Tag: art

Smiles at Día de los Muertos in Old Town!

You’ll find many smiles this weekend in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park during their big Día de los Muertos celebration!

I walked through the State Park yesterday as the event was ready to open and found artists painting colorful murals, an arriving chalk artist, a sugar skull creation station and more. I watched as the big Community Altar was set up at one end of Old Town’s historic plaza.

There are forty Day of the Dead altars in all–most inside the State Park. Others can be enjoyed along San Diego Avenue and elsewhere around Old Town. There’s face painting everywhere you turn, live music at several restaurants, and even a 19th century magic lantern show at Seeley Stable!

The big event continues today–Sunday–so head on down to Old Town if you can!

In addition, there will be a candlelit procession this Thursday, November 2, starting at the Immaculate Conception Church just outside the State Park. At 6 pm the procession will head down San Diego Avenue toward El Campo Santo cemetery. That event will include blessings and traditional dances by Danza Azteca Atlachinolli.

Enjoy these photographs taken inside Old Town San Diego State Historic Park yesterday as Día de los Muertos got underway…

Old Town San Diego Boosters raise money by selling gifts in front of the Robinson-Rose House Visitors Center.

Canopies set up on the grassy plaza offer several Day of the Dead activities.

State Park employees get the big Community Altar ready in Old Town.

Spreading marigold petals, to lead departed souls toward the Day of the Dead altar.

The beautiful Community Altar.

Smiling muralist Belen Islas was working on her beautiful canvas.

Artist Juliet Elise Rodriguez paints many colors into her mural.

Symbolic marigolds for sale.

The San Diego Public Library was there with fun for the family!

Color your own skull mask!

Kids love painting small sugar skulls.

Here are three finished ones!

It’s a smiling Isabel Garcia! You’ve seen some of her beautiful murals on Cool San Diego Sights!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Wildlife tiles at Tecolote Canyon Nature Center.

Native wildlife found in Tecolote Canyon Natural Open Space Park is illustrated by dozens of beautiful art tiles at the Nature Center.

The handmade ceramic tiles decorate outdoor walls at the Nature Center. They were created by students from University City High School. (Years ago, students from the same school painted wildlife murals that decorate a fence at the south end of Tecolote Canyon’s main hiking trail.)

Take a look at this wonderful sculptural artwork. I photographed some of the tiles–there are birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, butterflies, flowers…

Many tiles are mounted individually to the walls. Others are combined to produce murals demonstrating the different habitats of Tecolote Canyon.

Greater roadrunner

California sunflower

Red-tailed hawk

Chaparral wildlife

Harlequin bug

Prickly pear

Buckeye butterfly

Sara orangetip

Black and yellow orb-weaver

Roseate skimmer

Riparian wildlife

Great horned owl

Brush rabbit

Orange-throated whiptail

Ramona lilac

Beavertail cactus

Coastal sage scrub wildlife

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Bull, saguaro and coyote in Bay Park!

Fun art in San Diego’s Bay Park neighborhood celebrates elements of the American Southwest.

During a recent walk, I spotted the above bull sculpture, a saguaro cactus and other works of street art in front of San Diego Charter’s building on Morena Boulevard.

A coyote howling to the moon in Bay Park? Yes! Courtesy of artist Beth Emmerich.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

New street art by Memuco in Old Town!

A wall and a fence by a parking lot in Old Town San Diego have been decorated with murals by artist Memuco (@memuco). I spotted them today during a short walk.

You can see these creations for yourself near the intersection of Congress Street and Twiggs Street.

A gentleman I spoke to at nearby shop The Art of Cigar told me Memuco used both spray paint and brush for his colorful rendition of Quetzalcoatl, which was finished a couple weeks ago.

Painting on the fence’s many vertical slats must have been an interesting undertaking. The snaky, scaly effect he achieved is quite wonderful!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Pegasus sculpture takes flight in El Cajon!

An extraordinary sculpture by renowned artist James Hubbell can be enjoyed near the center of downtown El Cajon. His interpretation of mythical flying horse Pegasus stands in the succulent and cactus garden at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum!

I took a tour of the museum today, viewing the fine art of internationally recognized painter of western scenes Olaf Wieghorst, who lived for a time in El Cajon.

As we strolled through the museum’s lush garden, I was surprised to see this wonderful sculpture by James Hubbell, another beloved artist. Hubbell’s studio is located in the nearby mountains.

If you love outstanding art (or the Old West or amazing gardens) you must pay a visit to the free Olaf Wieghorst Museum. I’ll be blogging much more about this surprising museum in the next few days!

The sculpture Pegasus near the rustic home of Old West artist Olaf Wieghorst. His house can toured at the Olaf Wieghorst Museum.

Pegasus, by James Hubbell, was a gift of the East County Chapter of the Fine Arts Society of San Diego.

An abstract bronze Pegasus flies gracefully in downtown El Cajon.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Beautiful nature art on Encinitas Boulevard!

If you’ve driven down Encinitas Boulevard under Interstate 5 you’ve seen this wonderful, very colorful public art. Four long mosaic strips depicting local plants and animals have added life to the freeway undercrossing for about a year now.

In 2021 the City of Encinitas chose this design by Minneapolis-based artists Amy Baur and Brian Boldon.

The three foot tall strips feature glazed ceramic surfaces that shine in the sunlight and resemble stained glass. Here’s an article concerning the installation. The artist has stated: “Imagery from Encinitas’ environment — birds, plants, water, coastal and mountain flora and fauna — are layered with geometric shapes reflecting concrete patterns above and below the artwork.”

During my last walk in Encinitas, I took photographs of the beautiful artwork. What birds and plants do you recognize?

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Exquisite masterpieces come to Comic-Con Museum!

Visitors to the Comic-Con Museum are in for a treat! A large gallery on the second floor of the museum now features exquisite masterpieces by multiple award-winning artist Colleen Doran. The exhibition, which opened about a week ago, is titled Colleen Doran Illustrates Neil Gaiman.

It doesn’t matter if, like me, you are unfamiliar with the artist, or the author of short stories that she illustrates. The pieces of gorgeous original art on display will dazzle and enchant you.

The meticulous, lush art transports the viewer to another place, where fairy tales and Arthurian legends blend easily with this ordinary world we all know.

The centerpiece of Colleen Doran Illustrates Neil Gaiman is artwork from her Eisner-winning graphic novel Chivalry. The moment my eyes gazed into the first painted page of Chivalry, I was spellbound.

I suppose I need to read the story. It’s described on Amazon as a delightfully humorous and sweet fantasy. A sign at the Comic-Con Museum explains Chivalry is a story about memories, trust, and relationships. The characters are modeled on the artist’s own family. Her questing hero Galaad (Sir Galahad) isn’t ridiculed or vilified, as he would be in most contemporary literature, but is found worthy of the Grail he seeks.

Doran’s painted scenes convey to my eyes a deep love for life, where the human heart triumphs.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

A short walk at Moonlight Beach Overlook.

There’s more than a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean at the Moonlight Beach Overlook in Encinitas. There are a few bits of art, too!

Two trashcans are decorated with colorful tiles painted by youth.

The parklike Moonlight Beach Overlook isn’t large, but it’s a great place to relax, gaze down at the beach below, or perhaps enjoy a picnic on the grass.

The following overlook sign can be spotted just south of the main Moonlight Beach parking lot.

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

The Pacific Playground mural at Moonlight Beach!

An extraordinary mural depicting life in (and above) the ocean can be found on Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. Titled The Pacific Playground, the mural, composed of stained glass, stands next to the Moonlight Beach Marine Safety Center tower where lifeguards are stationed.

The 7 1/2 foot-by-15-foot mural was made possible by the Surfing Madonna Oceans Project and installed in 2018. The original design was conceived by artist Peggy Sue Zepeda; the mural was built by Don Myers and Manny Corona with the help of hundreds of volunteers from the community. Here’s an article about The Pacific Playground, published shortly after its installation.

The stained glass shines brightly in the Southern California sunshine. The words SAVE THE OCEAN crown colorful images of sea life. This inspired public art makes Moonlight Beach even more special.

I thought you might enjoy a few photographs…

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

Exhibition by Chinese Brush Painting Society of San Diego.

Those who love art should head over to Spanish Village in Balboa Park soon. An exhibition by the Chinese Brush Painting Society of San Diego can be enjoyed inside Gallery 21. The Flow of Ink and Color will be on view through Monday, October 9.

I gazed at fine works by seven members of the society, and wondered how the human hand can produce such beauty.

Talking to Wendy Nakamura, one of the artists, I learned that one thing distinguishing Chinese brush painting from Japanese brush painting is the color palette. I also learned how traditional brush art can inspire contemporary, more brightly colorful or abstract pieces.

Wendy demonstrated how she handled a brush to quickly render an image of bamboo. Visitors are invited to try their own hand!

I noticed many displayed pieces are for sale. Do you collect beautiful art, or simply love to view it? Swing on by!

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!