Category Archives: San Pedro Chapel

OFLAG Art Show Scheduled for April 1 & 2, 2016

A brief history of the Old Fort Lowell Artist Group:

Bob Brisley and Michael Bell, both painters living in the Fort Lowell Historic District, began meeting once a week for coffee and conversation about art. Four years ago they agreed to jointly stage an art show at the San Pedro Chapel. A couple of years later they decided to hold another exhibition, but this time wanted to expand to include some new talent. So they issued a “Call to Artists” within the neighborhood hoping for a couple of comrades willing to participate.

Unexpectedly, there ended up being almost twenty responses from other artists living in the Fort Lowell neighborhood. That group created the “Old Fort Lowell Artists Group” (OFLAG) and Carol Parker, photographer and founding member, designed the group’s website. Twelve participants displayed work in the first OFLAG Art Show, held in September of 2014.

The second art show is in the planning and the participating artists have now been selected. The show will be held April 1 – 2, 2016, again at the San Pedro Chapel. This year’s show is comprised of three painters, and three photographers, and an “Honored Artist of the Year”. A new feature this year is the addition of a “Guest Artist”. Patty Hosmer, a fine art photographer, will be showing images from her western horse and lifestyle portfolio.

If you live in the Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood and you are interested in knowing more about the artist group and art shows, please take a look at the web site at (https://oflartists.wordpress.com) or google “Old Fort Lowell Artist Group”.

Save the date and watch this site as it reflects the newest work submitted by this year’s artists.

Save the Date in 2016!

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Updated to reflect the new exhibition dates of April 1 & 2, 2016.

Save the date! The First Annual Old Fort Lowell Artists Group exhibition is history but next event is already on the calendar! The participating artists met after the show to review the logistics and whether or not to continue. The unanimous vote – go forward with the 2nd OFLAG exhibition year after next. The dates have already been reserved at the San Pedro Chapel for April 1 and 2, 2016.

All agreed this year’s inaugural event was a resounding success! Credit for that goes to the friends, family, neighborhood residents and art patrons who showed their support by crowding the Chapel during Friday night’s reception. The event had a lively vibe as artists and patrons had a chance to intermingle. In just 2 1/2 hours more than $6,000 in sales were racked up. The artists were pleased to have a new outlet for their work, and viewers were introduced to the multifaceted artistic talent resident in the mile square Fort Lowell Historic District.

Artwork displayed in the gallery this year included oil, acrylic and mixed media paintings, intaglio prints, darkroom and digital photography, sculpture, weaving, quilting, and hand-crafted jewelry.

A lot of hard work went into the two-day show. Michael Bell was the driving force behind the organization. He put the concept out there to attract interested participants, and when the idea took hold he invested a great deal of sweat equity into bringing it to fruition. Every artist represented had a role to play in the preparations, from renting the facility, enlisting the support of the neighborhood, creating a website, generating publicity, laying out the venue, providing music and refreshments, and of course the hard physical work of hanging the artwork.

Volunteers from the Neighborhood Association were invaluable assets as they handled the sales and accounting, freeing the artists to interact with the viewing public. The Arizona Daily Star ran a wonderful illustrated feature story about the Neighborhood and its artistic roots which served to attract an even larger crowd.

Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood provides ‘sense of place’

Even the weather cooperated as the threat of Hurricane Odile dwindled and the reception was blessed by a perfect Tucson evening.

A round of applause to everyone who contributed to the successful debut of the show!

Click on any image below to enter a full screen slideshow. Thanks to Marianne Cracovaner and Linda McKittrick for providing the photographs.