On a hot Saturday evening, a dark 15-minute walk from Fourth Avenue, artists and patrons gathered to eat pancakes, drink booze and look at art. Tucson Pancakes & Booze Art show happened on Oct. 21, giving artists a venue to show off their work in a fun and relaxed manner.

The show took place in Whistle Stop Depot, a warehouse directly next to the train tracks, which would rattle as you ate your pancakes. There was a variety of beverages offered and two different types of pancakes, regular and the more surprising type, bacon pancakes: a slurry of bacon bits and pancake mix quickly cooked on the griddle with an option of chocolate chips on the side and maple syrup. 

The artists who attended included illustrators, painters, woodworkers and a few photographers. There was also a live painter working steadily on a piece with a skull. The artists ranged in experience and exposure to art shows.

For Griffin Beeman, an artist selling work at the show, he was there to “display [his] artwork for the first time and sell some prints.” 

The event gave Beeman and many others the opportunity to get experience in the art world. Only an hour in, he said, “I’ve sold two, and I’m having a great time.”

The event’s tight quarters also gave many the opportunity to meet others. Tierra Williams, another artist, said, “It’s super fun. I love being able to connect with all the local artists.”

Other artists enjoyed the more relaxed atmosphere of the show, like Logan Moon Penisten. 

“I think it’s fun, it’s laid back, it doesn’t have the high pressure that a normal art show would, it feels [a] little bit more down to earth,” Penisten said. 

Penisten, whose abstract works are made with upcycled acrylic paint, also took advantage of the event to try selling work. 

“This is actually my first experience of this kind. It’s a learning opportunity, an opportunity to connect with the community,” Penisten said.

Many different types of artists showed up ready to sell, view and talk about their work, some from close and others far. 

Willi Wolfschmidt, an 87-year-old artist who has been making art since he was 4 or 5 years old, has refined his craft. “I like beauty. I like making beauty. I’m an artist; it’s in my blood, my genes. I live for it. I almost died for it. I starved for it.”

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