Vail – the town between the tracks – is a vibrant community resting in the foothills of the Rincon mountains on Tucson’s eastside.

Along with its leading school system , picturesque landscapes and family-oriented neighborhoods, another of Vail’s greatest attributes is the community’s strong connection to the rich, cultural heritage of the area.

The community values its history, preserving locations like the Old Vail Post Office (built in 1908) and founder’s chronicles like those of the Estrada, Escalante, Leon and Monthan families. You’ll recognize the name Monthan from Tucson’s Air Force Base. Davis-Monthan gets half its name from early Vail resident Oscar Monthan.

“Residents, especially the young ones, want to know who came before them,” explained J.J. Lamb, executive director of the Vail Preservation Society. “Our past shows us there is something unique about Vail that it is worth preserving.”

Tucson Medical Center recently opened the TMC Rincon Health Campus at Houghton and Drexel. In the final stages of construction, the community-owned hospital worked with the Vail Preservation society to include artwork and photography that would reflect the Vail community’s connection to their history and to the land itself.

“These photographs give us a sense of place and community continuity,” said Lamb. “We were glad to work with TMC and establish these connections to our community through public art.”

The art and photos have an ancillary but equally important effect for the Vail residents visiting the Rincon Health Campus.

“It’s the right fit,” said Lauren Rabb, curator of the TMC Healing Art Program. “Art can be powerful medicine, and we took it a step further at Rincon– including comforting and therapeutic images of local landscapes, history and people.”

Local photographer Gregory Cranwell shares thoughts on his photo of Jesus Arvizu that is displayed at Rincon. “Photographs like this show the backbone of our area,” Cranwell said. “This is a rancher doing real ranching. It’s not for show – he’s going about his daily work to provide for his family.”

For Cranwell, the photos provide both beauty and truth. “You can’t separate the beauty of our landscapes from the beauty of our culture – all we have is our roots and I hope people will feel this place is special.”

Bill Steen is a Southern Arizona photographer who took several of the landscape photos provided. “Sometimes they just come together and the same conditions will never happen again in the exact way,” he said. “Photos can make people more aware of where they live – and enrich the possibility of being connected to it.”

At Rincon, you’ll find many stopping to appreciate Bill’s photos of clouds passing over the Mustang Mountains and of the moon rising above the Huachuca foothills. “They are also designed to soothe – helping people stop and escape the moment.”

TMC’s Healing Art Program accepts donations of gallery-quality paintings, graphics, photography and sculptures. The program considers all styles of art that would further our mission to enhance patient care through the creation and maintenance of a healing environment.