INSTITUTE NEWS & EVENTS
ARTISTIC INQUEERIES:  Artist & Vendor Highlights!


Meet Lee Balan, a fabulous featured artist at our Artistic InQUEERies event!

Describing his style of art, Lee expressed: "I've always been involved with art and writing. I work in three different mediums: Digital Montage (using Photoshop), Assemblage, and Acrylic Painting. I became the Administrative Director for ONE in Long Beach, CA where I established a program for the Arts. I worked as a mental health professional and manager of a "Clubhouse" program for adults with mental-health challenges. I helped organize and facilitate workshops in art and writing to help clients manage symptoms. My art has been exhibited in several galleries in California & Arizona. I've performed at Intersection in San Francisco and Beyond Baroque in Venice, CA. I published my first novel "Alien Journal" in 2009. The focus of my art is discovery: finding answers to questions about self-awareness and identity."

Lee also described his cultivation of a safe space for personal expression through art when there was little acceptance for LGBTQ+ folx: "As a teenager in the 1950's there was no support system for "gay" people (homosexuality was diagnosed as an illness). Religion condemned the homosexual to hell. Art became the only way to express my feelings. I was alienated and being an artist gave me an identity. In the future I believe there will be no categories pertaining to sexual identity. Everyone will be fluid. It may take twenty years or one-hundred years; but modern culture is moving toward a future without categories or initials. Today, I'm facing a new personal challenge: being old and gay. My art reflects my life and I continue to search for answers."    

View more of Lee's art on his webpage. You can also read his blog here

Pictured here is Jordan Evermore, who creates and sells character designs, portraits, photography, costume accessories, and LGBTQ+ accessories under the artistic name Ace the Dead Man

Regarding his artistic style, Jordan describes* his work as, "mainly focus[ed] on commission based work, that [is] cartoony in nature or based around costuming."

Describing his outlook as an artist, Jordan expressed the following*: "As a freelance artist who plans on traveling the world, any commissions would be absolutely amazing. But the fact that there are so many creative people in the world...fills me with joy, coming from a very close minded small town on the other end of the continent from where I live now has shown me how much there is to the world and how much I want to see. Any artwork I end up doing of any media will be worth it just to be able to explore the differences." 

Check out Jordan's work on his Instagram here



**Features light edits for clarity.
Queer Conexiones: This Week!
4th Annual UAHS LGBTQ+ Community Networking & Awards Event
Image text reads: UAHS LGBTQ+ Interest Group Presents: 4th Annual UAHS LGBTQ+ Community Networking & Awards Event. All faculty, residents, fellows, students, staff, allies, and community partners are welcome to network and learn more about our UAHS LGBTQ+ Interest Grou[ and its members. Join us in recognizing our award recipients who have contributed to our UAHS LGBTQ+ community. Food and amazing company provided! Tuesday, December 10th, 2019. 5:30-8:00PM. La Cocina, 201 N Court Ave, Tucson, AZ 85701. RSVP: http://bit.ly/lgbtq_networking
Celebrate the end of the year with QTPOC+2Spirit Discussion Group!

Wednesday, Dec. 11th
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
LGBTQ+ Resource Center | SUMC 4th Floor
Free

Join Queer Trans & 2-Spirit Discussion Group for a year-end celebration on the last day of classes!  Community crafting activities include designing mason jar snow globes and glow in the dark glitter jars. Additionally, dinner will be served along with a viewing of the Pose  
holiday episode!


Check out the Facebook event here
Join Sarah Lopez Au & the WGRC this Thursday for a winter healing workshop!

image text reads: Herbal & flower medicine for winter healing: A wellness event with Sarah Lopez Au. When: December 12th, 11-1PM. Where: Women & Gender Resource Center, 4th Floor of the Student Union. 
Donate winter items to EON Youth Lounge!

image text reads: Winter Supply Drive for EON Youth! Please help in collecting items for our community partner, the Thornhill Lopez Center on 4th and their work with homeless youth in our community. Bring items by Dec.13th. LGBTQ+ Resource Center, Student Union, Room 404V. Monday-Friday 10AM-5PM. Website: LGBTQ.Arizona.edu. Items Needed: Winter clothes, socks, underwear, and gloves, sleeping bags and blankets, toiletry items. 
Check out Wolfberry Apothecary's Queering Folk Herbalism workshop!

Saturday, Dec. 14th
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Contact for location here

Join Wolfberry Apothecary and learn more about queering folk herbalism! Azrael Avey Nim (she/he/they), who identifies as a genderqueer, chronically ill autistic mother, leads Wolfberry Apothecary and hand-creates the featured medicines. This workshop will feature herbal oils and salve-making. 


Learn more about Wolfberry Apothecary and purchase medicines  here. Visit their Instagram for more event details here
Desert Voices Presents: Season's Greetings - Return to Sender!

Saturday, Dec. 14th | 7:00 PM
Sunday, Dec. 15th | 3:00 PM
Tucson JCC | 3800 E. River Rd
20.00 Pre-order // 25.00 at door

Not all holiday greetings get delivered...or do they? Find out when Desert Voices puts their stamp on the many messages of the season. You won't want to miss this holiday romp! Founded in 1988, Desert Voices is Arizona's premier LGBTQ+ chorus, committed to promoting the ongoing and positive gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender presence in our community.

Learn more about Desert Voices and purchase concert tickets here
CONFERENCES, CALLS, CLASSES and FUNDING
Apply to become a graduate assistant for LGBTQ Resource Center in Spring 2020!
For more information, or to submit your application materials, contact LGBTQ Affairs Director, Jen Hoefle Olson: jhoefle@email.arizona.edu. 

Call for Featured Artist: Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social Summer Institute 2020

Image text reads: MALCS Summer Institute 2020 Call for Featured Artist. The site committee for MALCS is seeking submissions for the MALCS summer Institute's 2020 featured artist. The institute will be held at the WSU Pullman and University of Idaho campuses from Wednesday, July 29 to Saturday, August 1, 2020. Artists may submit up to two images of work to be considered for the Institute. All submissions must be new work or work created in the last two years that has not been shown in an art gallery or other settings. The selected artist will be awarded $300 for purchase of their art piece, have a chance to present their art at the institute, and access to a vendor booth with vendor fees waived. The deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2020. Selection criteria: Submissions for consideration should demonstrate work that has a graphic quality; the ability to "read" from a distance and hold interest up close. Submissions must address the 2020 Summer Institute theme - "Sitio y Curacion: Carving Space for Cultura and Healing in Rural Areas." The summer Institute brings together communities of Chicanx, Latinx, and Indigenous women, transgender and gender-nonconforming people. This is a feminist gathering and artwork should reflect the empowerment of our communities. Considerations: The selection committee reserves the option to either select a submitted work or commission a new work of art from the selected artist. The original work selected will be featured on MALCS Summer Institute publications (including websites), institute clothing, and tote bags. Copyright reverts to the artist at the close of the MALCS Summer Institute 2020. Email MALCS2020art@gmail.com to request an application. 

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