Tag: community

Mingei celebrates San Diego Craft Collective.

The Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park has a great exhibit outside its east entrance that celebrates the San Diego Craft Collective. Beautiful objects crafted by members of the collective are proudly displayed!

A collaboration between the Mingei and the San Diego Craft Collective makes perfect sense. The museum collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft, and design. The family-friendly San Diego Craft Collective, located in Liberty Station, teaches it members traditional craft, including woodworking, ceramics, textiles, fiber arts, glass art and more. They are dedicated to sustainability, utilizing natural and recycled materials. The collective even teaches organic gardening!

A couple years ago I visited the San Diego Craft Collective. I was amazed by the extent of their facility and the diversity of work by its members. If you want to read that past blog post and see those photographs, click here.

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La Mesa Downtown District sign rises!

The La Mesa Downtown District sign is rising on La Mesa Boulevard near Palm Avenue! The landmark arch, similar to many others in neighborhoods around San Diego, will welcome those entering the heart of La Mesa’s historic downtown.

Construction officially commenced in February. Yesterday I noticed the two supporting posts now stand on the opposing sidewalks, and several banners on fences announce the Future Home of the Downtown District Sign.

The La Mesa Park & Recreation Foundation website contains more details concerning the project, which has been spearheaded by the La Mesa Village Association.

The archway will feature two support columns adorned with a “Community Quilt” of 1,512 hand-painted tiles created by residents and local businesses.

As I walked up La Mesa Boulevard, I took several photos…

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Improvements coming to Escondido Creek Trail.

Yesterday, as I walked to the new Escondido Creek Trail Outdoor Art Gallery, I noticed a lot of construction.

Many improvements are currently being made to the Escondido Creek Trail!

An effort is being made to make the trail more inviting to pedestrians, bicyclists, and lovers of the outdoors.

New landscaping is coming, as evidenced by many flags in bare dirt. There are new shade structures and seating, and winding side paths. There is new paving, signage, bridge-spanning art, an exercise area, and even attractive brickwork that is being installed at one intersection!

Here’s a City of Escondido webpage that describes what I saw. It explains: This project aims to encourage safe and healthy lifestyles through an improved sense of security, enhanced street crossings, fitness and play amenities, native and CA-friendly landscaping, and further opportunities for walking and jogging in addition to improvements to the bike path. The goal is to revitalize the Creek Trail Corridor through enhanced activities and partnerships with local businesses, artists, schools, and other organizations.

My photographs were taken along a relatively short section of the Escondido Creek Trail, between Juniper Street and Fig Street…

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Escondido Creek Trail Outdoor Art Gallery debuts!

Two days ago the Escondido Creek Trail Outdoor Art Gallery made its official debut!

Having missed the ceremony, I headed up to Escondido today to enjoy my first look.

Congratulations to ESCO ALLEY ART, the community organization that presented these six murals to the City of Escondido. To learn more about their ongoing efforts to beautify Escondido, visit ESCO ALLEY ART’s website here.

These half dozen murals each measure 15 by 10 feet, depict local flora and fauna, and were transferred onto Aluminum Composite Material. Their super shiny surfaces made photography without reflections nearly impossible. I did my best!

The murals are located on the Neighborhood Healthcare building at 460 North Elm Street. They face the Escondido Creek Trail–a pedestrian and bike path that is presently undergoing improvement. (I noticed some of the improvements during my walk and will blog about that coming up.)

Curious who the mural artists are? Check out the captions of my photographs…

Nature Watching by artist Laura Green.
Coyote by artist Berthis Myers.
Wildlife in the Poppies by artist Joanne Sullivan.
Aspire by artist Kat Furrow.
Tunas Doradas by artist Andres Marin.
California Dreaming by artist LaRetta Small-Zamora.

This ESCO ALLEY ART webpage links to information concerning each artist!

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Balboa Park art exhibit celebrates Logan Heights.

This weekend you have one last chance to experience a very special exhibition of art in Balboa Park. Members of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild are exhibiting work that celebrates the history and culture of Logan Heights and other neighborhoods along Imperial Avenue east of downtown San Diego.

One Day in the Life on Imperial is the title of the exhibition, now on display in Gallery 21 of Balboa Park’s Village Arts Center (still known widely as Spanish Village).

Last month, at the TULAROSA gallery, I visited the first version of this exhibition. It has greatly expanded and moved since then, and many more diverse artworks are now collected together for visitors to enjoy!

The art you’ll encounter shows what life is like along historic Imperial Avenue. Families and shopkeepers, happiness and struggles–every aspect of a community is the subject matter of local artists who walked the street, absorbing all they experienced. Many of the resulting pieces are energetic and colorful.

One Day in the Live on Imperial continues through Monday, April 20th, 2026. If you’re heading to Balboa Park this weekend, you ought to swing by!

A few examples…

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Join the Arbor Day Tree Planting in Balboa Park!

Join friends, neighbors and others in the San Diego community this Arbor Day for a tree planting in Balboa Park!

On Friday, April 24th, between 9 and 11 am, volunteers will help plant new trees in Balboa Park.

Help the environment and add even more beauty to our beloved park! Have a fun time! No experience necessary!

You can learn more about this event and sign up (by April 19) by clicking this link.

Ideas for volunteering around San Diego!

April is National Volunteer Month. Have you considered going out into your community and volunteering? Here are 20 past blog posts that are full of ideas!

Hundreds of volunteering opportunities await you all around San Diego. What is your passion? Neighborhood cleanups? Rescuing dogs? Planting flowers? Helping out at a food bank? Creating art? Preserving history? Helping the elderly? Helping kids in hospitals?

Over the years, I’ve blogged about many events and organizations that concern or welcome volunteering.

Because Cool San Diego Sights focuses on my discoveries during walks, I often stumble upon environmental cleanups. But there’s a whole universe of very different volunteering possibilities out there!

I’ve chosen 20 past blog posts that might inspire you to investigate further.

Click on the following links and get some ideas!

(I usually provide a link to the organizations that welcome volunteers. If by chance I didn’t, Google will do the trick!)

San Diego nurses organization cleans Ski Beach!

Rotary Club of Coronado celebrates 100 years.

Help preserve history, education in Chula Vista!

Dog rescuers of San Diego/Baja region save lives!

Thank you to Balboa Park’s many volunteers!

Pollinator garden planted near Lemon Grove Depot!

Community volunteers beautify City Heights!

The Santee Food Bank needs your help!

Help our environment at San Diego EarthFest!

Spring flowers brighten Shelter Island!

San Diego River Center at Grant Park is rising!

Gamers Outreach brings play to kids in hospitals!

Painting beautiful street art in Hillcrest!

Operation Clean Sweep beautifies the waterfront!

Preserving local history in Imperial Beach!

Many generous Boy and Girl Scouts volunteered to beautify Cabrillo National Monument during Operation Gum Drop Removal!

Community clean up in Old Town San Diego!

Spread kindness and love in Escondido!

Make security blankets to comfort hurting kids!

Step into El Cajon’s fascinating history!

Help keep San Diego clean and beautiful!

Here are some of the people who have volunteered and made a real difference.

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A Day at the Park in National City!

Lots of families came out to A Day at the Park in National City today! The fun waterfront event was held at Pepper Park, thanks to the Port of San Diego.

There was free food, plus live entertainment by the San Diego Symphony, Mariachi Nuevo Aguadulce, and others. For the kids there was face painting and henna tattoos. Many community organizations showed up as well.

The Port of San Diego was demonstrating how they are electrifying their maritime operations to help protect the environment.

I also learned how the National City Historical Society is trying to save Granger Music Hall, an architecturally important building designed by Irving Gill and on the National Register of Historic Places. If you’re curious about their efforts, or would like to help, check out this webpage.

I was eager to see how Pepper Park’s major redevelopment has turned out. I’d seen the new beach during my last visit, but now there’s also the pirate-themed playground and splash pad!

As you can see from my photos, the park has become truly amazing! People who reside in National City and San Diego’s South Bay are very fortunate!

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San Diego nurses organization cleans Ski Beach!

A big thank you to the several dozen volunteers representing the San Diego Association for Male Nurses! They picked up litter at Ski Beach in Mission Bay today!

I learned that the cleanup is one of many ways the organization improves our city and the people it touches!

The San Diego Association for Male Nurses invites old and new members (and any volunteers) to help with their many efforts, whether it’s coastal cleanups, providing blood pressure awareness to local communities, medically helping children in Mexico, demonstrating CPR in high schools, or handing out Narcan at Chicano Park Day this coming April 25!

Wow, these people are amazing! Super nice too!

According to their website: Our mission is to champion an inclusive professional nursing environment, provide support for current and future male nurses, and advocate to bring awareness to men’s mental and physical health issues.

Awesome! Why not join them?

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San Diego artists interpret life on Imperial.

Members of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild have beautiful works now on display at the TULAROSA gallery.

Before creating their pieces, these Atelier artists spent time walking around Imperial Avenue east of downtown San Diego. Their inspired interpretation of the historic neighborhood can be viewed in the TULAROSA gallery, which is appropriately located at 2602 Imperial Avenue.

The exhibition is titled One Day in the Life on Imperial.

I swung by after 11 am today, shortly after the gallery opened. And whom should I meet as I stepped through the door? Renowned muralist Mario Torero! He was just as friendly and gracious as ever.

I enjoyed looking at all the pieces. Some of the artwork includes buildings and murals one might see on the street nearby. It was fun trying to find them!

The exhibition will continue at TULAROSA through Sunday, March 29, 2026. The gallery is open 11 am to 7 pm.

What special events at the gallery are coming up?

Wednesday, March 25: Community & Artist Leaders Panel. 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Thursday, March 26: San Diego Artists Guild Panel II. Continuation of artist discussions and exhibition programming. 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Friday, March 27: Jazz, Soul & R&B Legacy Night, celebrating the musical history of Imperial Avenue, once one of San Diego’s most important music corridors.

Saturday, March 28: Community Mural Activation. Community painting of the 19th Street Mural Project. Artists participating include Mario Torero. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Sunday, March 29: Closing Day of the exhibition. Final mural painting session for the 19th Street Mural Project. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Here are some examples of the artwork on display…

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