Search

ARCHIVES
CONTACT US
WORLD NEWS

Town of Tubac offers visitors crafts, culture

Arizona Daily Wildcat Photo by: AARON FARNSWORTH Hal Empie, a nationally recognized artist and UA alum, contemplates his newest painting in his studio in Tubac. The 90-year-old painter began a pharmacy program at the University of Arizona in 1927.

So the dinner reservations are taken care of, everyone has already made the rounds at the Tucson Mall and walked around what's left of University of Arizona Mall.

If it seems that this year's Family Weekend is looking a lot like last year's, take a road trip down south to the town of Tubac.

This tiny town, dedicated solely to the creative arts, is located 45 miles south of Tucson off I-19. Nearby is the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and the Anza trail, a four- and-a-half-mile trek along the Santa Cruz River.

The village itself consists of seven or eight small streets lined entirely with art galleries, antique shops and craft stores.

It's impossible to visit this town without a trip to the Tubac Center of the Arts, which features rotating national and regional art exhibits. The current exhibit, "Reflections," features watercolors and selected glass pieces by the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild.

There is a little something for everyone in this tasteful town of tradition. Jewelry, pottery, crafts and souvenirs can be found all over in various shops around Tubac.

For those who enjoy browsing more exclusive galleries, places such as Galleria Tubac or the Hal Empie Studio and Gallery give a taste of fine art with a Southwestern flavor.

90-year-old alum keeps UA tradition alive

Not only is Tubac an art collector's heaven, but one can even expect to find a little UA tradition at the Hal Empie Studio and Gallery.

Empie, a 90-year-old painter of Arizona landscapes, studied pharmacology at the University of Arizona for several years. He began his studies in the fall of 1927 in preparation for the career that would support his painting.

He recalls a UA campus of only about 2,000 students. He lived in Cochise Residence Hall and remembers going to class in Old Main.

Long before anyone ever dreamed of watching the Wildcats play at McKale, Hal Empie remembers the day when UA football players fought their hearts out against Notre Dame on the polo field that used to be in its location.

He would drive out in his 1925 Ford Model T to meet "the sissies from the east who all wore neckties." Seventy-two years later, he remembers his thoughts when he met the opposing team. "Our boys are gonna murder 'em," Empie recalls saying.

His Wildcat spirit is still present in his studio. Among the items that decorate the room is the autographed ball Empie received as a 90th birthday present from the UA basketball team.

The Distinguished Citizen Award from the University of Arizona Alumni Association also decorates his wall as a reminder of Empie's college days.

"I never missed a class, but my heart wasn't in it. All I wanted to do was paint," Empie said.

His love of painting survived through 47 years of work at the Duncan Drug Store in Duncan, Ariz., and it lives on as he continues to paint in Tubac.

His art, however, is not all that lives on.

True artists will always find a home like Tubac for their craft, and Empie proves that once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.