Everywhere you go in San Diego’s Old Town there are touristy shops selling Mexican curios. As I walked along one typical street last Sunday, I was struck by the dazzling array of patio ornaments on display outside a place called Miranda’s Courtyard.
I took several photos from the sidewalk. According to reviews on Yelp, Miranda’s Courtyard sells Mexican religious art, terra cotta suns, Talavera clay pottery, and just a huge bunch of colorful knick knacks.
Photo of suns and moons taken from sidewalk.Lots of colorful trinkets and home decorations.Seems you could spend a whole day at this place!Lady checks out Mexican curios at Miranda’s Courtyard.
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Bibbey’s mural includes Finding Nemo and SpongeBob.
Bibbey’s gift shop, which sells sea shells, rocks and other great stuff, is located across the street from the Imperial Beach pier. It’s hard to miss. The building is one big crazy mural! Check out the wild creativity which blends images from television, movies and the popular culture.
Cosmic ocean fantasy and an Imperial Beach mural.Fierce octopus guards door of cool gift shop.A sexy mermaid, the Lorax and other fun elements.Kung Fu Panda and a surfing dragon!Madagascar penguins and Patrick.Someone enters Bibbey’s gift shop.Another great section of Bibbey’s crazy mural.Shark spotted on wall of Imperial Beach building!
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A short walk north of the Imperial Beach pier takes you to this delightful sculpture. The Spirit of Imperial Beach is 18 feet high and incorporates many fun elements. The sandcastle at its base and the child with a pail recall the U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, which used to be held yearly in Imperial Beach. (Several years ago the competition was replaced by the Sun and Sea Festival.)
Child rides a fish near the beach.Spirit of Imperial Beach by James A. Wasil.Crabs, shells, fish, sandcastle and girl with a pail.Closer look at amazing detail.Spirit of Imperial Beach sculpture is just north of the pier.
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Original staff plaster memorial to Fray Junipero Serra, founder of the Franciscan missions in Alta California. Was part of the 1915 Exposition’s Food Products Building.
In the outdoor Panama-California Sculpture Court at Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado you’ll discover a small collection of rescued art. Most of these sculptures and decorative motifs are made of staff, which is gypsum plaster mixed with hide glue, reinforced with fibers. They were found in 1975 dumped in an unused corner of the nearby Casa de Balboa. Many are remnants of the old Food and Beverage Building from Balboa Park’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition and were designed by architect Carleton Monroe Winslow. Visitors today can admire these beautiful historical pieces up close.
Castle, which was located on the left side of the Serra Memorial, depicts the heraldic emblem of the former Spanish Kingdom of Castile.One of four identical heads created in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. It was located on the Varied Industries Building facade.Plaster models designed in 1924 of famous 17th century Spanish painters Velazquez, Murillo and Zurbaran. Used to cast sculptures above what is now the San Diego Museum of Art.This round staff plaster Spanish Conquistador vignette, dated 1914, formed a pendant beneath sculptural groups on the Varied Industries Building.Freestanding figure of a woman in flowing robes titled Religion. It stood atop the 1914 retablo of the Varied Industries Building.Unused cast concrete replica of an original 1914 angel head finial. Created for the 1971 reconstruction of the Casa del Prado.Beautiful works of art in Panama-California Sculpture Court at the Casa del Prado.Angelic column seen through arch of Casa del Prado.
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SILO in Makers Quarter is a cool venue in East Village.
People entering downtown San Diego from Highway 94 might glimpse on their left what appears to be a large dirt lot full of odd items and graffiti. At first glance, I figured it was just a junky, neglected old vacant lot. Upon closer inspection, however, I realized the place was something completely unexpected, and pretty cool!
A large black silo rises near the center of the lot, hence the name of this interesting events venue: SILO in Makers Quarter. Beer festivals, bazaars, film festivals…these and other events are staged here in this neglected portion of East Village. According to the Makers Quarter website: SILO in Makers Quarter will be the launch pad to encourage the early adopters in San Diego to embrace the neighborhood and bring about positive change. SILO in Makers Quarter is being established as a year round event venue to bring collaborative community and creative culture to East Village.
I took these photos through a surrounding fence. Very cool!
A black silo rises behind a smile!Painted on a building wall: You are important.Fun events are held in this unusual urban space.Large eye peers from behind chain link fence.Lots of fantastic street art at SILO in East Village.Another example of colorful street art.Makers Quarter’s goal is to attract energy to part of the city.Bold graphics seen from the nearby sidewalk.Photo taken through fence of twisted sculptures.Bales of hay, funky images create a party atmosphere.SILO in Makers Quarter on 15th Street in East Village.
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Part of Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art’s mural on F Street.
On F Street, one block west of SMARTS farm (see my last blog post), San Diegans can enjoy a huge public mural. Created by the Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art (MOOPA), the photo ArtWall covers the upper portion of the old Jerome’s Warehouse between 14th and 15th Street.
The mural features the work of three photographers. Matt Black’s photos feature a village in the Mixteca, an impoverished area in Mexico. Susan Madden Lankford’s photos show the streets of San Diego and contain many diverse portraits. A simple photo of a cone flower in the center of the mural, linking north and south, is the work of Polly Lankford Smith.
Face peers over treetops from large MOOPA ArtWall.Segment of gigantic mural in downtown San Diego.Walking along the rails on the upper wall of an old warehouse.Amazing photography records a face in time.Another example of art in downtown’s vibrant East Village.Old Jerome’s warehouse on F Street features the huge mural.Public art in San Diego’s East Village includes farm workers.Photo of child in a mask is part of MOOPA mural.Playing a tuba on F Street between 14th and 15th.Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art’s ArtWall is a very cool sight.East side of old Jerome’s warehouse across from SMART farms.
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Figures associated with books linger in relief above entrance of old San Diego Central Library. Literature East, by famed local artist Donal Hord, 1953.
San Diego’s old Central Library on E Street was never really much to look at–in my opinion, at least. It was just a small, nondescript, almost colorless building across from the downtown Post Office. When the brand new gleaming Central Library opened in East Village, the doors of the old library were shut forever. But a few notable images–beautiful works of art near the entrance–still remain.
The classic Literature Panels at either side of the library entrance were created in 1953, when the building was new, by important San Diego artist Donal Hord, whose iconic works can be seen throughout the city. These reliefs depict readers and writers of books in human history.
Because of poor health as a child, he spent many hours in the San Diego Public Library and developed a love for reading.
Timeless art by an internationally renowned San Diego sculptor depicts books and their association with history, music and culture. Literature West, by Donal Hord, 1953.
Clock shows midnight on east side of closed San Diego library.
A lamp still burns on the vacant library’s front sidewalk.The empty sidewalk contains images once tread by many feet.Graphic on sidewalk in front of old library tells of dreams, boldness and genius.Books still line the parking lot behind vacant library.Little else remains to be seen at the old Central Library.
In Search of Earthly Delights mural at San Diego Museum of Art.
If you’re walking around Balboa Park and feeling adventurous, you can sneak into a portion of the San Diego Museum of Art and enjoy a stunning indoor mural. Just enter the unlocked door near the Sculpture Garden’s outdoor cafe! Like the sculpture garden, this area of the museum is free to the public!
The 70 foot mural is named En Busca de las Delicias de la Tierra/In Search of Earthly Delights. Created by Writerz Blok, an innovative graffiti mural organization, it was painted by young artists Sake, Daze, Izze and Krown. Pieces from the museum’s collection of Mexican modern art were used for reference and inspiration.
San Diego Museum of Art visitor walks past large indoor mural.San Diego organization Writerz Blok helped to create this amazing mural.
Mural of a rugged face seems tattered on modern building.Unique image of human face on a building in downtown San Diego.
Here are a few pics of interesting (and sometimes mysterious) faces found in downtown San Diego.
Face of Andre the Giant high on a building near America Plaza. By artist Shepard Fairey.Wide-eyed graffiti face on a downtown taco stand.Painting of female face by an artist near Seaport Village.Bearded face painted on a downtown San Diego building.Grinning monkey head on billboard in San Diego.
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South end of long Urban Corps mural on Jefferson Street.
San Diego’s Urban Corp is a nonprofit dedicated to providing a high school education and green job training to young adults. Whenever I ride the trolley to work, I usually see a number of youth in green uniforms disembarking at the Old Town station. They’re heading off to begin another day developing new skills, while working to improve San Diego’s environment.
A long, colorful mural was recently painted along Jefferson Street, right across from the Urban Corps. You can find this public art near Rosecrans at Interstate 5.
Here are some pics I took as I walked north!
Mural depicts youth bettering San Diego’s environment.Urban Corps provides valuable employment training.Eliminating graffiti is one important activity.Youth have a second chance to earn a high school diploma.Urban Corps mural shows conservation efforts.Education is the key to moving forward to success.Young people have an opportunity to earn a paycheck.Segment of Urban Corps mural near Rosecrans and Jefferson.Optimism and opportunity on a long, colorful mural.
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