Tucson 2010 --- Part One

I departed Juneau sleepy, and I arrived in Seattle just exhausted. The brief stop in Ketchikan was bumpy as sh*t and I considered drinking some coffee. I was trying to sleep on the plane, but the passenger next to me was big and she was knitting a scarf. It seems like every trip always ends up as an adventure of some sorts, like there must be hurdles you have to cross as a native artist. In Seattle I discovered my Krylon Crystal Clear Spray was gone, in its place was a terse note from TSA (Transportation Security Agency) saying they confiscated it due to such & such regulation. I was mad. I often used to joke about crossing the border and say... "the man with the latex glove was surprisingly gentle." Some TSA guy picked up my little suitcase full of soapstone, which weighted 49.5 lbs, and said 'I wonder what is in here?' I needed that spray to finish some sculpture to sell in Seattle, but now the thought of taking a 40 minute bus ride to the nearest hardware store gave me second thoughts, plus TSA would just take it from my Seattle to Tucson leg. So I just gave up the idea of work, along with the thoughts of meals & imported beers I was going to have with the extra money, so now it is just coffee at Daddy warbucks (Starbucks). My friends Pam & Clarita entertained me with wine & conversation that bordered on native politics. I was amused, because earlier that evening I wasn't in the mood to do anything except sleep.

I love it when I arrive in Tucson or 'Tuck-sun' as my Tohono O'odham friends call it. These large saguro cacti with thier large arms waving welcomes you at the airport. It just finished raining and the warm desert air smelled sweet & moist. Lightning flashed in the distance and the mountains to the north had a light dusting of snow. My friend Terry picked me up and brought a burrito for me, which I scarfed down quickly. Once I settled in the Roadrunner Hostel, I wandered over to my favorite cafe in Tucson the 'Shot in the Dark.' They have great coffee, nice selection of food, free wifi, and a smoking section to enjoy it all, but I am a non smoker now. I drew a lot of 'looks', and I can see thier little minds working... 'He's not mexican, he must be native...' I am wearing a red-cedar Fedora hat, a Chilton silver bracelet, and a Schleifman Tannah pendant. They get excited when I tell them I am from Alaska, and that I am Tlingit. I find myself smiling when I think of that bumper sticker back home... "Not only am i perfect, I'm Tlingit." My friend Terry tells me that my Tohono O'odham friend Rick has a cell phone, and he gave me his number. I called and he answered, I said "Is this Rick so and so?" He immediately said "This is not Rick so and so and there is no Rick so and so at this number... you have the wrong number!" Oh course it was Rick, I recognize that voice anywhere. I said "Rick, this is Sonny Grant from Juneau!" Then he remembered and said he didn't recognize my phone number. Native artist everywhere are such an interesting bunch. Often I find that the more brilliant the artist is, the more eccentric thier behavior is. Many of my T.O. (Tohono O'odham) friends are like that, all creating beautiful art, and time spent with them is never dull. My other T.O. friend James, a great jewelery artist made and interesting observation, "artist like to talk about themselves." It's true, and when you get a bunch of them together, then it really becomes fun. You have to get really creative & witty just to interject a comment. When I find myself thinking of Tucson, I look forward to meeting all the great artist there, all present for the Tucson Shows. I often discover that when I talk with dealers or other artist... our financial situation are simular. We are pinching pennys and all waiting for that first day of the show. We are skating on thin ice, and a sneeze would threaten to bring everything down to a lower level. But we're all cautiously optimistic, we have to be, otherwise we're doomed. Tomorrow is set-up day at the Arizona Mineral & Fossil Show. I have to show up early and sign some papers of disclosure or disclaimer of some sorts, then I get my badge and this Saturday, is the first day of the show... let the sales begin.