A Project of the Tucson Pima Arts Council

Arizona Monsoon
by Nancy Denzler
Sponsor: Prescription Lab Compounding Pharmacy
Nonprofit: Open Inn, Inc.

Living on a four-plus acre property, surrounded by desert and mountain views, is inspiring. From my second story observation deck, the overwhelming beauty of this visual experience has motivated me. My desire is to depict the drama of an Arizona Monsoon. The concept is to create a diorama; a combination of mountains, clouds, vargas and lighting. As a painter and sculptor, I will use light and color to produce a series of two-dimensional elements that portray a three-dimensional image using a strobe, a black light and LED colored lights in pulse mode. The intention is to emulate this natural phenomenon.

This structure will be formed from 3, 4' x 6' wrought iron rectangles, placed 9" apart and welded to a ¼" steel plate. The 3 rectangles will be connected by brackets, and contain the following:

Rectangle #1 will contain a diagonal in the shape of lighting bolt. It will be made of stainless steel, approximately 6 feet by 2 inches.

Rectangle #2 will contain a form of a mountain and a road in the foreground. It will be made of 10-gage sheet metal, approximately 4 feet by 2 feet.

Rectangle #3 will contain a cloud form made from 10-gage sheet metal, approximately 4 feet by 2 feet, with a vargas of pierced metal (grid) hanging from it, approximately 2 feet by 2 feet.

The PV panel will be fixed on top of this structure. This whole apparatus will be secured to a base 2 feet by 3 feet by 6 feet, and secured to a ¼ inch steel plate. A panel will unscrew for access to the battery, controls and wiring for a set of strobe lights in front of panel #1, a black light in front of panel #2, and a set of colored pulsing LED lights in front of panel #3.

The sequence of panels may change for a better effect.