City Week

Student/Teacher Collaborations

The University of Arizona's art department and gallery are presenting Three: Traveling Print Exchange, a unique exhibit that has traveled around the country.

The exhibit features photographs and lithographs from graduate students and faculty members at three universities. Contributors include professors and students from the UA, the University of Minnesota and Louisiana State University. While the exhibit has no particular theme, the collaboration of the three universities is worth noting, says curator and UA graduate assistant Roula Seikaly.

The exhibit began at the University of Minnesota, moved to Louisiana State and finally will be shown at the UA from June 8 until July 9.

Seikaly says the traveling exhibit demonstrates a collaborative effort between emerging artists and established artists.

"It's a unique learning experience," Seikaly says. "It shows resonance between student and teacher."

The works in the exhibit aren't organized around a theme, and they also differ from the fact that the three schools provide varied artistic backgrounds. The exhibit is sure to showcase different facets of print photography and lithography from the three universities.

Seikaly hopes the exhibit attracts people from the larger Tucson community.

"I'm hoping that people will see the (UA's) school of art is really one of the best and most accomplished," she says.

So cool off on campus this month while viewing diverse art from some of the UA's own. The exhibit will open with a reception at the student union this Friday, June 8. The exhibit is free. --L.H.

A Musical Roller Coaster

Tucson Symphony Orchestra clarinetist Jeremy Reynolds promises to take attendees on a musical roller coaster ride during a special performance this coming Sunday.

Trained at esteemed music schools like the University of Southern California's Thornton School of Music, Reynolds has been principal clarinetist with Tucson Symphony since 2003. Reynolds has performed with New World Symphony in Miami, the Fresno (Calif.) Philharmonic and the National Orchestral Institute in Washington, D.C., among other symphonic organizations. He is currently a visiting professor of the clarinet studio at Northern Arizona University, in Flagstaff.

"I have the best of both worlds," he says. "I am able to share knowledge and perform myself."

Reynolds will feature a variety of sonatas and waltzes and will be accompanied by Arizona Opera pianist Michael Dauphinais. Included in the recital is a unique piece by Victor Babin. The engaging waltz consists of many different and chaotic movements, from sad to energetic.

"(Babin's piece) stretches listeners' ears harmonically," Reynolds says.

The recital in Tucson will introduce listeners to pieces that Reynolds will perform solo for clarinet experts at the Oklahoma Clarinet Symposium, scheduled for the following weekend at the University of Oklahoma. The symposium is a gathering of 20 clarinet professors and professionals from across the world--the best of the best, says Reynolds.

The clarinetists all perform solo, something Reynolds is anxious about, but something to which he's also looking forward.

"I am truly honored to be a part of the symposium," he says.

Tickets for the exclusive performance are $12, $10 for students and seniors, and are available at the door. --L.H.

It's Magic

The Society of American Magicians' Tucson Chapter is bringing together Tucson's best magicians to compete for the Magician of the Year award.

Six to eight magicians will perform acts such as card magic and ring tricks, says George Franzen, president of the society.

The club is allowing only working performers with working acts to compete for the award, and Franzen says the magicians will meet beforehand and go over each act, to "make sure that there aren't five people doing a ring trick."

There will be a variety of magic acts, including patter acts (where the magician is talking to the audience the whole time), a silent act and acts to music.

One act will definitely defy death: Michael DeSchalit will be performing an escape act à la Harry Houdini. While handcuffed, DeSchalit is going to break out of a padlocked steel box--in less than two minutes.

"It's a good place for beginners and other people, where they can be seen by magic professionals and semi-professionals," says Seth Pastuszek, a member of the society. "It's a place where magicians can show each other new tricks and critique their old tricks, and find ways to make them better.

"Mostly, it's just fun to watch. Tucson is the birthplace of a lot of magicians. A lot of people from Vegas are even moving down to Tucson. It has to do with the whole atmosphere."

The contest is open to the public, and tickets are $10, available at The Gaslight Theatre. --T.M.

A Different Side of DeGrazia

The watercolors of Indian children and angels done by Ettore "Ted" DeGrazia, are pretty famous, available at any decent tourist shop in Arizona.

Most people, however, aren't familiar with his paintings of his Mission in the Sun, a chapel he designed in 1952. Nor are they familiar with his watercolors of flowers and cactuses, many of which were originally designs for a greeting-card company.

Well, the good folks who take care of his Mission in the Sun chapel, studio and gallery, which are on the historic register, have unearthed two collections showing this different side of DeGrazia's work.

The Desert Blooms collection includes 28 just-discovered watercolors of flowers and cactuses. The exhibit includes 13 newly discovered watercolors of the mission and its altar. The Mission in the Sun exhibit also includes archival photographs of the building and planning of the chapel, which is made from adobe bricks. Both exhibits are open through September.

"Most people are familiar with his images of kids and angels," says Susan Vance, the gallery's marketing director, "But then they are pleased to discover he did so many other things."

You can check out these new exhibits at the 98th birthday tribute for DeGrazia next Thursday. There'll be cake and ice cream, and the event will be free. The rest of the gallery, which includes six other exhibitions, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., daily. --T.M.