When I was a kid, one of the best things about Sunday morning was opening up the newspaper to find the funny pages. Lying there on the carpet, going through the comic strips, was like falling through two-dimensional doors into so many magical universes.
I must admit that as a boy I often skipped over the comic strip Luann. But now I have a new appreciation for the Luanniverse, because yesterday I enjoyed an exhibit at San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum: Growing Up Luann.
I hadn’t realized Luann’s universe was so vast and complex. Luann herself, and the strip’s large cast of characters, experience evolving relationships, lifelike troubles and humorous situations that stimulate in the reader a range of emotions. But Luann’s essential happiness is never far away.
The award-winning strip was launched in 1985 and continues to this very day. That’s forty years of living. Fortunately, time in Luann’s universe unfolds very slowly!
What interests me most about the comic strip is its evolution–both the art and Luann’s story. By reading the displays, one can follow the creative process undertaken by Luann’s creator, writer and artist Greg Evans.
Visitors to the exhibit learn how fleshing out a beloved character and her universe took years of dreaming, experimentation and work. And how the effort has resulted in worldwide popularity and the National Cartoonist Society’s ultimate award, a Reuben.
Are you fascinated by the creative process? Do you love art? Do you love Luann?
Pay this exhibit a visit!
A bit of what you’ll discover…
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Super cool! These great comic book paintings at the Comic-Con Museum were created by students from Westview High School!
Students of Westview art teacher Keith Opstad produced these speed paintings during the San Diego Comic-Con Museum’s First Annual Educator’s Night in 2024.
These really are speed paintings? Made while teachers from around San Diego watched? Wow–that’s truly amazing!
Iron Man, Poison Ivy, Harley Quinn and Batman make a splash on a wall inside the museum’s second floor Makerspace.
I noticed that today, in the Makerspace, guests could use beads to create a starry sky and constellation, then tell a story about it! The activity is called Constellations Across the WHOniverse. Why? An epic Doctor Who exhibition is now showing at the Comic-Con Museum!
UPDATE!
During my next visit to the Comic-Con Museum, I noticed Superman had appeared, too!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Should you walk down University Avenue in City Heights, you might notice bright, colorful artwork in the alley just east of Mid-City Church of the Nazarene. Turn into the alley and you’ll discover three positive murals that promote love and hope!
I made this discovery myself on Saturday, as I walked through City Heights during the Beautify the Block community cleanup. When I circled to the rear of Mid-City Church of the Nazarene, I met one of the friendly pastors engaged in their twice a week food distribution. She told me the artwork was completed very recently!
I know you’ll enjoy seeing these murals, too.
I notice the first mural, Better Together, is signed @littlehouseink and is a collaboration with Mid-City Nazarene and LoveWorks. That name is appropriate. In essence, the work of art is about love.
This next mural with rainbows threading through a heart contains Hope in many languages. It’s signed Rachel Venancio and Loveworks.
(I walked past this second mural for the above alley photo. You can glimpse the first mural in the distance to the right, next to University Avenue.)
And a bit farther down the alley we have a wise quote by Martin Luther King Jr.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
An important exhibition of historical photographs is now on display at Liberty Station in Point Loma.
A new exhibit space, inside Liberty Station’s old Quarters D building, features photographs by famed World War II era photographer Edward Steichen and his colleagues. The free exhibition is titled Memories of the Greatest Generation.
The newly opened exhibit space operates as a satellite for the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The photographs are in the Maritime Museum’s collection.
Historical photographs portray military ships, airplanes and personnel operating at sea in the Pacific Theatre during World War II.
Renowned artist Edward Steichen and his team of eight photographers were commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1942 to document the war. They were called the Naval Aviation Photographic Unit. Over the next four years, most of their work would be aboard aircraft carriers. They created about 15,000 photographs.
Many of these excellent photographs are emotionally powerful. In my opinion, the best images include sailors, submariners and aviators, ordinary people doing their best in difficult wartime circumstances.
Should you look for the old Quarters D building (location of the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s new exhibit space)–it’s at the corner of Rosecrans Street and Dewey Road. Watch for Maritime Museum signs. You can find parking down the hill a short distance away.
Also, watch for friendly museum volunteers! They are pleased to tell you all about this great historical exhibit!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Have you seen these electrical boxes in Bay Park, on Ingulf Street, just east of Morena Boulevard? Colorful street art painted on the boxes concerns the Clairemont Garden Tour, which is held each Spring.
It appears this street art was the project of the Clairemont Town Council, and I believe it was created in 2024. An artist signature I found is @cuttingsedgeart. That would be Grace Bagunu. She’s a community leader who makes art out of succulents, upcycling Comic-Con bags and creating sustainable art for a more beautiful world.
All sorts of plants and flowers are depicted. Those passing by are encouraged to Grow Your Own Way!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
This very colorful mural debuted in Clairemont’s Bay Park neighborhood back in March. It decorates a fence on Morena Boulevard south of Ingulf Street.
Flora and fauna one might find in the neighborhood is depicted. In Tecolote Canyon one might observe a Red-Tailed Hawk. On the shore in Mission Bay one might spy a Snowy Egret. A bright yellow Bush Sunflower is an exclamation point to the brilliant artwork.
The digitally printed mural, part of the Morena Boulevard Beautification Project, was created by ArtReach (@artreachsd) in partnership with SDG&E. It was designed by artist Ian Stiles-Mikl (@ianstilesmikl) with input from community members.
Before the mural arrived, equipment and porta-potties in a dirt lot were visible through the fence. So much more beautiful now!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A new exhibit opened yesterday at the House of Mexico cottage in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The history and culture of the Mexican state of Hidalgo is celebrated with displays of art, crafts, dolls, fashion, photographs and more!
Hidalgo is a small state in central Mexico, located directly north of Mexico City. It is known for its mining history. Hidalgo has its own unique attractions, including local traditions, picturesque towns and architecture, thermal springs, and beautiful natural landscapes. The objects on display inside the House of Mexico’s cottage help to show why Hidalgo is a popular tourist destination.
Friendly members of the House of Mexico welcomed me to their cottage and happily explained what I was seeing. But you must see all the color yourself! Just head over to Balboa Park’s always fascinating International Cottages.
I was told the House of Mexico welcomes new members. Anyone can join. Even I was invited! You can visit their website here.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
If you’ve driven into downtown Escondido from Interstate 15, there’s a chance you’ve spotted these two fun sculptures on West Grand Avenue.
The first, a red, white and blue rooster, stands at the end of Hawthorne Country Store’s lot.
The second sculpture is located a very short distance away, in front of Raining Cats & Dogs. This one is covered with colorful mosaics depicting sea life.
I can’t tell you a thing about either sculpture–apart from the fact I love them.
Know anything? Leave a comment!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
A fantastic new mural was painted recently in the City of Vista behind Shaks Mediterranean Bistro. I happened to come upon it a few days ago.
The long wall behind the restaurant is like an illustrated story, peopled with birds. The birds are migrating, building, cooking, celebrating. The mural, according to the Shaks Instagram, is a tribute to our roots, our recipes, and the generations that came before us.
The mural’s joyful design is by @48savvysailors and the installation was completed by @clayton.sign.painting.
As you can see from my photographs, this long mural is another great addition to the many works of public art sprinkled throughout downtown Vista!
The happy story unfolds moving left to right:
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Cool San Diego Sights! 