The Northwest Community Garden Fence Mural Dedication and Unveiling
Date: January 27, 2018.
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
Location: Mansfield Community Garden, 2940 North Santa Rosa Place, Tucson, AZ 85712.
The first unveiling of an Arts Foundation Public Art project is taking place this month and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Local artist Troy Neiman has been steadily working on this project for the Northwest Neighborhood Association in the Mansfield Community Garden – The Northwest Neighborhood Community Garden Fence Mural. The Arts Foundation had the chance to do a Q&A session with Troy to pick his creative brain and tell us all about it.
AF: So, Troy, tell us about this project.
TN: The Northwest Neighborhood project came about as a neighborhood driven/funded public art project. The neighborhood wanted a place-making art piece created with as many recycled materials as possible. A team of dedicated residents, community garden members and Mansfield Park representatives were able to come to an approval of a design which would could be a place-maker piece for the neighborhood, Mansfield Park and the Mansfield Community Garden. The piece is just off the 4th Avenue/Fontana Bike Boulevard and was designed as a steel mural, depicting some neighborhood history and the things that we love about Tucson and the desert. It also functions as a fence. The piece contains many bike elements, mostly the use of recycled bicycles and parts in the layout.
AF: What do you like about working with recycled materials?
TN: Creative reusage of materials is characteristic to Tucson and hopefully inspiring to others. I really get inspired when I see some kind of “trash” used in a clever way. That’s just the best. The use of recycled materials is important to me and was something that the neighborhood also wanted to incorporate.
AF: What does this project represent for you, personally?
TN: This type of work is very important to me, personally, in many ways. Firstly, as a cyclist, I really want to promote cycling anyway I can. It’s really important to encourage people to use these bicycle routes (such as the 4th Avenue/Fontana Bike Boulevard) because it gets people on bikes and off of the busy streets. Secondly, is that it’s more pleasant. If we can encourage more people to ride on bicycle routes and enjoy cycling, then more will people ride. The more people we have on bikes is better for everyone.
AF: Your involvement with BICAS makes perfect sense! How long have you been there now?
TN: I have been involved with BICAS for over 15 years now.The organization had been working towards buying a building for years and I’m not sure if it was just a coincidence, or maybe destiny, but after this project had begun, BICAS found a new home just a few blocks away from the project location. BICAS looks forward to continuing doing good work in Tucson from the new Northwest Neighborhood Facility.