A new mural in downtown San Diego contains great wisdom, extolling two human values. Be humble. Be noble.
A new street mural in downtown San Diego is being completed even as I post this! It’s being painted on a large parking lot wall just south of C Street, between Front Street and 1st Avenue. Check it out!
The artist, Trek Thunder Kelly, who operates out of Venice Beach, California, is known for creating unique designs that mix oddly contrasting messages and images. The cool mural that he’s working on at this very moment is sponsored by the internet retail company Zappos, and it extols one of their stated core values: humility. I couldn’t help but notice the quote highlights another important human virtue: nobility.
Be humble. You are made of earth.
Be noble. You are made of stars.
These powerful true words come from a Serbian proverb.
When I spoke to Trek, it sounded like he’d paint some of the stars with glow-in-the-dark phosphorescent paint. At this point he has a limited supply, so it will have to be artistically applied. I can’t wait to see the completed artwork!
Be humble. You are made of earth. Be noble. You are made of stars.
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Construction workers carefully install new public art near the Marriott Marquis hotel’s recently completed conference center. These colorful vertical posts are part of a sculptural creation titled Tide.
Look at one of the cool things I stumbled upon during my walk around downtown San Diego this morning! New colorful public art is being installed in the plaza by the Marriott Marquis hotel’s new conference center! The bright, imaginative sculpture is titled “Tide”. You can see why in these photos. Looks to me like sunlight reflected from rolling water, creating a bright spectrum of rising colors! I can’t wait to see this piece finished!
I spoke for a moment to the artwork’s two creators: Katie MacDonald and Kyle Schumann of After Architecture. The friendly designers work out of Boston, Massachusetts and have created all sorts of cool stuff that can be enjoyed in public spaces around the country!
(There’s even more to come from a truly awesome morning adventure…)
The creators of “Tide” smile! That’s Kyle Schumann and Katie MacDonald of After Architecture.Looking along the wavy length of the colorful tide. The public art seems to undulate like water.A big crane lifts sections of the artwork into position on a sunny Saturday morning in San Diego. The Marriott Marquis’ brand new conference center shines in the background.The artists supervise the installation of their monumental art. It will be finished just in time for San Diego Comic-Con next month.San Diego continues to grow more interesting and beautiful as public art is installed near the waterfront!
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Faces peer from a wall near the San Diego River. The very long mural, titled River Life, contains images of wildlife one might find here–or have found here before urban development.
I love this mural in Mission Valley. I remember driving through the intersection at Qualcomm Way and Camino de la Reina years ago, and seeing a whole bunch of people painting wild river animals along the ugly low wall. A little research today tells me that memory was from late 2009.
“River Life” was completed by almost 200 volunteers over four days. The design came from artist Lori Escalera. It’s one of of six murals (so far) that the San Diego River Park Foundation has helped to create. I’ve featured others on my blog. Here are some links if you want to check out more of the beautiful San Diego River murals…
The left end of a long, colorful mural in Mission Valley. Birds of the air and water are featured here. The art was designed by Lori Escalera in 2009.A heron, hummingbird and frog. Down by the beautiful River Trail, just north of where we stand, many different birds can be spotted on the quiet surface of the San Diego River, and in thick reeds and overhanging tree branches.A butterfly, a fox (peeking from behind a transformer box on Camino de la Reina) and a raccoon.Some sort of lizard–perhaps a Gila monster–is half hidden by leaves, while a rattlesnake coils nearby!A jackrabbit and wild coyote.A skunk and perhaps kitten bobcats.I recognize a squirrel, but I’m not sure about the other animal whose eyes seem to be glowing in the dark.I believe that’s a Red-winged Blackbird and a moth.Looks to me like a toad and a beetle. If you can accurately identify these creatures, feel free to leave a quick comment!That looks to me like a turtle–or a tortoise! It’s obvious this blogger still has a whole lot to learn!
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Unique holographic artwork painted on glass as seen through a downtown San Diego window. Reflections of life on the street are also visible in this photo.
Look what I discovered! These super cool, revolutionary paintings are on display in downtown San Diego. You’ll find them arranged behind the windows of the now closed Gaslamp 15 movie theater, just beneath the old marquee.
When I read the signs near these vibrant paintings, my curiosity was piqued. An inventive gentleman named Liguori has used proprietary holographic paints to create two-dimensional images that seem three-dimensional. The visual appearance changes depending upon the angle from which the artwork is observed!
According to the written description, this method of painting is so unique that it constitutes a completely new art form! My photos through the glass windows don’t really demonstrate the appearance of three dimensions. But my photos do include interesting reflections from the city street! Melded with the colorful art are buildings, people, a bus, cars, and just regular ordinary stuff a person walking down the sidewalk might observe. In a sense, this adds another unusual dimension! Please read the two signs that I photographed. Especially if you are keenly interested in physics and philosophy, and unbounded human creativity.
Do you have questions? Would you like to learn more? Perhaps you’d like to purchase one of these completely revolutionary pieces, which belong to an art movement yet to be named! That’s what the sign says! And all proceeds go to charity! To contact Liguori, use the email that is at the bottom of the signs.
Very cool!
Very cool works of art are on display in downtown San Diego. You can see them in the windows of the now vacant Gaslamp 15 movie theater, beneath the old marquee.Liguori is a successful businessman in his seventies. He took up painting late in life. He developed a totally new art medium. All the proceeds of his work will go to various charities!More examples of Liguori’s dazzling, thought-provoking pieces. Apparently the application of his special holographic paint on glass is an entirely new, revolutionary art form.Bold color stimulates the human mind and imagination. Like the universe (or perhaps multiverse), what is seen depends on the observer’s momentary point of view.Liguori’s work provides a physical manifestation of objective reality. When viewing this holographic art, countless three dimensional images are possible. It depends upon the angle of observation.Abstract art melds with cars, buildings, and bits of everyday experience in one wonderful window.More fantastic artwork. I was unable to take photographs without reflections in the windows. But it makes these images that more interesting!A dim somebody strides through a splash of vibrant color.The cosmos is incomprehensibly enormous and complex. Different wavelengths, angles, points in space and time…different states of mind and a blink of the eye. Objective reality is observed only in tiny slices.
UPDATE!
I’ve decided to walk past these holographic paintings again, and attempt to take some better photos without the street reflections. I’ll post them shortly…
Okay, I somehow got two close-up photos through the windows that are pretty amazing. Here they are…
01 Close-up photo of holographic painting by Liguori.02 Close-up photo of holographic painting by Liguori.
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Do you like to read short pieces of thought-provoking fiction? You might enjoy checking out Short Stories by Richard.
Amazing wood art. A hooded figure takes a break at an inn. Just Off The Road, Basswood, Randy Stoner.
Today I moseyed around Del Mar and Solana Beach. My walk included a couple of stimulating hours at the San Diego County Fair. I just wandered about, soaking it all in, and found my feet heading toward my favorite part of the fair, the Design in Wood Exhibition.
Some of the best wood artists in Southern California–the world, for that matter–submitted their incredible pieces this year to be judged. The exhibition, a collaboration with the San Diego Fine Woodworkers Association, is celebrating its 35th year.
Here is some of the wildly creative woodwork that really caught my eye. You’ll notice many pieces have an Alice in Wonderland theme. That’s because this year’s San Diego County Fair is all about that timeless children’s book penned by Lewis Carroll. White Rabbits, March Hares and Mad Hatters abound! Everywhere you turn there’s a tea party or a grinning Cheshire Cat!
The Alice in Wonderland theme intersects with Steampunk, of course, so many fantastic contraptions and quirky bits of wood art are included in the exhibition. Take a look!
Glass table supported by fantastic underwater character carved from wood. Califa’s Realm, Avocado, Lorenzo Foncerrada.A steampunk writer might enjoy creating new worlds while sitting here! Time Machine Desk, Recycled Pine and Plywood, Jeffrey Comulada.Yikes! Get out of the way! This eye-catching contraption is just too cool. Scorpion Wheelchair, Pine, Roger Aceve.A truly amazing fantasy woodcarving. Julia the Dragon Killer, Bass, Antonio Barrios.Ancient warrior and an incredibly elaborate helmet made of wood. Dracon Soldier, Bass, Antonio Barrios.More outstanding artistry. Heron in a scene from a San Diego lagoon. Spirit of San Elijo, Torrey Pine, Lorenzo Foncerrada.Wood grains flow in this crazy organic bench. Ongoing Conversation, Baltic Birch, Alan Johnson.A very cool tangle-tentacled wooden octopus. Denizen of the Deep, Maple, Tom Edwards.Perhaps this is a wood version of Strider from Lord of the Rings. Ranger, Basswood, Randy Stoner.A mountain lion carved from wood keeps guard among other spectacular works of art. Kitty Kitty, Mahogany, Bill Churchill.This skeleton pirate with a brass steampunk telescope is beyond awesome. Mutiny, Bloodwood Fir, Mike Anderson.Two very cool handmade guitars with an Alice in Wonderland theme. I see clocks, the White Rabbit, a mad tea party, even a mustache!I love this example of imaginative wood design. Jack Rabbit, Alder, Ray Camien.Members of the San Diego Scrollsaw Clubs demonstrate their craft to people visiting the Design in Wood Exhibition at the San Diego County Fair.A wonderfully inventive piece of furniture. Birdcage Chair, White Oak, Patrick Atangan.Looks like an animal skull in the desert Southwest. Early, Early American Chair, Poplar, Del Cover.This might be the most intricate model tall ship I ever saw. Sovereign of the Seas, Boxwood, Mahogany, Ebony, Sycamore, William Norris.When a person becomes old, there’s no need to become dull. Two Canes, Various, Tracy Talbott.A fun chest of drawers perfect for a kid’s room. Buddy Bear, Walnut, Ralph Crowther.I wonder if Lewis Carroll imagined there would be steampunk powerboats one day. Looking For Alice, Various, Michael Rumsey.I love the cosmic layered wood sky with Saturn behind buildings. Night Surfing, Hardwood Plywood, Robert Stafford.Gears aplenty. Steampunk Cat, Various, Stephen Knight.Now this work of wood art totally blew my mind. Absolutely beautiful. Stormy, Various, Chuck Collins.Yeah, some days this pensive chimp could easily outwit me. Thinking, Various, Daryoush Ababaf.
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Dog Gnawing Bone, Arthur Putnam, 1904. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.
Wow! I enjoyed another awesome visit to the San Diego Museum of Art last weekend, courtesy of my docent friend Catherine! She provided a spellbinding tour of several exhibits! The one I liked most–possibly because I love animals and because the artist has a San Diego connection–concerned the bronze sculptures of Arthur Putnam.
The exhibition, titled Ferocious Bronze, features artwork so utterly amazing that Arthur Putnam has been called the American Rodin. He was such a gifted sculptor that his pieces have sometimes been mistaken for those of Frederic Remington. Most of his bronzes depict animals in the wild: hunting, in mortal combat, at play or at rest.
Arthur Putnam lived from 1873–1930 and was considered one of the greatest sculptors of his era. At the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco he won a coveted Gold Medal. During his lifetime his work was exhibited in major cities, including New York, Chicago, Paris and Rome. Many of his monumental public sculptures still stand in San Francisco, Monterey and San Diego.
Check out these photos! They provide a small taste of what you’ll experience should you visit Ferocious Bronze. You can get an idea of Putnam’s tremendous artistry. The superb realism is partly due to the fact that he personally loved the outdoors, and spent many days observing animals in the wild and at zoos. A mostly self-taught artist, Putnam even worked for a brief time at a slaughterhouse. (Yuck!)
Did I mention Arthur Putnam’s unique San Diego connection? His very first commission was from newspaper magnate E. W. Scripps, which he received at the Scripps Ranch located in Miramar. In addition, two of Putnam’s monumental works stand today near the spot where San Diego was founded–the very place where European civilization took root in California.
(I’ve included my own photos of the two large bronze sculptures that stand on San Diego’s Presidio Hill. I wrote a blog several years ago that concerned an interesting walk past these sculptures.)
Ferocious Bronze, curated by Dr. James Grebl, showcases 28 of Putnam’s amazing animal pieces. They were selected from the over 100 pieces that the San Diego Museum of Art has in their collection. This special exhibit was inspired by another Balboa Park institution: the world famous San Diego Zoo! They are now celebrating their centennial year!
If you happen to be in San Diego, and if you love fine art or have a special place in your heart for wild animals, I recommend that you head over to see Ferocious Bronze at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park! This very cool exhibition runs through October 11, 2016.
Big Combat, Arthur Putnam, undated. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Ambling Bear, Arthur Putnam, 1910. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Fighting Buffalo, Arthur Putnam, 1900. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.Lynx Ready to Spring, Arthur Putnam, 1909. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.The Indian, Arthur Putnam, 1905. This amazing sculpture stands on San Diego’s Presidio Hill beneath the Serra Museum.The Padre, Arthur Putnam, 1908. This sculpture stands among some trees on San Diego’s Presidio Hill beneath the Serra Museum.Wild Cat, Arthur Putnam, 1908. Photo courtesy San Diego Museum of Art.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to enjoy!
Do you like to read short pieces of thought-provoking fiction? You might enjoy checking out Short Stories by Richard.
Houses appear to be stacked on the back of a howling wolf! One of several fantastic images on a building that is being renovated in North Park.
Here are more cool pics from my long walk a couple weekends ago. I took these as I headed up 30th Street through North Park. The building you see has featured ever-changing graffiti for many years, even before the laundromat went out of business. I’ve often glanced at the street art while driving past, but until now didn’t have a good opportunity to snap photographs.
Bicyclist rides south down 30th in North Park, past an old closed laundromat at Redwood Street. This building’s exterior has long featured changing works of street art.Utility box across the street near a liquor store has been painted with colorful leaves.Another side of the same utility box. A hand stands treelike at the center of the unusual metal canvas.Bunny Kitty frolics on a building at the corner of 30th Street and Redwood. Fun art spray painted by notable San Diego graffiti artist Persue.Some more bold graffiti on the south side of the old laundromat.And even more dazzling street art at the right end of the building’s south side.Strangely squished faces on the north side of the now vacant Redwood Laundrymat. I once photographed similar graffiti at SILO in Makers Quarter in East Village. It’s in one of my old blog posts!And one more pic. This is the left end of the building’s north side. It appears doors are being installed in the dynamic artwork!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to enjoy!
Diners sit at tables on the waterfront. An Italian fish market, colorful buildings and clouds.
I really like this mural. You’ll find it near the corner of Grape Street and Kettner Boulevard in Little Italy. It was painted by San Diego artist Stephanie Clair. Her art is modern, romantic and overflowing with the simple pleasures of life. Please enjoy a few colorful photos!
Little Italy mural painted by artist Stephanie Clair shows the life of a fishing town. Perhaps it resembles San Diego’s past.Fishermen in their boats working the sea. The water is blue and green.Lovers drink wine as they sit by the water, gazing out at the sunset.A streetcar among buildings that seem to pulse with life.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to enjoy!
Cool mural in San Diego’s hip South Park community features Latino and Native American cultural influences.
Here are four cool street murals that I spotted during my meandering walk yesterday. You can find them on Fern Street in San Diego’s South Park neighborhood. All four of these are north of Date Street. I’m sure there are others to the south that I missed.
Urban art on side of the Fern St. Laundromat. Litter and graffiti partially obscure a painted depiction of a vintage San Diego Fire Department vehicle, complete with fireman and dalmatian.Local graffiti artists Persue, Reyes and Steel created this cool street art on Fern Street in South Park.Sepia tone mural on Fern Street in South Park features man riding an old-fashioned penny-farthing and nostalgic images from San Diego’s past.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of fun photos for you to enjoy!
A painting of a market full of Mexican crafts and charm. It makes anyone walking down the sidewalk feel that life is good, just gazing at this colorful artwork.
Some new, very cool urban art has recently appeared on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights! Here are a few photos!
The street mural, titled Un dia de Mercado, is painted on the side of one small building. It depicts a Mexican marketplace, and many of the goods a shopper is likely to find there. The colors are vivid and happy. The artwork inspires joy.
Un dia de Mercado. A fantastic new street mural on Adams Avenue in San Diego’s Normal Heights neighborhood.Un dia de Mercado was completed on April 2, 2016. It was painted by several talented artists. Their signatures are evident in this photo. New colorful urban art in Normal Heights!A smiling face, a funny parrot, an umbrella, guitar, flowers, fruit and a sleeping dog. One day at the market!Beautiful artistry on the side of a building on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights!This street mural adds sunshine and happiness to an already very cool neighborhood in San Diego!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Do you like to read short pieces of thought-provoking fiction? You might enjoy checking out Short Stories by Richard.
Cool San Diego Sights! 