Raices (pronounced rah-EE-sess) is open only a few hours a week, generally Friday and Saturday afternoons. It's a co-op gallery; any artist can bring their works to be evaluated for display. But that doesn't mean the art is low-quality! You'll regularly find works by well-known Tucson artists like David Tineo, as well as many artists who do fantastic work but aren't as well-established. Owners Ceci and John have been an important part of Tucson art for decades. (To give you an idea of their connection and skill, their own works are currently part of an exhibition at the Mayor's gallery in City Hall.) This isn't a glossy gallery. It barely has an Internet presence. It's run on a shoestring. But the art is authentic. Any part of the year is a good time to come. One of the best is the annual Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) exhibition. Local families -- not just artists -- build commemorative altars with mementoes of loved ones' lives. The Mujeres exhibition showcases art by women. At the holidays, you can purchase excellent works all priced under $222. If you're in Tucson for a week -- or, at least, a weekend -- plan to stop by here. Call ahead to be sure they'll be open. (While you're here, check out the contemporary galleries across 6th Avenue -- most squirreled away off the narrow hallways of the former Firestone garage.) And walk a block south on 6th Avenue, crossing under the railroad tracks, to see the edgy art covering the walls of the former warehouse at the corner of 6th and Toole Avenues.