The Cobre Valley Center for the Arts is proud to feature the work of Wanda Mitchell-Tucker, a longtime Arizona artist and educator whose creative spirit has brightened communities across the state for more than three decades.
Wanda spent 37 years teaching in Arizona’s college system, inspiring students in classrooms and beyond. As an off-campus coordinator for Northern Arizona University, she organized programs throughout the region and taught seminars in five states, bringing art to a wide and diverse audience. Her contributions were recognized when she was named Rye County’s Artist in Residence, a title that reflects both her talent and her deep commitment to community arts.
In the latter part of her career, she turned her brush toward public spaces, painting murals that now adorn businesses and restaurants around Arizona. Locals may recognize her work at Pueblito Restaurant, where her vivid scenes have become a signature part of the dining experience, as well as murals in Florence, including several in The Cantina.
Among those moved by her work was the late Jake Jacobson, the railroading legend behind the Copper Basin Railroad, whose portrait she painted years ago.
Of that piece, Jacobson once said,
“When I look at the exquisite rendering of the railroads challenging floodwaters, I can smell the creosote, diesel fuel, and damp earth… While the artist’s brush captures the terminal urgency of a broken railroad, it also magically captures the absence of broken spirit.”
Her November show reflects that same spirit — rooted in Arizona’s landscapes and stories, yet alive with universal emotion. Her work is displayed alongside artist Ivan Macarambon throughout the month of November at the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts.
Visitors are encouraged to stop by and experience the color, craftsmanship, and heart of these artists.
An artist's reception will be held on Nov. 15 from 3 p.m. - 5pm on behalf of Mitchell-Tucker and Macarambon. The public is invited to come meet the artists and have some light refreshments.
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