August Staff Spotlight Round-Up

a woman stands next to a slideshow and speaks to a group of people

Whether through a swimming lesson, an art class, or simply a smile, each day the Tucson J staff brightens the lives of our members and guests. We are proud of the variety of skills and stories that our staff bring to their work, and celebrate this each week through our Facebook and Instagram “Staff Spotlight” series.  

 

Continue reading on for a preview of our August spotlights, and check out the full posts at all @tucsonjcc accounts!

Emily Ellis | Group Fitness Instructor

Q: Tell us about your fitness background and role here at the Tucson J!

A: I have always found love in movement. I started doing track and field in the 4th grade.
My first experience teaching group fitness was in high school when I was a lifeguard- they needed someone to fill in for Aqua Fit, and I loved it! I have been teaching classes ranging from yoga to weight lifting ever since!

 

Q: What motivates you to make health and wellness a priority in your daily life?

A: When we move better, we feel better. When we feel better, we can live better and have a better quality of life!

 

Q: What would your perfect weekend look like?

A: A perfect weekend would be camping in the woods, a long hike followed by swimming in a cold mountain lake.

Q: What is your favorite memory at the J or favorite part about your role?

A: I LOVE seeing members challenge themselves and get stronger. We have an amazing and inspiring community here at the J. That’s my favorite part of the job!!

Tyra Christean | Youth Dance Instructor

Hello! My name is Tyra Christean, I am 20 years old, and I am from Elko, NV. I danced for 15 years, 9 of those years competing. I am currently attending Pima CC to major in Liberal Arts and am a member of the track team. In my free time, I enjoy working out, writing, listening to music, and spending time with loved ones.

 

I began dancing at the age of 3 in Ballet. At the age of 7, I joined a competition dance team and attended additional classes up until I was 17. Throughout my years of competing, I did Lyrical, Contemporary, Ballet, Pointe, Hip-Hop, and Jazz. I have also taken Acro, Tumbling, and Musical Theater. From my freshman to junior year of high school, I was on the high school dance team, which mainly consisted of Hip-Hop.

Dance has always been a huge passion of mine, and I can’t wait to share it!

Gracie Lordi | Multimedia Specialist

Q: Tell us about your background and role here at the Tucson J!
A: I’ve been doing photography, videography and social media for almost 8 years! I have my degree from UArizona in Communications, Public Relations and Esports and I played competitively on scholarship there in Valorant and Overwatch 2! I am so stoked to be working in the Marketing Department as your Multi-Media Specialist 🙂

Q: If you could instantly learn any skill, what would it be and why?
A: Self-quantum teleportation! But realistically, illustration. I spent a summer in Aix-en-Provence, France learning about Impressionism and oil painting and ever since then I’ve been working hard to improve my sketching and painting skills. It’d be nice to skip all the frustration!

Q: What are you most looking forward to as you get further into your role?
A: Getting to know everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of such a vibrant community and I love making new friends. I also can’t wait to capture all the moments at the J – big or small – and be able to share them with everyone.

Landry Moore | Lifeguard and Lifeguard Instructor

I began lifeguarding back home in Dallas, Texas, in 2023 and quickly advanced to teaching lifeguard certification courses the following summer. I joined the J in October 2024, bringing both skill and enthusiasm to the aquatics team. I love teaching lifeguard classes because of the feeling I get when I’m helping others gain the confidence and skills to save lives. Passionate about safety and teamwork, I work hard to create a welcoming environment at the pool. Outside of work, I’m usually traveling to play competitive rugby, often representing my team in matches and tournaments across the country.

We are so thankful for our incredible staff for their hard work, passion, and dedication. You make the J a special place! 

Q+A: Nature and the Cosmos with Terry Dean

As we usher in a new season of art showcased in the Tucson J Fine Art Gallery, we are excited to feature Terry Dean, one of the talented artists selected to exhibit their work. 


In his first solo show, Nature and the Cosmos, Terry Dean, who specializes in abstract expressionism, examines and interprets nature, deliberately distorting the representational features of what we normally see. Subtly, he explores universal themes of the cosmos—that we are small parts of an infinite universe, and that we are subject to universal laws we have only begun to comprehend. 


Nature and the Cosmos runs from September 18 through October 19 at the Tucson J, and all are invited to a free reception celebrating the show’s opening on Sunday, September 21 from 2-3:30pm.  

How did your journey into art take shape?  

My mother lit the spark in my interest in art when I was a boy. An artist herself, she encouraged me to draw, beginning in elementary school. In high school, I took as much art as I could, and on weekends, I would use pastels to create still life paintings. Cezanne was my inspiration. That was the last time I engaged in the visual arts until 3 1/2 years ago, when I resumed pastel painting after spending most of my career as a lawyer and law professor. An art professor friend suggested I try other mediums besides pastels, so I chose acrylic painting. I am self-taught, having studied abstract expressionist paintings on the internet. I learned from my mistakes and have improved my work over time. 

 

Can you share your creative process, both in the studio and in shaping the overall vision for the show? 

My creative process is similar to that of when I wrote two novels (both unpublished). I begin with a vision, and the vision evolves over a period of days or weeks. After choosing a palette, I begin by painting a background and introducing layers of paint that reflect the theme of the work. Yet, the process is organic, as I modify the painting–sometimes drastically–during the process.  


In a way, the painting paints itself. The process for shaping the vision for the show was much simpler. I have always been interested in nature and astronomy, and the relationship between these two domains. Nature is part of the cosmos, as is astronomy, and so my paintings evoke some of the cosmos by drawing the viewer into a macrocosm that is greater than themselves. 

  

What themes are you exploring in this show, and why are they important to you? 

I think the primary theme is that a complex idea–or a complex painting–changes its shape and evolves as we study it. As this process takes place, the impact– either profound or subtle– that the work has on the viewer does not remain static but similarly evolves. 

  

Who is your favorite artist or one you draw inspiration from?  

My favorite abstract artist is the French-Chinese painter Zao Wou-ki, whose work embodies the interaction between nature and the cosmos. Yet, perhaps the most inspiring artist for me is Vincent Van Gogh. His art transcends the category of “painting” and enters the realm of the universe. 

  

Is there a particular piece in the show that holds a meaningful story or memory for you? 

A number of pieces hold a meaningful memory for me, but perhaps the most significant is “Elegy.” I was attempting to show an abstract landscape in which light emerges from the darkest layers of the forest. Light is more powerful than darkness. 

  

How do you hope viewers feel after experiencing the show? 

I hope viewers feel the profound yet indescribable thrill of having been immersed in overwhelming beauty.