizona, will debut his photography project highlighting one of these waterways—the Pantano Wash—and the blend of natural landscape and human interaction that takes place there.

"Generally speaking, I do a lot of landscape-type photography dealing with urban spaces—really, just kind of an exploration of space," Hardy said. "For this project, I walked the length of the Pantano Wash, starting on the north end and heading south."

Hardy completed his 22-mile walk in small chunks, using pinhole cameras he made out of buckets.

He got his start in photography at a young age, but only started to pursue it when he changed his major at Montana State University from computer science to photography.

"I've been interested in (photography) as long as I could remember. When I was growing up, my family would travel a lot all over Europe and Asia. So I got into travel photography for a long time," Hardy said.

Admission is free, and the exhibit is on display from Monday, Dec. 13, through Wednesday, Jan. 5 (although the gallery will not be open during the university's winter closure). Visit web.cfa.arizona.edu/galleries for more information. —E.B.


Dancin' in the Streets

Second Saturdays Downtown

5 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 11

Various downtown locations

2ndSaturdaysDowntown.com

Downtown is the place to be—at least it is on the second Saturday of every month, thanks to 2nd Saturdays Downtown.

This month, the festival is showing off a holiday theme. Downtown merchants are preparing decorations to make windows and streets jolly and bright—and there will even be a Horrible Holiday Sweater contest, with the opportunity to win various prizes.

Each 2nd Saturdays Downtown event is planned, managed and promoted by the merchants and venues of downtown Tucson. It stretches along Congress Street from Church Avenue to the Fourth Avenue Underpass.

"It's just an urban street festival of music and local artisans, highlighting downtown for people to come enjoy the eclectic arts and music scene," said Jamie Manser, the event's program director.

Street performances will take place at multiple locations throughout the stretch, in addition to the Scott Avenue Main Stage. The Fox Tucson Theatre will be hosting a free concert featuring Five Way Street paying tribute to Crosby, Stills and Nash.

The event is family-friendly and offers a kids' area at the Indian Village Lot, between Stone and Scott avenues. At the Kids Zone, you can find a large outdoor screen showing How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and other surprises.

"I think what is most important about this particular event is not only the holiday theme, but ... a Community Food Bank drive," said Manser.

The 13th Annual Great Cover-Up is taking place concurrently with 2nd Saturdays Downtown at the Rialto Theatre, Manser said—and you can get $2 off the $8 admission price in exchange for a donation of two cans of food or more for the Food Bank.

The event is free and open to the public. Visit the website for the full entertainment schedule. —K.M.


Books on Display

Double Vision: Julie Chen and Clifton Meador

Exhibit on display 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday; and noon to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, through Dec. 23 and Jan. 3-Feb. 4

Joseph Gross Gallery

1031 N. Olive Road, Room 108

626-4215;

web.cfa.arizona.edu/galleries

Art comes in many forms. From painting and printmaking to sculpture and performance, it can be an expression of oneself.

For something a little different, check out Double Vision, a show that displays the talents of book artists Julie Chen and Clifton Meador.

Art books can look very different, depending on the artist; there is no single formula, as artists use a combination of materials, practices and processes.

"They are both very well-known book artists. Julie Chen teaches at Mill College in the MFA book program, and Clifton is ... at the Center for Book and Paper Arts at Columbia College. They both have been working a long time," said Karen Zimmermann, associate professor of art at the University of Arizona.

Zimmermann is curating the show because of the presence of typography in the artists' work—and because of her personal interest in it.

"They are doing a show because we wanted to have a show at the university that highlighted two artists who work in different mediums," Zimmermann said. "Julie uses a letter press as part of her practices, and Clifton uses offset printing as part of his artist-book process."

These two artists work in multiples, meaning the books they create are not single editions: They make a number of copies of the same book using whatever process they used to make the first one.

"They both come at their work with a lot of research and personal narrative," Zimmermann said.

The admission for this show is free. Visit web.cfa.arizona.edu/galleries for more information. —E.B.


Nondenominational Celebration

Tucson Arizona Mass Choir

4 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 12

St. Mark's Presbyterian Church

3809 E. Third St.

325-1001

The Tucson Arizona Mass Choir is celebrating its 11th anniversary with a citywide gospel-choir concert at St. Mark's Presbyterian Church.

The TAMC is an interfaith choir made up of members from different churches throughout Tucson. According to Dorothy Reid, the director and founder of the Tucson Arizona Mass Choir, the choir was very fortunate this year to get some great guests to help celebrate the anniversary.

Gospel, blues and R&B vocalist Joe Bourne and Southwestern folklorist Big Jim Griffith will join the choir. Additional guests include Mark Allen and the Angel Boys, including guitarist Greg Morton and members of Round the House.

"I got Joe Bourne to come to the event because he invited us to be a part of his Christmas program, A Nat King Cole and Gospel Music Christmas, on Saturday, Dec. 18 (in SaddleBrooke)," said Reid. "In turn, we invited him to be a part of our program. Maybe this will be something that can be a nice friendship."

Reid's choir started in 1999 with just 10 members. Now it has about 45 members who sing everything from gospel to anthems to gospel rap.

"Most of us are just ordinary people who like to sing," Reid said. "We are not professional in any way. We didn't necessarily have any prior experience, so if you like to sing, come join us."

The TAMC performs about once a month, participating in various concerts and programs.

According to Reid, the church can fill up with audience members quickly. Her advice: Get there early.

There is no charge for the event, but there will be a free-will offering. —K.M.