J Life Magazine - Jan-March 2018 JLifejan2018_web | Page 6

A Peek Inside of
the Tucson J’s
SCULPTURE GARDEN
by Neil Weinstein Chair of the Sculpture Garden Committtee
artists. This coming spring the opening of the annual exhibit will
be Sunday, April 8. You are invited to come and interact with the
sculptors whose works will be on view. And be assured that they do
like to talk about their art!
We invite more people—both J members and residents of the
broader Tucson community—to come and enjoy this, the largest
sculpture garden in Tucson. If you haven’t already visited the
garden, you’re missing out.
Here are a few things you should know about visiting:
• The garden is open to anyone Mondays-Thursdays from
7am-10pm; Fridays from 7am-6pm; and Sundays from
9am-8pm. The garden is closed on Saturdays and holidays.
• Free booklets that describe many of the works in the garden
are available at the front desk.
• Guided tours based on interviews with the sculptors are
available free to groups of 6 or more people.
I
magine the force needed to keep a 4000 pound stone
suspended 30 feet in the air. Imagine a little girl, perhaps
6 years old, learning to trust her body by balancing on
one foot. Imagine a globe inside a circle inside a square, all
connected by a deeply weathered twisting piece of steel. These
are just three of more than 40 large scale sculptures to be seen
in The J’s Sculpture Garden. There are works in bright shiny
colors—red, blue, yellow, green—and works deep in red rust.
There is steel and bronze and smooth white marble that makes
you want to stroke it (and you’re allowed!). There is humor
and there is rebellion.
The garden has winding paths, benches for
resting or eating lunch, and endless ways that
adults and children can enlarge their views
of art, test their imaginations, and enjoy the
wide variety of form, texture, and color.
Each year we hold an annual exhibition
that brings a number of new sculptures to
the garden. Sculptors submit their work for
consideration, and an impartial juror selects
ones to be displayed in the garden for the
following year. At a brunch, open to anyone
who purchases a ticket, the exhibitors talk
about their works and attendees have an
opportunity to meet and ask questions of the
The sculpture garden activities are organized by a JCC committee.
We are always looking for people who are interested in art and
would like to help make the sculpture garden a success. No special
expertise is needed. If you might be interested in taking part, call
Barbara Fenig at 520.299.3000 ext 236.
Please contact
Barbara Fenig,
Director of
Arts & Culture,
at bfenig@
tucsonjcc.org
or 520-299-
3000x236 to
purchase a ticket
to the exhibition
opening, to
schedule a tour,
or to inquire
about joining the
sculpture garden
committee.
October 2017 | J Life Magazine  7