An Afternoon at Art Corner
Cocooned in an roomy enclave away from the bustling bicycle shop, the art space is a calm, creative sanctuary. Subtle aromas of steel and glue join the Spring air that wafts in from the roll-up door to the welding table outdoors.
Crates and drawers line the walls of this room behind the Work Trade area, filled with meticulously organized bicycle parts which are too worn down to be usable for bikes, but perfect for art, in all its unique symmetries and asymmetrical irregularities! On the opposite side lies a diverse array of crafting materials, from wire and markers to beads and superglue. At Art Corner, these will be laid out on the table, infusing the atmosphere with imaginative possibility.
A co-creative space held every Thursday from 3 PM to 6 PM, Art Corner offers weekly crafting hours where members of the community can drop in and make art. It fosters a relaxed, easy-going space where anyone can express themselves artistically, connect with others, and draw inspiration from each other alongside our staff.
On this particular afternoon, of the Art Corner this past Thursday, it’s a few minutes past 3 PM when the first participant steps in, eager to continue a project begun a previous week. It was carefully stowed in a basket high atop a shelf, waiting safely out of the way from the whirlwind of activity in the art space. Superglue takes time to fully set, but this project has had a week since the last Art Corner. With glued-on locknut eyes and welded-on brake levers, a charming robot emerges with vivid character beneath the artist’s meticulous hand.
Glue, bolts, string, wire, and welding tools — everything is on the table for assembling multitudinous components into captivating art. Liability prevents easy use of the welder for walk-in community members; yet, throughout the night, our Art Coordinator lingers in the yard just outside — welding art for a Sunday market and preparing a Saturday welding workshop for those who’ve signed safety waivers — and standing wholly on call to perform swift and minor welds behind a door is rolled 3/4 of the way down to shield the blinding sparks from the main art space.
At the art table, a member of the BICAS art committee (me) is crafting tube bracelets, immersed in the feedback loop of inspiration that always comes with a co-creative space. Each Art Corner’s optional theme is designed to be engaging and approachable for all experience levels. This week, an example of each of the steps for a braided bike tube flower bracelet is laid in the table’s center — the length of the strips, the shape of the flower petals — but participants are invited to explore any creative endeavor using the extensive collection of recycled bike parts and crafting materials.
Windchimes are the manifested goal of two women who come in together. Having bought a BICAS windchime before, they are curious to discover how to craft them themselves. In this, a prepared box of aluminum parts and folded instructions on windchime creation provides an answer. With the use of a magnet to test the metal, all are welcome to the library bike parts in the art space. While not magnetic like steel, which is used for welding, aluminum is perfect for windchimes. When aluminum clinks together, it creates a musical, jingling resonance.
A lighthearted, relaxed atmosphere characterizes Art Corner; sometimes people pause their art to mill about the shop, exploring the other creative features of the shop. A father heads briefly to the front counter to generously donate wheels before returning to help his child craft. The two of them are securing a training wheel to a chainring, creating a base for a tornado of cassettes. A woman explores the Mini Gallery and purchases an art piece on display. It’s a colorful, compact piece, with a tiny bike crafted of bike parts. A miniature diorama, this is framed by a rich, resplendent painting of the desert landscape. It’s a three-dimensional wonder with incredible intricacy, and it was created and generously donated by another artist currently crafting. Inspiration really is cyclical.
Every age group and background is represented in this multigenerational space. Some are local Tucsonians; some are visitors in search of something to do. Some are experienced artists; some are just starting their creative journeys. Hand in hand with the BICAS mission of transportation accessibility, the art program exists both to uplift local artists and to lower barriers to the arts amongst those in Tucson. In both of these, creating access and a space to explore new mediums through programs like Art Corner is foundational.
At this first Art Corner of April, seven people come to create art, all told. As the clock approaches 6 PM, artists trickle out as they came — some storing projects at BICAS for the future Art Corners; some taking them home in grocery bags continue working on later.
Offers are made to assist with cleanup; the shop is closing, and cleanup is swiftly done, as excited voices discuss their ideas for the next Art Corner. At the end of the afternoon, the positive sense of catharsis is tangible; and what better, more relaxing, self-expressive outlet is there than art?