Girl jumps rope. Street art on a utility box in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.
Here’s another batch of colorful photos! These capture works of art that I’ve discovered while walking around downtown San Diego.
Enjoy!
A lion’s head decorates the Star of India’s cathead.Painted flowers inside a downtown window.Old sculptural figures surround a planter at San Diego High School, near Park Boulevard. They depict academic and athletic endeavors.This winged doughnut was painted about a week ago at the Donut Bar.Artwork on outside wall of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum Extension.A space invader made of tile near a Horton Plaza escalator!Beautiful sculpted relief panel above door of the 700 1st Avenue building.Art that I spied on a parked car in downtown San Diego.Artwork near west entrance of San Diego’s cool House of Blues.Colorful shoes like flowers on the ceiling, at the west entrance of House of Blues San Diego.Plein air painter Paul Strahm creates a beautiful work of art near the USS Midway Museum.Street art in the Gaslamp shows child making a secret painting.
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A scene from Broad City comes to life inside Comedy Central’s enormous “coloring book” during 2017 Comic-Con.
Have you ever stepped inside a coloring book? You can at 2017 San Diego Comic-Con!
The Comedy Central series Broad City has a cool, free attraction where people can paint the walls of a room with colorful scenes from the show! It’s paint by numbers! It’s a brilliant idea that inspires fan interaction! Take a look!
Anyone can enjoy this Broad City special attraction during Comic-Con. If you share a photo with a certain hashtag, you can win a prize.People look at the colorfully painted walls, or take up a brush and contribute with their own creativity.Some of the bright artwork inspired by the wacky Comedy Central show Broad City.Photo of some finished artwork on the floor.SpongeBob SquarePants checks out the dazzling Broad City coloring book room! He must think the luminous colors are like bright fish underwater.The paint seems to magically glow in the dimly lit room.More humorous images inspired by the popular Comedy Central show.Artwork painted by fans.Someone adds color to the Season Premiere.These kids are contributing, too. It’s color by number.Fan of the Comedy Central show Broad City paints a wall during 2017 San Diego Comic-Con!
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Rabbits have been created to commemorate the history of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, which once was nicknamed Rabbitville.
A “hop-up” art gallery can be found in the Gaslamp during 2017 San Diego Comic-Con! This fun Rabbitville exhibition, located at 453 Fifth Avenue, features a roomful of large colorful rabbits created by local artists! Their artwork celebrates the rich, unique history of the Gaslamp Quarter and San Diego.
You might recall we saw the Willabee rabbit at the Jacaranda Spring Thing, when I blogged about it here. Well, now you can enjoy a whole warren of art bunnies!
Swing on by during Comic-Con (through Sunday) and check them out!
People attending 2017 San Diego Comic-Con look at an artfully painted rabbit outside the Rabbitville “Hop-Up” Gallery.Honoring the Disdained: Carp Jumping Dragon Gate, by artist Tasha Hobbs. Art that honors the contributions of Chinese immigrants in early San Diego.Alonzo Horton is the father of modern San Diego. He journeyed to San Diego in 1867, then purchased the area now known as downtown and called it New Town.The Stingaree was a red-light district filled with prostitutes and gamblers, including the famous Wyatt Earp, who would run three gambling halls in San Diego.
Steampunk author Jack Tyler is writing an exciting novel about San Diego’s infamous Stingaree. I blogged about it here!
It’s an exciting read. Check it out!
Mirrored Rabbit, by artist Mario Herbelin-Canelas.Ordinate, by artist Rebecca Nuvoletta. This rabbit celebrates the visions of a distant future in the founding of New Town.Willabee, by artist Matt Forderer. This rabbit has traveled through time to collect historical images of San Diego.Against All Odds, We Thrive! by artist Sarah Soward. Alonzo Horton’s passion and vision for San Diego is celebrated.Diego, by artist Monty Montgomery. The colors and shapes on this rabbit are visual impressions of experiences on the streets of San Diego.
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A humorous sculpture stands on the sidewalk outside the Ron English POPaganda art exhibit in San Diego.
There’s a small but eye-popping exhibit a few blocks from most of the Comic-Con action that many art lovers should enjoy–particularly those who are fans of Ron English and his style of humorous, anti-corporate art.
I visited his POPaganda exhibit and captured a few photos to provide an idea of what you will see. This is the first US stop of his “Make America GRIN Again” tour. I wonder who is grinning? Personally, I found it a bit ironic that the effort to sell profuse merchandise seems to eclipse his few (but delightful) pieces of anti-consumerist art. But what do I know?
You can find this fun pop-up exhibit at 1037 J Street. It’s open Wednesday through Saturday 11:00am to 6:00pm. Ron English will be present and signing from 3:00pm to 5:00pm, Thursday through Saturday.
The Statue of Liberty is grinning like a skull during 2017 Comic-Con.Looks like a Hulkish, supersized Ronald McDonald with red stretchy pants. He must work out after taking in all those calories.It’s Sugar Diabetic Bear!Looks somewhat like Franken Berry. Uh, oh! This subversive exhibit is making me hungry for sugary cereal!
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Two terracotta female figures stand at Heritage Plaza, near the intersection of San Diego Avenue and Hortensia Street.
A number of fine sculptures by artists T.J. Dixon and James Nelson can be spotted around San Diego. During a walk down San Diego Avenue in Old Town, I paused to photograph their 1995 sculpture of two life size female figures in terracotta. If you drive down the street past Heritage Plaza, it can be easy to miss them. Here’s a look…
Plaque reads Sculpture by T.J. Dixon and James Nelson. Tile by Mark Emery.Graceful female figure sculpted with lifted head and smile.The second terracotta figure.Art can represent essential human truth.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! 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 share and enjoy!
Dearly Beloved, a purple mural in Normal Heights that remembers Prince and his music.
This afternoon I walked along a good stretch of Adams Avenue in Normal Heights. There were cool sights on almost every block.
A small parking area between El Zarape Restaurant and Dink’s Barbershop has been enlivened with three works of street art that I really like. I’m not sure if the female depicted in the second mural represents someone in particular. The face looks familiar. If you recognize her, please leave a comment!
A small parking area between buildings on Adams Avenue in Normal Heights contains three works of art.This rusty metal sculpture leans like a lazy old fellow against a white fence.A beautiful female face and a blown feather.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
A new batch of public art has popped up in the breezeway between the Santa Fe Depot and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. I believe these pieces were all created by youth.
On Saturday I took a few photos after stepping off the trolley. Enjoy!
Half face of husky.Ali times eight.Pink face with closed eyes.Defying gravity. Something appears odd. Can you spot it?King, with a Dream.Patchwork elephant.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Ion Theatre artist Kate Schott paints a cool mural on a wall in Hillcrest.
A mural is being painted on a wall next to the entrance of the Ion Theatre in Hillcrest. I first saw the new artwork a few days ago, so I snapped several photos. Today I swung by again after work to see what progress had been made.
By comparing photos, you can get a glimpse of the creative process. Kate Schott, the muralist, is a multi-talented Ion Theatre artist who is bringing this cool vision to life.
I hope to swing by on a later day to see the finished work! I’ll post photos!
A few days later, a human figure in the mural is coming to life. I look forward to seeing the finished work!
UPDATE!
On June 7th I walked by the Ion Theatre again. More painting has been completed! The mural is gradually coming to life!
Detail has been added to the first figure. And a second figure has now been painted in the forest of green trees.A third figure on the left side of the developing mural. Many colors outline the form of a sitting woman.I don’t know what this is. We’ll have to wait a little longer and find out!Finally, a singing face has emerged in the lower right corner of the new Ion Theatre mural!
ANOTHER UPDATE!
I took this photo on June 19:
The left side of the new Ion Theatre mural is taking form!
FINAL UPDATE!
The mural is finished! Here are a few elements that have come to life:
Declaration of Independence on a wall, altered to condemn instances where power is abused.A seeing eye in hand.Standing across water from a fiery skyline.Lady Liberty shines light from atop a piano keyboard. Ignite.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Many panels of street art can be seen on a construction site fence in East Village. They address diverse issues, promote civil rights, condemn social wrongs. They all speak to the human heart. They all concern love. Real love.
I don’t know who painted these panels. All are simple, but extremely powerful.
Most of the artwork opposes domestic violence, sexual exploitation and abuse.
Domestic violence is horrific. It’s a hidden crime that damages too many lives.
San Diego has a terrible sex trafficking problem. It’s an issue some of our city leaders are trying to address.
Here are a few photos.
There’s nothing super about domestic violence.Stop human trafficking.Not all monsters are in the dark.Sometimes people wipe away their tears so you can’t see them.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Visitor to the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park journeys through a dream.
Stepping into the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park is like entering a world of dreams. Weird, unexpected dreams hover around corners, dangle overhead, emerge mysteriously from the floor and walls.
A journey through this dreamworld opens one’s eyes to the possibilities of human creativity. During my recent visit I felt as though I were floating through some sort of Twilight Zone. The unearthly sounds, the psychedelic whirls of video, the explosions of imagination, the seemingly sublime and inexplicable visions.
If you’re in San Diego and love provocative art, head over to Balboa Park! The San Diego Art Institute is more gallery than museum, with exhibits that change every couple of months.
One can wander through a maze of rampant human creativity The current exhibit focuses on mixed media.Upside down, strange and sudden.Through alleys of dazzling images.Aaron Garretson, Sunday Morning Cocktails. Threat, yarn, cloth, found materials. 2016.Weird visions on a wall include spinning blobs of video.Elise Amour, Untitled. Mixed media with vintage photo. 2017.Surrounded by art. Slow feet meander from dream to dream.Eight pieces by Jodi Hays. Gouache, ink and collage on paper. 2015.
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