LOVE spelled out in chalk in the grassy park near the WorldBeat Center.
Today has been designated World Water Day. The essential message is that we should use our often limited water resources carefully and engage in water conservation.
I read that a World Water Day Celebration was to be held in Balboa Park at the WorldBeat Center, so I headed from downtown up Park Boulevard to see what was going on.
What I discovered was a lot of interesting knowledge and very cool fun!
World Water Day in Balboa Park included a kids poster contest, painting, music, dance, a water blessing, and a global meditation.Kids listen to stories out in a patch of shade on a warm Spring day in San Diego.This board included many great ideas on how to save water. This is unusually important in Southern California because of our ongoing drought.Lots of creativity was being unleashed during World Water Day.A talented artist named Alexander had his work on display.A smile and unique self-portrait by Alexander.
This super friendly, cool artist was working with Live Art by Davina Mendoza.Inside the popular World Beat Center dance and music awaited.Poster inside shows how water is harvested from the air in Ethiopia!Watair creates atmospheric water generators (called air juicers). These devices produce pure drinking water while cleaning the air!The colorful interior of the WorldBeat Cultural Center is alive with dancers and a line of drummers!
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Art Deco relief work shows female flying above propellers of airplane.
“Through science and the toil of patient men, the nation’s thought traverses land and air and sea.” Those are the words inscribed along the top of downtown San Diego’s Post Office, on E Street between 8th and 9th Avenue. Beneath the words are nine terra-cotta panels created by Archibald Garner in 1937. The Art Deco images include a car, train, ship and airplane, the means by which mail has been delivered over many decades, transmitting the written word across the nation and around the world.
Titled “Transportation of the Mail,” Garner’s handsome panels were the result of a Department of Treasury competition. Like most Post Office public art created during the New Deal, the work was funded through the Treasury Department’s Section of Painting and Sculpture, also known as The Section of Fine Arts. The post office itself was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and stands across the street from the now closed old Central Library. You can see a few interesting photos of the library here.
View of San Diego’s downtown Post Office from Ninth Avenue.Steamship cuts through ocean waves on its way to deliver the mail.Distinctive Art Deco train can be seen near roof of San Diego’s old Post Office.Historically interesting panels, which appear at the top of high windows.Classic automobile in Art Deco public artwork in downtown San Diego.
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Sun shines on dynamic mural at Golden Hill Market and Liquor in Sherman Heights.
Here are two boldly painted murals in Sherman Heights, a neighborhood just east of downtown San Diego. I photographed the first mural at 21st Street and Market Street several few days ago. I took my first picture of the second mural last May as I watched the local All-American Soap Box Derby on hilly 25th Street. Since then, the painted boards seem to have been removed from the market wall, and shifted a bit to the left behind a tree. You can see shadows in the two more recent photos.
According to my research, both of these distinctive works of street art were created under the direction of local artist Mario Torero. His passionate artwork, often depicting political themes and civil rights activists, can also be seen at Chicano Park in Barrio Logan, Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park, and elsewhere around San Diego.
Young residents of Sherman Heights painted this wall in 1980, with help from local artist Mario Torero.Aztec imagery is a colorful part of the artwork.The 35 year old mural is vivid, having been restored several times due to graffiti.Words above people read Barrio Sherman Mural Unidos.Lively images cover pipes, meter box and a door.Latino-themed mural shows respect for education.K St. Market on 25th Street with mural designed by local artist Mario Torero.Face enveloped by color shows confident character.The Barrio is a Garden was painted on wood in 2010 in Sherman Heights.Brightly painted street bench on 25th Avenue in Sherman Heights.
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Cars zoom west down Friars Road, beneath the Morena Boulevard bridge.
Should you ever drive west down Friars Road approaching Mission Bay, you might see a collection of native animals gathered under the Morena Boulevard bridge. They seem to like the place, because they never leave!
The west end of Mission Valley contains an open space preserve, where some wild animals live in the midst of a big city. The wildlife mural, designed in 2007 by lead artist Julia C. R. Gray, was a public art project of the San Diego River Park Foundation.
This mural is a project of the San Diego River Park Foundation.A bobcat lurks under the busy city bridge!So does a skunk! I didn’t smell this critter, however.Fish in dry water, painted on a public art mural near the San Diego River.Horned toad and raccoon, samples of wildlife that live in Mission Valley preserve.Frog in a painted mural, created by artist Julia C. R. Gray in 2007.A rabbit that’s still enough to be captured by my camera!It’s very rare to see a fox in the developed parts of San Diego.Second mural painted on south side of Friars Road also shows a river scene.Beyond lies open space. Lush vegetation provides shelter for wildlife near river.
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Sculptures on display on San Diego’s Embarcadero near Tuna Harbor.
My walk early this morning took me down to Ruocco Park, just north of Seaport Village. I wanted to check out something I saw on the news that looked really interesting.
Few people were about. Sunrise was slowly brightening the sky. Ten imposing human-like sculptures rose before me. As I approached, the figures loomed larger, silent, heavy-lidded, facing the fishing boats in Tuna Harbor, and a handful of joggers passing by.
This temporary installation of public art opened yesterday to the public. Our Silences, created by Mexican sculptor Rivelino, is composed of a row of ten massive bronze figures, whose mouths are shut and silenced with a metal plate. The object of the art is to provoke thought, feeling and discussion about freedom of speech. One wonders if the small prison-like black box nearby contains a political prisoner, or someone’s trembling, innermost thoughts. This very jolting artistic statement is on display for the first time in the United States. It will remain in San Diego through March 15.
Our Silences, by Mexican artist Rivelino, concerns freedom of speech.People walk past provocative public art as day dawns near Seaport Village.This harsh black cube appears to be an oppressive prison cell.The steel box might contain someone who would like to speak.Mysterious abstract designs on backs of the human-like sculptures.Here comes the sun and another day of freedom on San Diego’s waterfront.Walking past artwork that reminds us of liberty’s precious gift.
Here’s a pic I took after a sign explaining Our Silences was installed nearby…
Sign explains Our Silences, now in San Diego. (Click to enlarge.)
Where will I walk next? Life is an adventure!
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During my recent walk around Coronado, I came upon a dull, lifeless metal sculpture standing at the center of a small park. But then a rising sea breeze moved the nearby trees. The sculpture began to slowly turn. I stood in one place, snapping a few pics…
Freedom sculpture at Glorietta Bay Yacht Club Promenade appears dull and utterly lifeless.Freedom turns in the wind and surfaces begin to reflect the bright sunshine.Shining Freedom sculpture catches fire! The kinetic sculpture was created by Jon Koehler.
The public art, titled Freedom, was sculpted by artist Jon Koehler and installed in the Glorietta Bay Yacht Club Promenade in 2009.
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Several whiskered Western characters pose in a mural on Harney Street in Old Town.
There’s a fairly new street mural in Old Town that I really like. Every time I see it, my imagination travels back in time. Back to the first half of the 19th century.
San Diego for many decades was a tiny town seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Whether it belonged to Spain, or Mexico, or the United States, Old Town San Diego was a place of dusty roads and modest, sun-baked adobe houses, horses and wagons, rugged settlers and ranchers. Characters from that era seem to live again in this mural.
Artist Frank Mando painted this artwork in 2013. I couldn’t capture the entire piece in one shot. Enlivening a building at the corner of San Diego Avenue and Harney Street, the mural is divided in two by a door of the Old Town Saloon. Standing inside that door, as you’ll see, there seems to be a well-known movie star!
Freight wagon hauls a load of barrels in fun art that recalls early San Diego history.John Wayne seems to be coming through a door of the Old Town Saloon.Elegant lady and girl from long ago stroll past Ye Old Curiosity Shoppe.Old Town mural on building wall was painted in 2013 by artist Frank Mando.Kids standing along sidewalk seem to have materialized from San Diego’s past.People walk past nostalgic street mural near side entrance to Old Town Saloon.
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Sea Passage sculpture and fountain between Coronado City Hall and Community Center.
Whenever I walk around Coronado, or bike down the Silver Strand, I like to pass by this graceful work of art. Sea Passage, created by James T. Hubbell, adds gentle sound and sparkling color to a long park which stretches beside Glorietta Bay. The popular linear park can be found between the Hotel del Coronado’s old boathouse and Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.
The fountain contains a sinuous mosaic of many small tiles. They appear to me like silvery blue scales, glittering and swimming in the flowing water. The organic form artistically connects two somewhat ordinary-looking buildings: Coronado City Hall and the Community Center.
James T. Hubbell also designed two striking works of public art on Shelter Island, which is located just north of Coronado across San Diego Bay. I’ve already blogged about Pacific Portal. One of these days I’ll write about Pearl of the Pacific.
Sea Passage was created in 2005 by sculptor James T. Hubbell.Artwork adds gentle beauty to Coronado’s park along Glorietta Bay.Seagulls like getting a drink of water from the top of this colorful fountain!
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Cool utility box in Hillcrest shows tall buildings on planet Earth.
During my walks about San Diego, I spy all sorts of cool art on utility boxes and electrical transformers. Most of the painted artwork is super creative and colorful. You never know what you’ll find!
Little Italy art on utility box shows boats in water beneath row of windows.Fish and fishermen are big themes on Little Italy utility boxes.Tropical beach island scene on a fun, eye-catching Gaslamp utility box.Soft and peaceful beach image on this Imperial Beach utility box.Cool abstract face on an imaginative Hillcrest utility box.Some large utility boxes in Hillcrest feature photos of fruits and vegetables.This Hillcrest electrical transformer has a bold blue eye.East Village utility box art has been vandalized with angry words.Very colorful artwork on an East Village transformer.
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Super cool artwork depicts local community, history and sea life themes.
I don’t know much about this mural, apart from the fact that it’s huge, colorful and super cool. For years, it seems, scaffolding has stood against the long portion along Harbor Drive. Just recently the scaffolding vanished, and the brilliant, dynamic street art is fully visible in all its glory!
You can find this urban art at the intersection of Cesar Chavez Parkway and Harbor Drive, just south of downtown in Barrio Logan. It decorates the high wall that encloses the parking lot at Restaurant Depot.
I took these photos as I walked south to north along Harbor Drive, then turned west at the intersection for a little more fun artwork.
Enjoy!
Long wall along Harbor Drive is the canvas for this very large street mural.Proximity to San Diego Bay inspires painted marine animals.This big fish seems to be watching for pedestrians on the Barrio Logan sidewalk.A scuba diver seems unaware a large hungry shark looms just behind!Mother with young child gazes out at the blue Pacific Ocean.People from all walks of life populate this very human work of art.San Diego Trolley travels through a scene similar to those found in nearby Chicano Park.Painted passengers on a trolley seem visible through a window.Aztec warrior in elaborate costume blows on a ceremonial conch.Nearby Chicano Park’s pavilion is shown with lots of folks dancing.Young man and lady dance on the festive outdoor mural.Musicians play instruments adding flavor to the celebration.History of Our Community includes the once vital tuna fishing industry.The lives of past and present residents provide generations of stories.Fish caught in local waters just off San Diego.The end of Harbor Drive section, and now we’ll turn west for a bit more…Walking around the mural on the high wall at Restaurant Depot.This north-facing wall contains lots of bright aquatic life!Beautifully painted fish, a seahorse, jellyfish and starfish.An orange Garibaldi just above the sparkling ocean bottom.Kelp frames the end of this long, amazing mural in Barrio Logan.This super fun street art is a landmark that is very hard to miss!
UPDATE!
I learned years later (shame on me) that this 1993 mural is titled The Kelco Historical Community Mural, by artist Salvador Roberto Torres and his wife Gloria Rebolledo Torres. It was restored by Salvador Torres in 2012, which explains the scaffolding I had previously seen.
Salvador Roberto Torres is one of the founders of nearby Chicano Park, the largest collection of outdoor murals in the United States. He saw the great freeway pillars supporting the ramps to the San Diego–Coronado Bridge as potential concrete canvases, and so created the Chicano Park Monumental Public Mural Program in 1969. He was also one of the founders of the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.
During that later walk I took additional photos of the mural!
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Cool San Diego Sights! 