Tag: creativity

Making a women of Old Town quilt.

Threads of the Past was open yesterday in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. I was walking by their door, so I had to peek inside. Look what I found!

These friendly ladies in old-fashioned attire were working on a quilt!

They showed me how they’re creating a new quilt that honors the women of Old Town.

The square in my next photograph depicts the three daughters of Juan Bandini, one of early San Diego’s most prominent residents.

As this article explains: During the Mexican-American war and during the United States’ “Conquest” of California, Juan Bandini supported the Americans. His three daughters are even credited with making the first American flag that was raised in the Old Town Plaza on July 29, 1846–the day John Charles Fremont arrived in town.

That explains the inclusion of a United States flag.

The ladies of Threads of the Past are also working on their annual quilt to be raffled during the next Fourth of July celebration in Old Town. Kids have contributed art to many small squares. The project raises funds for the Boosters of Old Town San Diego.

If you’re ever walking in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, look for Threads of the Past. If their door is open, step inside!

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Embroidery exhibit at Mission Valley Library.

Muchas Manos de San Diego, a group of hand embroidery enthusiasts, is celebrating their 50th Anniversary with an exhibit inside the Mission Valley Library. The library’s large display case is filled with carefully stitched examples of very beautiful embroidery!

If you’d like to join the supportive group and have fun creating amazing, exquisite objects like these, here’s their website! They meet once a month.

Muchas Manos de San Diego is part of the Embroiderers’ Guild of America.

Here’s what I saw yesterday during a visit to the Mission Valley branch of the San Diego Library…

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What makes a good nesting box?

We might be in the middle of winter, but spring will be here before you know it, and birds will be looking to build their nests.

If you’d like to construct a nesting box for your yard or as a community project, how can you make one that bird’s will like, choose and use?

Some useful information is posted in downtown San Diego at the Tweet Street linear park atop Cortez Hill. If you’re into DIY and like to use saw, hammer and nails, here goes:

The wood should not be painted. If you use a nontoxic stain, use lighter colors–sun on dark colors might make the box too hot. Natural wood is excellent.

The entry hole must be sized for the bird you wish to attract, and raised from the nesting box floor to accommodate a nest. Small ventilation holes at the top keep the inside of the nesting box cool.

A slanted roof will allow water to run off, keeping the birds living inside the nesting box dry.

Have a side panel that opens for monitoring and cleaning when the box is not in use.

Put up your box before birds begin to look for suitable nesting sites. (And put it well above the ground somewhere the birds feel safe.)

After the nesting season, use the side panel to clean out the old nest. Ready your nesting box for birds to roost in during the fall and winter, or the following spring.

If you’d like to see photographs of the many cleverly designed birdhouses in Tweet Street Park (and they’re pretty amazing), click here!

As you build your own unique bird house, have fun and be safe!

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Tasty street art on an Escondido corner!

Hungry?

Feast your eyes on this tasty street art at a busy intersection in Escondido!

I used to drive past the corner of West Valley Parkway and Auto Park Way and think I should take photographs of this electrical box. I finally did yesterday.

The cheeseburger and fries looks particularly good.

Several eateries are located nearby. This colorful food art seems to be strategically positioned!

Yum!

Dolphin mosaics at La Jolla Shores beach restrooms.

I really love these dolphin mosaics at the Kellogg Park North Comfort Station in La Jolla Shores. They’re so lively and colorful!

I had to take some photos during my latest walk along the beach there.

A circular plaque in the structure, to the right of the showers, recalls how construction of the comfort station and its restrooms was primarily funded by the John G. Watson Foundation and supported by Friends of La Jolla Shores.

“Oceans of Thanks” is a phrase used by the Walter Munk Foundation for the Oceans to express gratitude to supporters, donors, and the community, particularly during annual celebrations like Walter Munk Day.

Walter Munk was a world-renowned oceanographer at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He was often called the Einstein of the Oceans. The efforts of his wife Mary Coakley Munk were instrumental in creating the new comfort station.

The Kellogg Park North Comfort Station and its mosaics were dedicated on October 30, 2014.

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Beautiful murals at Flowers Tino in Chula Vista!

Without a doubt, these two murals delight the eyes of people driving down Third Avenue in south Chula Vista. Very beautiful artwork is painted on two sides of the Flowers Tino flower shop!

Both murals were created years ago by San Diego artist David Mena (@menamurals).

The bright, colorful images are bursting with many different types of flowers. It’s like a vertical garden with a bit of added Toltec imagery!

Here’s the amazing mural on the north side:

And here’s the south side:

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Jugando sculpture by Chula Vista Memorial Park.

People walking around Memorial Park in Chula Vista could easily miss this wonderful public art. It’s located on the other side of a fence at the north end of the park. The bronze sculpture depicting a loving mother and two children stands in front of the One Park Apartments.

Jugando is the name of the sculpture. That’s Spanish for the word “playing.” Jugando was created in 1986 by artist Miriam Newman. The graceful figures are very plain, almost featureless. Diverse people who regard these figures might personally relate.

The Smithsonian Institution Art Inventories Catalog describes the work: A woman stands holding a nude baby above her head with both hands. A young girl embraces the woman from the front. Both the woman and the young girl are wearing long, pleated skirts. All three figures are faceless.

I took these photos a couple weeks ago…

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Symbolism and family and one artist.

That’s San Diego artist James Watts (@jewattso) in the above photo. He was painting an image of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods (or Shichifukujin) on the downtown sidewalk outside his studio yesterday. It’s number 93 of the 100 paintings he’s presently working on.

I had to look up those lucky gods to understand what he was painting. He also showed me a painting of his own family, which got me to thinking.

Mythology, literature, and every creative work uses symbolism. We use symbols in order to better understand and engage with an infinitely larger reality.

Now, what do we understand best? Our own lives.

So it isn’t surprising the symbols we create reflect our human experience. The deities of mythology explain the mysteries of this world, but tend to be very human. The illuminating words of great literature rely upon human experience and interaction. In a strange way, created symbols and reality combine in our own minds. Symbols inform our living.

James Watts loves mythology, literature and life, and his symbolic art connects it all. Or so it seems to me.

His next painting is of the characters in Voltaire’s novel Candide…

The next photograph shows James Watts’ family years ago, when he was a youth. That’s him in a white t-shirt…

And here’s a painting he recently created, based on the old photo…

Symbols we create can be extremely powerful.

Might we all strive to understand, remember, live fully.

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Neighborhood eateries painted by San Diego artist!

Painting of Pho Xpress and Stout Public House on Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego. By artist James Watts.

I love these fanciful paintings of neighborhood eateries! They were created by San Diego artist James Watts (@jewattso) as part of his ongoing 100 Paintings project.

I happened to walk down the sidewalk in front of his downtown studio today and he was there outside in the sunshine with his two cats, working with a smile on painting #93. Read about his 100 Paintings project here.

I ventured into his amazing studio, and he showed me some of his latest work. Among many great new paintings, he showed me these three colorful pieces. You might recognize the restaurants they depict!

James Watts is a creative dynamo who is a true San Diego treasure. He’s a super cool friendly downtown neighbor, too!

Read the photo captions. (More on his paintings in my next blog post!)

Painting of Ichiban Sushi & Japanese Cuisine on University Avenue in Hillcrest. By artist James Watts.
Painting of Las Cuatro Milpas on Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan, now permanently closed after 92 years. By artist James Watts.

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Mural by famous artist on La Mesa school!

Artist and architectural designer Millard Owen Sheets earned international fame for his work around Southern California. Perhaps you’ve seen his gorgeous mosaic murals on the exteriors of buildings that were originally Home Savings Bank branches.

One of those mosaics still exists in La Mesa. People heading down Jackson Drive might notice it above the front entrance of JCS Manzanita Elementary school, on a building that began as Home Savings.

The colorful artwork depicts friars and vaqueros. It was created back in 1976. According to this website, the mosaic was worked on by Millard Sheets and assisting artists Denis O’Connor and Susan Lautmann Hertel.

Around San Diego, three mosaic murals by Millard Owen Sheets can be found in Chula Vista, Coronado and Pacific Beach.

How absolutely amazing is this?

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