The Exhibits Program at Tohono Chul presents visual stories linking the nature, culture and arts of the Southwest. Focusing on the work of regional artists, we display vibrant works of art in a diverse array of thematic group exhibits. The charming adobe Exhibit House, built as a private home in 1937, is an ideal environment for visitors to view Southwestern artworks. 50% all exhibit sales help fund programs at Tohono Chul.
Questions? Please contact the Exhibits Department, exhibits@tohonochul.org
Exhibitions currently on display:
Amber Vanhatala Stene | Survival in the Sonoran Desert
Through October 22, 2023
Exhibit House Entry Gallery
ARTIST STATEMENT
“Taken by the beauty of the succulents of the Sonoran Desert and struck by the desperate conditions under which they survive, I am driven to create works that embrace this ecological anomaly. I start each botanical watercolor work as an abstract pouring that expresses the environmental conditions. Then I integrate the succulent into the pouring, allowing the botanical subject and abstract element to coexist – celebrating the symbiotic relationship between these unique plants and the harsh Sonoran Desert. In these works, I’m creating an aesthetic that embodies the real, the abstract, and the conceptual.
The assemblage works based on grapevine creations offer an even more conceptual approach to survival in the desert. These dimensional artworks reference concepts in the cycle of life – rainfall, rebirth, and growth.”
Amber Vanhatala Stene holds an MFA from Wichita State University. After a full career as a graphic design professional in Tucson and Wichita, Vanhatala Stene embarked on a fine art career that has seen exhibitions in Scottsdale, Seattle, Portland, Kansas City, Wichita, and Tucson; with representation at Kim Weinberger Fine Art in Kansas City. Amber has taught graphic design at Northern Arizona University, foundation art classes at Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online, and watercolor at Portland Community College and Multnomah Arts Center. A full-time studio artist, Amber recently relocated to her hometown of Tucson, AZ. Vanhatala Stene’s studio practice centers on works on paper with botanical and figurative subjects immersed in abstract environments.
DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS
Through November 5, 2023
Exhibit House Main Gallery
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.
Día de los Muertos was curated by Tohono Chul Exhibits Staff and Guest Curator, Sandy Villegas.
Exhibiting Artists: Vivian Alvarez, Carolee Asia, Gilat Ben-Dor, Anika Brown, James Burton, Alexandra Catalina, Dan Chavez, Robin Chlad, Jessica Contreras, Quetzally Coronado, Ann Dahlgren, Royce Davenport, Kathleen Genz, Annie Gordon, David Griffin, Genevieve Guadalupe, Kelly R. Hale, Kitty Hanson, Kristin Harvey, Cat Hill, Ann Marie Hoff, Dawn Hollins, Michael Hyatt, Stu Jenks, Chuck LaVoie, Pat Manion, Gloria Martinez, Melanie McPherson, Malu Nicolette, Don Norris, George M. Perez, Lyle Rayfield, Judith Rockey, Elisa Salgado, Amber Schneider, Rachel Slick, Tracey Smith, Samirah Steinmeyer, Jennifer Suhm, Gary Sullivan, Lisa Swanson, Ruben Urrea Moreno, Sandy Villegas, Karen J. Wright, and Dennis Wunsch
Image: clockwise from upper left (details): Elisa Salgado, Kristin Harvey, Chuck LaVoie, Karen Wright
Betsy Babb | Full Circle
Through November 5, 2023
Exhibit House Welcome Gallery
A small selection of drawings from an ongoing series Tucson artist, Betsy Babb, created during the Covid-19 shutdown. Babb’s compositions are built upon the interplay of overlapping primary shapes and colors within a shallow space. Concentrating on the dynamics of variation and sequence, the artist imparts form and movement across each composition, allowing elements to slowly shift into a deeper space. The intensity Babb brings to each surface moves toward the spiritual.
Chuck LaVoie | Transmogrify
Located in the Garden Pavilion
Transmogrify, which means to change or be changed completely, was first created by Chuck LaVoie during the Covid pandemic and displayed in Tohono Chul’s 2021 Día de los Muertos exhibition. This iteration was created specifically for Tohono Chul and will be permanently displayed across from the Butterfly Garden later this fall. Until then, you can find it in the Garden Pavilion.
“Monarch butterflies play a role in Día de los Muertos because they are believed to hold the spirits of the departed. This belief stems from the fact that the first monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter each fall on Nov. 1, which coincides with Día de los Muertos.”
– Maria Anderson, Smithsonian Stories
Roy J. Kurtz Collection of American Indian Art
Education Center
Tohono Chul’s Permanent Collection is growing with the acquisition of Roy J. Kurtz Collection of American Indian Art. The Roy J. Kurtz Collection is vast and will provide endless possibilities for Tohono Chul’s Education and Exhibits programs for years to come. This exhibition will provide the first look at this large collection of baskets and American Indian artwork.
Art in the Gardens
Gardens
Sculpture from Tohono Chul’s Permanent Collection including Mark Rossi, Fred Borcherdt, Kioko Mwitiki, David Weinert, Greg Corman, Ned Egan, along with work for sale by Tucson artists Joy Fox, Phil Lichtenhan, Tidhar Ozeri and more can be discovered throughout the gardens.
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