Tag: art

Students shine at USD Arts and Culture Festival!

The public was invited to enjoy a wonderful free event at the University of San Diego this afternoon: the 4th Annual Arts and Culture Festival!

The University of San Diego College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Music presented sixteen excellent outdoor performances on campus. Students took to three outdoor stages, singing, dancing and more. I stayed for a bit over an hour and enjoyed every second!

The event is an outreach to intrigued students or potential students, the Linda Vista community, and anyone in San Diego who loves and supports the arts. I’m in the latter category.

After gazing at a number of sculptures created by students around the Camino/Founders Patio, I took a seat for the initial performance by the school’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble.

Next was an energetic combat demo, cleverly (and very humorously) staged by actors from the Old Globe. The Old Globe and University of San Diego offers a top ranked Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. (Jim Parsons, star of The Big Bang Theory, is a graduate!)

Then came several musical numbers by young members of Song/Story/Stage, then a shining performance by the very fine Concert Choir, then mariachi music and ballet folklorico dancing, then more dance, then more music…

USD’s Music Department appreciates the public’s support. Check out their website here. Follow their Instagram posts here. They even offer private music lessons!

A handout at the event included a quote from a student, Lauren, which explains: “Music is something that we all resonate with and encounter in our everyday lives and USD’s music department embodies that by being a home base for music majors and non-majors, no matter what your experience is, to come together and create something beautiful…”

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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.

The new City Heights mural in Swan Canyon!

In September, this amazing new mural was painted on a long wall in San Diego’s City Heights neighborhood, down in Swan Canyon.

Local muralist Shayne M. Oseguera (with the help of other artists and community volunteers, San Diego Parks and Recreation, and San Diego Canyonlands) created colorful scenes of nature in a place that is often beset by graffiti.

I hiked along trails through Swan Canyon to get close up photographs this afternoon. I’ll soon be posting a blog about my hike, with directions on how to get to the mural.

In the next two photographs, you can see the long mural from across the canyon. You can also see how concrete surfaces beneath and beside the mural have been tagged with graffiti.

Now, after my short hike, I’m standing right next to the artwork. The sun was very low, making photography a bit challenging, so most of my shots are at an angle.

Enjoy these beautifully painted images of native plants, birds and other life in Swan Canyon!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

More bubbles are flying in Hillcrest!

Today I finally got around to photographing this great public art in Hillcrest.

Back in January, I posted photos of a fun “champagne bubbles” mural on the east side of the Bubbles Market & Spirits building. It was painted in 2023. See those pics here.

In 2024, the same creator, San Diego artist Jeremy “Jermz” (@jm47art), painted a continuation of that mural, but on the north side of the building near the store’s front entrance. A beautiful woman appears to be blowing more bubbles! That’s what you’re looking at now!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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 bright, musical mural at Liberty Station!

Look what I spied the other day! A bright, super fun mural was painted a couple months ago at Liberty Station in Point Loma!

The mural can be found along the arched walkway between THE LOT movie theater and Building 176, where a number of music and arts studios are located.

The very colorful artwork was painted by Paola Villaseñor, who goes by the artist name PANCA. Here’s her Instagram page.

The title of the mural is Yo No Soy Marinero, Soy Capitan. That means, in English: I’m not a sailor, I’m the captain.

As a nearby sign explains, this mural showcases the beauty of life and culture in San Diego, with a particular emphasis on the ocean... The artist states: “…the mural…reflects the history of Liberty Station and my role as captain and artist. My hope is that visitors will find joy…”

How could anyone walk through all this found joy without smiling?

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Chalk art at Little Italy’s Bella Vita Fest!

Enjoy this collection of photographs. I took them late this afternoon in Little Italy at the inaugural Bella Vita Fest event, along India Street.

The Italian-themed event is produced by ArtWalk San Diego. Appropriately, it’s taking place during a sunny weekend in October, which is Italian American Heritage Month.

In addition to the work of some 30 chalk artists, visitors to the festival can enjoy live entertainment, wine tastings, great Italian food and lots of unique vendor booths. Bella Vita Fest continues tomorrow, Sunday, from 11 am to 5 pm. Learn more here!

These photographs include many of the chalk art works. Ones that were just begun or badly disrupted by shadows I might have skipped. Most chalk artists will continue their work during Bella Vita Fest on Sunday!

Chalk art by Tonya Neilson.

Chalk art by Cecelia Linayao.

Chalk art by Pappricci.

Chalk art by Dawn Wagner.

Chalk art by Meg Beverly Canilang.

Chalk art by NIKIMEG.

Chalk art by Joyce Hatzidakis.

Chalk art by Gutierrez Family.

Chalk art by Team Zamora.

Chalk art by Isaiah Hernandez.

Chalk art by Raziah Roushan.

Kids create fun chalk art at Bella Vita Fest in San Diego’s Little Italy.

Chalk art by Steele Canyon High School.

Chalk art by Shawndell Smith Art.

Chalk art by Kim sisters.

Chalk art by Maddalena and Rogalski.

Chalk art by Michelle Lubin.

Chalk art by Jen Swain.

Chalk art by Monika Petroczy.

Chalk art by Canyon Crest Academy.

Chalk art by Jose Noe Hernandez.

Chalk art by Fia Soisson.

Chalk art by Gloria Ing.

Chalk art by Sarah Conley.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Bonita Museum’s Border Blasters in Balboa Park!

On Saturday, the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center brought part of their Border Blasters exhibition to the World Design Capital’s temporary Exchange Pavilion in Balboa Park!

Border Blasters is an exhibition by artists from Mexico and the United States that explores the impact of Tijuana and San Diego radio, television and music in the region. As experienced by those who live on either side of the border, the diverse media coming via the airwaves is seen and heard by many eyes and ears.

The art of Border Blasters celebrates this unique, shared culture.

As I walked through Balboa Park yesterday, the first thing that attracted me to the Exchange Pavilion (the orange structure that stands at the center of the Plaza de Panama) was a gigantic skull! The skull has a name: Francisco!

The colorful sculpture, made of paper mache and other materials, was created by artist Maricruz Alvarado. That’s her above, standing by Francisco!

Francisco is hollow and very light. He can be wheeled around! I stepped inside the big skull and this is what I saw. Images of the band La Cruz!

Next, I noticed what appeared to be rows of seashells arranged inside the Exchange Pavilion. They were created by Endangered Concepts. I learned they are actually composed of compressed unrecyclable plastic!

One of the sculptures I was shown was made to appear like a Pacific Triton Conch. Blowing through it produced a trumpeting sound!

Next, I spied a strange musical invention. It’s called QUADRA. The conceptual art piece is by multi-disciplinary artist and San Diego native Jason Soares. You turn the square dials and different electronic sounds are generated!

Jason was still setting everything up when I took these photos.

As one sign explained, QUADRAs FRONTERAs configures the QUADRA for the first phase of a multi-location quadraphonic autonomous zone that seeks to connect multiple geographic locations together. All I know is the generated sound coming from the speakers was very cool!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

History of El Hispano Americano newspaper in San Diego.

A fascinating exhibit on the 9th Floor of San Diego’s Central Library concerns the history of the old El Hispano Americano newspaper, founded in San Diego by Hernando Limón Hernández, who had been a general in the Mexican Army.

Display cases in the library’s Marilyn & Gene Marx Special Collections Center contain photographs, printed art, old newspapers and documents, detailing the life of General Hernando Limón Hernández and his groundbreaking newspaper in San Diego.

While living in Mexico, the General had been tasked with designing and building lighthouses across Mexico’s main ports. He and his family would settle in San Diego by 1916, where the retired General became a Spanish teacher at the military compound in Coronado.

He soon purchased the new El Hispano Americano newspaper, and began to operate its print shop in downtown San Diego.

El Hispano Americano was the first modern Spanish language newspaper published in California. It would become the first binational newspaper that circulated simultaneously in Southern California and Northern Baja California. At its peak, in 1932, El Hispano American averaged 25,000 daily readers.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Friends of the Chinese Brush in Balboa Park!

A special exhibition is wrapping up tomorrow in Gallery 21, at Balboa Park’s Spanish Village Art Center. I caught it just in time!

The Friends of the Chinese Brush Annual Art Exhibition features paintings by artist Lucy Wang and a group of her students. Lucy Wang works out of Spanish Village’s Studio 4.

I admired the work of Lucy’s students on the gallery walls. Two students at a table were busy creating beautiful sunflowers!

If you’d like to take Chinese brush painting classes in San Diego, check out this web page. Classes are held on Sundays.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Superheroes meet mythology in San Diego!

A very cool exhibit opened recently at the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The Myth of Superheroes celebrates the history of comic book heroes, and examines how many were inspired by the deities and heroes of ancient mythology.

It’s no coincidence. Flash is extremely fast like Roman god Mercury. Superman is super strong like Hercules. Aquaman is ruler of the oceans like Neptune. Some superheroes even take the names and characteristics of mythological characters: Thor, Odin and Loki from Norse mythology . . .Greek Zeus, Aries, Apollo, the Amazons…

Many of the writers and artists who created comic book superheroes have stated mythology was a direct inspiration.

Inspiration has also come from unique cultures and religious traditions around the world. The legend of King Arthur, Mesoamerican gods, the Great Spirit of Native Americans, the mysticism of Hinduism, the mysteries of ancient Egypt . . . and more. Superheroes (and supervillains) whose amazing powers are innate or magical can likely trace their origin to supernaturally gifted characters imagined long ago.

The Myth of Superheroes compares ancient myth with modern superheroes by displaying hundreds of objects including original comics, hand drawings, modern statues, action figures, and more. The images and information in the exhibition will excite anyone who loves comic books and their huge influence in the popular culture.

After viewing so many superheroes, and recalling my own youth (collecting Legion of Super-Heroes comic books), it occurred to me that what is common between ancient gods and superheroes is the idea of superhuman power. Supernatural power in ancient times explained the workings of a mysterious world; in our modern world, great power is a dream of youth and those who fantasize about exceeding an ordinary existence.

What do you think?

The Myth of Superheroes is definitely fun! Bring the kids! You can view it all at San Diego’s awesome Comic-Con Museum until February 15, 2025.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.

Making an inspired work of art in Balboa Park!

The San Diego Museum of Art held a fun community workshop today in Balboa Park. Those who participated would create a Jasper Johns-inspired work of art!

The event took place in the shade of the World Design Capital’s temporary Exchange Pavilion, in the Plaza de Panama, directly in front of the museum. SDMA educators showed me how, by tracing various pre-cut silhouettes on paper and adding different colors, an original abstract work of art might emerge!

Families sat at tables with their creative juices flowing.

Which colors to choose? How to design the finished piece so that it’s visually interesting? How does one create a balanced composition?

(If you look at the upper left corner of the next photo, you’ll see local artist Paul Strahm at work! One of his works is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Lately, he frequently paints along the boardwalk in Pacific Beach.)

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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.