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Storage Container Mural by Chip Thomas

 

Chip Thomas, Colin Holmes, Racheal Rios & Monique Laraway, 2021

Photos from Racheal Rios

Interview with Chip, 2021

  1. What got you started on your creative process/brought you to where you are now?

I moved to Northern AZ in 1987 and set up a black and white darkroom shortly thereafter. For the next 22 years I spent time in the community photographing and having occasional shows of that work. However, it didn’t feel complete in that the people in the photos weren’t seeing the work. A 3 month trip to Brazil in 2009 led to me spending time with street artists who introduced me to the large, wheat pasted photographs of JR which influenced the work I’m doing now. 

Chip Thomas Mural from jetsonorama.net

  1. What brought you to BICAS, and/or inspired you to contribute the incredible wheat paste mural that went up recently?

I was invited by Kylie Walzak to do an installation at your original site in 2010. I returned in 2011 to install work as well. Then Colin Holmes invited me to do an installation there this year. 

Racheal Rios and Chip Thomas at BICAS, 2021. Photo from Racheal Rios

  1. What are you working on right now?

Well, I’m working on a couple things. I just completed an installation at Fort Garland in the San Luis Valley on Native enslavement from 1492 to the late 1800s. As an extension of that I’m looking at doing an exhibition on the complex history of the Buffalo Soldiers who were stationed at Fort Garland for 3 years in the mid 1860s. They’re recognized and celebrated as Black American heroes but in truth they were freed enslaved people who were seeking acceptance into American society by participating in the settler-colonial narrative of fighting and killing Native people. In order for healing to begin we need to start there. 

Chip Thomas mural from jetsonorama.net

  1. What is the best way to follow your work?

Hit me up at @jetsonorama on the (Insta)gram or follow my blog – jetsonorama.net. Peace.

Chip Thomas mural from jetsonorama.net

Chip and Racheal at BICAS, 2021, photo from Racheal Rios

Follow, support, and shop Chip’s work by visiting the above links. Thank you Chip for your work!

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For questions, mural requests, media, metalworks commissions, information on our Annual Art Auction, workshop information, or parts requests, contact the BICAS Art Coordinator at art@bicas.org or 520.628.7950, or stop by the shop at 2001 N. 7th Ave during our open hours.

Find out more by following BICAS Art on Facebook, Instagram and on our Etsy shop!

     

June Featured Artist: revolta Art

 

Monique of revolta Art in their studio

ART STORY

“In my early teens, I fell in love with drawing and decided I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Drawing was accessible, something I could do from anywhere with paper/pen, and eventually it became a tool for emotional release, stability and healing. Being an introvert has allowed me the space to explore many different mediums like printmaking, welding, collage but I always come back to pen and paper.

 

Currently, I’m focusing on the vibrant Sonoran Desert flora and fauna seen while riding through the city and MTB trails and painting them in bite-sized chunks. I’m a fan of celebrating little “magic moments” like a blast of Mexican gold poppies tucked in a pile of gray-tone rocks or the 30+ foot tall saguaros that tower over native trees. There’s so much resilience and wisdom in surviving this harsh desert and I’m inspired by it all. My current work is mostly small scale 2D water-based painting and drawing on salvaged materials, but I dabble in upcycled bike jewelry and the occasional small sculpture to keep my hands busy. 

 

Using natural and reclaimed materials is an important part of my practice. While my environmental impact is minimal, I’m a firm believer that change comes in small waves and if more people/artists rethink their consumption and creative material use, we can ensure there’s more left for those who come after us and hopefully make a positive dent in our communities. Plus, it’s just cute to extend care to circles and spaces beyond our own!”

Reclaimed wood painting by Monique

BIKE STORY

“Another love story. My passion for bicycles started in a tiny mountain town [Flagstaff] circa 2003 that had everything within a few miles which was great for commuting and way more affordable than driving. What I didn’t realize was how much I would gain from riding bicycles. There’s more intention that goes into errands and daily existence (for example transporting groceries, dressing for extreme weather, avoiding traffic and rough roads). Bikes connect people to our bodies, our boundaries, our community and the land we occupy. Being car-free for over a decade taught me self-reliance, emotional clarity, confidence, how to fuel myself and the symbiotic relationship of maintaining my bike.”

Monique and their bicycle spoke earrings

BIKE MECHANIC STORY  

“Bike shops felt really inaccessible and intimidating and fortunately Flagstaff had a small bike co-op, like a mini BICAS. That space was open once a week and empowered my curiosity around bike repair. There weren’t many free online mechanic videos so self-education was reading the 2-3 bike repair books from the library and then plenty of trial and error.

 

When I moved to Tucson in 2009, BICAS became a 2nd home where I volunteered, gained more hands-on experience and was eventually hired as an employee. Those 7 years helped shape my passion for collaborative community involvement, creative reuse and bike education. For the past 4 years, I wrenched at Transit Cycles-and had the pleasure of working on more modern and custom bike builds, attending mechanic workshops, networking with other FTWNB (femme trans women and non-binary) riders and playing with all the fun and blingy modern components/tools my little greasy hands could handle.”

 

It was a joy getting to hear Monique’s story, and BICAS is forever grateful to them for their community work and involvement! Thanks for your sharing Monique. Follow them and support their work by clicking the links below.

webstore: revolta.etsy.com

instagram: @revolta_art

Upcoming art event: BICAS Art Mart (May 16, 9am-1pm)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published June 2021

Public Phased Reopening Plan

Welcome back inside BICAS!
(Yes, masks are still required!)

Last updated May 31st, 2021

Update 5/31/21:

As of June 1st, 2021, we will be phasing our regular programming back in, including public shop entry/shopping, community tools, work trade, classes, etc.

In addition, we will continue to offer gate service and sliding scale repair services until our summer break starting June 27th to accommodate our community members who are still awaiting vaccination or otherwise hesitant to come into the shop.

Upon returning from our summer break on July 13th, BICAS will be fully transferring back to our DIY Community Tools repairs services and will be discontinuing our “essential services” repair services.

Thank you all for your patience and support this past pandemic year. We are proud to have been able to continue to serve the Tucson community throughout the crisis and we are committed, as ever, to mobility justice, environmental stewardship, and community empowerment. We hope to see you soon!

Health and safety precautions still in effect

  • All people must wear masks inside BICAS
  • Occupancy is limited
  • Physical distancing guidelines remain in effect
  • Use of hand sanitizer will be required upon entry

What will be available

  • Inside shopping and browsing
  • Small-sized in-person bike repair classes
  • In-person Art programing events
  • Bicycle sales and test rides
  • Community Tools/DIY repairs (limited capacity)
  • Work Trade program
  • Community Service hours
  • Continuation of 
    • Gate service (until June 27th)
    • Sliding scale repair services (until June 27th)

What will not be available

  • Youth Drop In Saturday hours will remain closed until further notice

Current Indoor Shopping Guidelines

  • Please keep your mask securely covering your mouth and nose at all times or you will be asked to leave.
  • Stay within the chalked outlines and direction of flow indicated by arrows and maintain 6 feet distance from staff and other shoppers.
  • All customers are asked to use a squirt of hand sanitizer upon entry.
  • Please ask for assistance in taking down any bikes and help us keep our shop organized by returning items to the correct bins.

Art Corner

Beginning May 7, the Art Program is looking for volunteers of all ages to help sort, process and sell upcycled pieces at BICAS! Email art@bicas.org with your interest and we will figure out how to safely match your craft goals with our craft needs.

Continue below for previous update posted April 27:

Starting April 27th, BICAS will begin our Public Phased Reopening Plan, welcoming a limited number of customers into our warehouse to allow for adequate social distancing and spacing. Customers may enter the building for their shopping and browsing needs. We know how eager you’ve been to get a closer look at ALL the bikes we have inside. In this current phase we will also continue to offer gate service as well as our sliding scale repair services.

We appreciate your patience as we build capacity and prepare to move into our upcoming phases when we will be able to reopen our Community Tools, WorkTrade, and Community Service programs, eventually phasing out our Essential Repair Services. We are so excited to one day return to our guided approach to do-it-yourself bicycle repair which has been the cornerstone of our programming for decades.  Stay posted for announcements regarding these opportunities as well as upcoming classes and small events.

Thank you for your help to keep us all safe as we move towards full reopening.

<3,

~Your Friends at BICAS

Featured Artist: Jenna Tomasello

Jenna Tomasello is a local Tucson artist who specializes in mural and faux finish painting, and  has a product line of desert inspired, artisan made bandanas. 

You may recognize her Star Wars Cantina mural for Tallboy’s Restaurant on 4th ave, the sunset  mural on what is now the Pima Area Labor Federation offices on e. Pima, and a community  paint by number mural in the Subspace Artist Studios. 

You can find her online at www.jennatomasello.com and follow on instagram at @jennatomasello. 

What is your story as an artist? How did you come to be a professional muralist? 

The first ever mural I painted was one where I was assisting a friend on their project, and I  realized “I could do this”. That moment was the inspiration that got me to look at my art as a  career. I started seeking out painting jobs in order to learn how to approach my work as a  trade and a business. I painted sets for theaters, did conventional house painting, murals,  and worked alongside many skilled craftspeople whom I continue to learn from and refine my  skills with. 

I started designing my bandanas in 2018 with the inspiration of having my artwork be more  functional and accessible. My bandana patterns are inspired by desert plants, animals, stars,  and seasons. I paint all of my designs by hand and I truly enjoy making them. I sell them  through my website (which I will be relaunching in mid-May) and in three local Tucson stores,  Pop-Cycle, The Ninth House Shop, and Shop at Mesa in the MSA Annex. 

We heard that the bandana project helps support local businesses. Can you tell us about that?  

Yes, it is important to me that my bandana manufacturing is done locally. The bandanas are  sewn by a women’s sewing co-op, DouglaPrieta Works, in Agua Prieta, Sonora. The patterns are screen printed in South Tucson by the union print shop, The Gloo Factory. 

What’s next for you as an artist? 

Ive been working on developing my the business end of what I do, as there is so much that  goes into running a business. I am looking to do more commercial art and murals and to grow  my bandana and product line. 

Anything else you want to share?

I hung out at BICAS a lot when I first moved to Tucson 10 years ago, it was sort of my second  home for a while. I volunteered in exchange for shop hours to build a bike. Now I have a bike  with a baby seat on it and my baby and I go on bike rides every day. So, a lot of my  inspiration is from my desert home here, I love living in Tucson. I love the desert and the  landscape and all the plants and animals, looking to the stars, star myths and different  stories… connecting ourselves to the landscape and history and stories of place and finding magic moments in that.

 

Published May 2021