Tohono Chul Happenings

The mission of Tohono Chul is to enrich people’s lives by connecting them with the wonders of nature, art and culture in the Sonoran Desert region and inspiring wise stewardship of the natural world.

Thanks to Olivia Carey, Cohort 3, for providing the information in this blog post!

DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS, August 24 – November 5, 2023, Exhibit House Main Gallery

Images clockwise from upper left: Elisa Salgado, Kristin Harvey, Chuck LaVoie, Karen Wright

The celebration of El Día de los Muertos is a joyful occasion of remembrance, involving feasts and festivities through which death is recognized as a part of the natural process of living. Contemporary celebrations of this holiday bear both ancient traditions and a modern flair and have become a rich part of Tucson’s cultural heritage. Tohono Chul’s biennial exhibition celebrates the creative ways artists honor and enliven this deeply meaningful holiday through artistic expressions of personal and universal significance.

This year’s exhibit was curated by local artist, Sandy Villegas, who also designed and created the ofrenda. In October, Sandy will be offering workshops in Crepe Paper Marigolds and Paper Mache Skulls at Tohono Chul.

For more information on current exhibitions: https://tohonochul.org/galleries/current-exhibitions/

SPANISH COLONIAL GARDEN RENOVATION (in progress)

Please allow your imagination to transport you to November, when the Courtyard featuring our unique Desert Ironwoods will be a magical and serene place to spend lots of quality time.

The main courtyard space will have universally accessible red brick pathways that frame a square of compacted decomposed granite which maintains water/air exchange – – keeping our Ironwood (Olneya tesota) trees healthy and happy.  The Exhibit House porch is being reroofed, and new gutters with downspouts are being installed.  These improvements will direct roof rainwater to a new passive water-harvesting basin designed to accommodate a 100-year storm event, all while keeping the water away from the foundations.  A flat “bridge” will link the courtyard to the porch, making the entire space feel very welcoming.

Three seat walls will activate the edges with places for people to rest and relax.  A modest water feature will be installed along the south wall.  The water feature will be a quiet and soothing reminder of the preciousness of water in our desert while it quenches the thirst of hummingbirds, butterflies and many other pollinators.

From low-water usage native plants in the courtyard to accessible pathways, and from water-harvesting basins to soft water features, Tohono Chul is embracing the need for preserving our desert and educating its human inhabitants on best-use practices.  

Funding for this project is made possible by a generous donation from an anonymous donor.