Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Earl Wettstein's Comment on The Burrito Files

Julie,
Congratulations. Nice PR story on your art project in the Tucson Citizen.
I have some ideas on what should be in your downtown burrito.
First of all… about your desire to make us an art Mecca? If only, huh?
There are, what, six art Mecca’s in America, and 100,000 (really) new artists (me included) coming out of America’s art schools every year. Yikes. I see art Mecca’s in Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Miami now with Art Basel, New York of course, maybe Jackson Hole if you count Western art, and Los Angeles if only for it’s fabulous contemporary museums. Thank you Eli Broad.

What our downtown burrito needs is exactly what you said, something we already have and promote it. What we have is a vivid western history. I wish it were art, but TPAC is here to help do that and you see what they accomplish. You may wish to contact the Contemporary Art Society at TMA and see if they would like to help you. The current president is Barbara Jo McLaughlin, a terrific young woman artist sculptor.

But what I would like downtown Tucson to include inside its burrito skin is a tribute to what we have been and what would bring people here to buy your art, and that is a Wild West Museum. Tucson has an image of being wild and western. Or we used to have that before the tourism gurus decided that resorts were more saleable than history. The top Tucson money making attraction used to be Old Tucson before that fire burned it down and they rebuilt a plastic version that had none of the old panache of the original.

I think people across the US of A still think the Wild West starts here in Arizona. Why not a Wild West Museum that would be a drawing card for tourists, who in turn will buy our art? People would come here to feel the old west and they would leave their art dollars among us.
Once they come here with their wallets ready, they will buy all sorts of art from contemporary to western.

In 2007 I created an elaborate presentation on such a museum. I called it Tucson’s Wild West Museum. I presented it to many, many influential people including most of the current city council, only to have them say “Where’s the money, Earl?” I do not have that kind of money, but I did have stuff to put in the museum in the form of western and western movie artifacts saved from Old Tucson by my friend Bob Shelton, who used to own and run it.

Yet these politicians were - and are - sitting on millions of Rio Nuevo dollars they are spending on things like a Science Center for the UofA and a rebuild of the old Convento, which no local will go see more than once, and which tourists will not stop to see at all. But I am old and long in the tooth, and out of energy to keep after them. Your youth and energy are your best weapons.
If you would like to see what I proposed back then, I can email you the 10 page prospectus, and US mail you a picture of what I envisioned.

Burritos need spice, and the Wild West is spicy.

Good luck,

Earl Wettstein

NOTE: "The museum itself will be over 35,000 square feet and three stories tall, and will be housed inside a ten-story iconic cowboy hat. It is the world’s first 10,000,000 gallon hat." (from the prospectus. I'll include more details in the next post.)

Responses to Tucson Citizen article


The Tucson Citizen article generated 77 online comments. Granted, at least half, if not more, were private conversations that had nothing to do whatsoever with The Burrito Files.

Here is one of my favorites:
"Just what we need. More welfare artists turning out crap no one wants. Isn't there enough of that already?"

In response, my friend Tom wrote me,
"Is this comment about US automakers or The Burrito Files?"

I also got a great email from Earl Wettstein and an invitation from the City of Tucson's Urban Landscape Manager to attend a meeting about the Congress St. streetscape. See the next post for Earl's letter.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Burrito Files in Tucson Citizen!


Check out the Tucson Citizen article by Teya Vitu with pictures by Val Cañez. Thanks Teya and Val for a great depiction of the project and for including the sidebar with my vision for downtown and the context for the project. (all 3 pictures here by Val Cañez)

Please visit the article and add your comment!! I'd like to show the Citizen and Tucson how many people care about downtown!


The Burrito Files - Val

Are you a Tucson native? Yes.
What are you doing downtown today? Working, taking pictures.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? It's getting better.
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? It would have a lot of spices, meat, rice. It would be affordable and taste good, a burrito that would want to eat a second time. No raisins.
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? I remember coming downtown to see Christmas lights ever year. Because of that I have a lot of downtown memories. Also, my mother worked downtown at the phone company.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - Sylvia/Ruthie

Are you a Tucson native? Yes.
What are you doing downtown today? Came to look around and see what's going on, stop at the library.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? Very, very interesting. / nice, busy.
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? all kinds of mixed color meats / rice, slushies, and rice pudding.
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? Worked for the demolition company that demolished Pioneer building so it could be rebuilt. / St. Patrick's Day Parade.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - Danielle/Eugene

Are you a Tucson native? No. Ohio. / Yes.
What are you doing downtown today? Renewing library materials.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? noisy / vivid, lively, energetic
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? cheesy people / jalapeños, cheese, some kind of rare meat.
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? Unfortunately, no.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - David

Are you a Tucson native? No. Chicago.
What are you doing downtown today? Working at farmer's market.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? nice, quiet.
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? steak, cheese.
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? No.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - Octavio

Are you a Tucson native? No. Los Angeles.
What are you doing downtown today? Working.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? Interesting.
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it. traffic
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? lots of good dates.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - Gary

Are you a Tucson native? No. Connecticut.
What are you doing downtown today? Working.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? My home, hope
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? garbage
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? My whole career happened in downtown.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray in front of downtown library, 12/03/08

The Burrito Files - Alejandro

Are you a Tucson native? If not, where are you from? Si.
What are you doing downtown today? Voy al banco.
Describe downtown in 3 words or less? Todo aqui.
If downtown Tucson were a burrito what would be in it? Mucha comida.
Have any significant events in your life happened in downtown? Aqui me casé.
Photo & interview by Julie Ray, 12/03/08