It seems like almost every Tucson wall tells a story.
Some of them involve the Virgen de Guadalupe and others involve a man's skull shooting colorful beams of light into the ether.
Here's just a little selection of some of our favorites seen around town. Tucson's muralists continue to be hard at work during the pandemic creating images that are both hopeful and thought provoking.
UPDATE: Now with 7 more murals that you can find all around Tucson.
University of Arizona School of Art Mural
This Karlito Miller Espinosa mural takes up a wall of the University of Arizona School of Art on Speedway.
Karlito Miller Espinosa, also known as Mata Ruda, completed this massive mural on the north wall of the University of Arizona School of Art's Joseph Gross Gallery in November 2020.
Location: The mural faces Speedway and is just east of Euclid Avenue.
Hot tip: Learn more about the mural and artist and see a video of the mural in progress on the UA School of Art's website.
Pen Macias Mural
This mural which celebrates nurses and mothers created by The Deset Pen (Pen Macias), fills a wall on Broadway between Alvernon Way and Columbus Boulevard.
Pen Macias, also known as The Desert Pen, worked on this commissioned mural spanning an entire mall over the course of three months in the spring of 2020. The mural honors the resiliency of mothers and nurses and their connection to their children and patients, especially amid the pandemic. Macias told the Arizona Daily Star the work represents her client, a single mother of four who is a nurse.
Location: On the south side of Broadway between Alvernon Way and Columbus Boulevard
Toole Avenue Murals
The east wall of 197 E. Toole Ave., is covered with murals by different artists.
The east wall of this downtown building which houses the Toole Shed artist studios, Studio ONE: A Space for Art and Activism and other artist spaces and local businesses, features a collection of murals by several local artists and seems to be ever evolving.
Location: 197 E. Toole Ave.
Hot Tip: A Joe Pagac mural is on the west side of the building.
"Desert Soul"
"Desert Soul" by El Mac (Miles MacGregor) can be seen on the east wall of Cobra Arcade, 63 E. Congress St.
Los Angeles-based artist El Mac (Miles MacGregor) was commissioned to create this mural on the east wall of Cobra Arcade at the beginning of 2020. "Tucson has been a special place for me ever since my first visit as a little kid when I caught a sunrise with my parents at nearby Mission San Xavier Del Bac–the same place where I would eventually marry my wife and baptize our son," El Mac wrote in an Instagram post. "... I associate Tucson with a certain warm spirit of love and creativity, a tranquil Sonoran vitality, and I hope this mural can capture or transmit some of that desert soul."
Location: Cobra Arcade, 63 E. Congress St.
MotoSonora Mural
Find this Joe Pagac mural on a wall in the front parking lot of MotoSonora Brewing Co., 1015 S. Park Ave.
This cute desert creatures mural by Joe Pagac can be seen in the parking lot of MotoSonora Brewing Co.
Location: MotoSonora Brewing Co., 1015 S. Park Ave.
Hot Tip: The mural can be enjoyed by day, or by night when it's illuminated.
La Chaiteria Murals
Murals by Alejandra Trujillo span the east wall of La Chaiteria, 1002 W. Congress St.
La Chaiteria by Tumerico houses both a Mexican and vegetarian food restaurant and an Ashtanga yoga studio. It's also home to several murals by different artists both inside the dining area and on its exterior walls. Alejandra Trujillo's work dominates the west facing exterior wall.
Location: La Chaiteria, 1002 W. Congress St.
Hot tip: After you admire the artwork, try the al pastor tacos. You're welcome.
"The Cactus Comet Rides Again"
Artist Danny Martin with his mural "The Cactus Comet Rides Again" at Arizona Stadium.
Danny Martin created this mural, "The Cactus Comet Rides Again," in September 2019. It honors Art Luppino, one of the University of Arizona's best football players, who played with the team in the 1950s.
Location: Southeast corner of Arizona Stadium, 1 N. Championship Drive.
Sahara Apartments Mural
This mural by Joe Pagac and Katherine Joyce is located along Stone Avenue near First Street.
Joe Pagac and Katherine Joyce created this absolutely dreamy bicycle mural featuring animals from the tiniest scarab beetle to a massive elephant cruising along a Saharan desert oasis. The mural is appropriately located at the Sahara Apartments.
Location: 919 N. Stone Ave.
Hot Tip: Find another bicycle-themed mural with desert animals by Pagac further south on Stone Avenue before Sixth Street.
Liz Taylor mural
This mural by Sean John Cannon can be found at Old Town Apartments in Armory Park.
A young Elizabeth Taylor is the star of this mural by Sean John Cannon painted on the wall of the Old Town Apartments in Armory Park.
Location: 720 S. Fifth Ave.
Earth Bound mural
This new mural by Ignacio Garcia is otherwordly.
Ignacio Garcia's video game-inspired mural is out of this world. Find it on the east side of the building that used to house Copper Country Antiques.
Location: 5055 E. Speedway
Hot tip: Although Copper Country Antiques closed, you can still score some vintage finds next door at the Speedway Antique Mall.
La Suprema Works Mural
Artist Isaac Caruso designed this mural and painted it with the help of community members.
This massive mural covers the entire north wall of La Suprema Works & Events in Barrio Viejo. Artist Isaac Caruso designed the artwork inspired by the culture and history of the building and neighborhood and it was painted with the help of community members to commemorate the 20th anniversary of United Way's Days of Caring.
Location: 319 W. Simpson Street
Hot tip: La Suprema Works is housed inside the building that was formerly a tortilla factory and while you can't see them in the photo here, there are a couple giant tortillas that are part of the design.
Community Scholars mural
"Community Scholars" mural by Melo Dominguez.
Artist Melo Dominguez created this mural depicting community leaders and the many forms of activism and knowledge everyone possesses as part of Arizona Arts Live's Ready for a Renaissance campaign. As part of the project, local artists were commissioned to create murals showing what Tucson's post-pandemic renaisssance might look like.
Location: Wheels and More, 4801 S. 12th Ave.
Danny Martin Murals
Find these two murals by Tucson's king of black and white skeleton murals, Danny Martin, in Armory Park and by the UA. One features a woman taking a selfie and the other features a mustachioed man.
Snap your selfie with this skeleton woman taking a selfie by Danny Martin on Arizona Avenue across from Armory Park.
Location: Southeast corner of East 12th Street and South Arizona Avenue, across from Armory Park.
