By April Bourie
Tubac Presidio State Historic Park will host its first ever outdoor art exhibition entitled “The Exuberance!: An Artistic and Botanic Experience” from Nov. 14, 2020, to April 30, 2021. The Exuberance! will showcase local Tubac and Arizona artists’ creations of garden sculptures, outdoor art installations and contemporary garden vignettes. Tubac’s reputation for “where art and history meet” is the central theme of the show. However, many artists have chosen to create pieces that also address environmental issues, sustainability, climate change, naturalism and the use of native plants. All of the pieces will be available in an online auction that will be held from April 10-17, 2021.
“We’re really excited about this exhibit because it will feature several artists that are new to Tubac art exhibits in addition to artists that are well known from the area,” explained Myrna York, The Exuberance! exhibit curator. “This allows Tubac Presidio State Historic Park’s visitors to experience a wider diversity of art and enhances Tubac’s brand as a destination for artists.”
Approximately 45 pieces created by 25 artists will be included in the exhibit, six of which are considered “major pieces” due to their size and complexity. The idea for the show came from York, who is an artist herself. “It was so exciting to see artists get so interested in The Exuberance!” explained York. “The call to creative thinkers and garden dreamers precipitated a new vitality among Tubac artists who are typically painters on paper or canvas. To create art in 3D and expose the art piece to extreme weather conditions challenged my colleagues to participate. Some do not consider themselves artists but are true lovers of art and the outdoors. So the blending of the two makes a very unique and exciting show.”
York approached Shannon Stone, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park Director, and she thought it was a great idea. “I liked the idea that the exhibit offers an opportunity to newer artists and helps them to establish themselves as artists,” explained Stone. “It’s also a new and inviting way for visitors to experience the Park, and we hope it will draw both new and previous visitors.”
“The goal is for visitors to enjoy an authentic Tubac Presidio experience,” said Richard (Dick) York, a member of The Exuberance! Planning Committee and Myrna’s husband.
While The Exuberance! is on display, there are plans for free guided tours, called “Garden Crawls” that will include a few of the artists who will describe their pieces and the inspiration for them. This schedule will be available on the exhibit’s website, https://www.tubacpresidio.org/exuberance-experience. The website also contains a list of participating The Exuberance! artists and the inspiration behind their artwork. The Exuberance! will be available to view during the State Historic Park’s operating hours, from 9 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday, and is included with admission.
