An exhibition of student art recently debuted at the San Diego History Center. This outstanding artwork caught my eye today during my visit to Balboa Park!
High school students from California’s 50th Congressional District submitted these fine pieces to the An Artistic Discovery nationwide visual art competition. Winners are recognized in their district and in Washington, DC, where winning works are displayed in the Capitol Building.
I enjoyed each and every one of these pieces, and you might, too, should you step into the ever-wonderful San Diego History Center!
Here are several examples…
Self Comparison, Emily Lu, Grade 11.Niente, Victoria Baltzer, Grade 12.Lady of Shalott, Joshua Alper, Grade 12.Life in the Mountains, Jazon Zhang, Grade 11.
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Beloved artist James Hubbell has passed away. When I heard the very sad news today, I immediately thought of all the beautiful art he has left as a legacy around San Diego.
If you live in or near San Diego, there’s a good chance you’ve seen his public artwork. His sculptures and mosaics can be found from El Cajon to La Mesa to Del Mar to Oceanside to Mission Valley to Coronado to Shelter Island. His Hubbell Studios/Ilan-Lael Foundation compound in Santa Ysabel (which I’ve not visited, but have seen in photos) is an inspired, absolutely unique architectural marvel.
James Hubbell designed and created so many beautifully organic forms–often with the help of his wife, son, artists in residence or volunteers–that I’ll often encounter his work during a walk. To me, each work possesses a spiritual quality.
This world we live in has been greatly enriched because of James Hubbell’s genius and vision.
Here are some photos I’ve taken over the years…
Pearl of the Pacific on Shelter Island.Pearl of the Pacific.Pacific Spirit on Shelter Island.Pacific Portal on Shelter Island.Pegasus at Olaf Wieghorst Museum in El Cajon.San Gabriel Arcángel sculpture at Mission San Diego de Alcalá.Opus in front of Oceanside Museum of Art.Marker on walkway at SDSU Mission Valley. Coffeeberry (Frangula californica).Sea Passage in Coronado.Mosaic on restroom at Briercrest Park in La Mesa.Fountain at Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library in La Mesa.A River of Time at the Del Mar Library.Art displayed at exhibition James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation, now on view at the Central Library Art Gallery.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero near the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and there’s a chance you’ll make a wonderful, unexpected discovery.
You might arrive during a concert and listen freely from many points nearby.
You might arrive during a rehearsal. The San Diego Symphony’s open public rehearsals allow you to quietly sit very close to the stage!
You might arrive during a special event before an evening concert. That’s what happened to me today.
San Diego Symphony CEO Martha Gilmer and the symphony’s Creative Consultant, renowned composer, writer, and director Gerard McBurney, were talking about the previous night’s Wagner “Die Walküre” performance, a collaborative presentation by San Diego Opera and the symphony. The two were telling stories, providing a fascinating discussion of the music and a look behind the scenes.
Gerard McBurney talked about an upcoming concert, which will feature The Firebird by Stravinsky. The history of the famous, bejeweled composition was colorfully related. We learned how an animated film will simultaneously play on Rady Shell’s video screen above the orchestra. There’s a very interesting interview of Gerard that you can read here.
Most exciting however, was the news that the San Diego Symphony’s major remodel of Copley Symphony Hall is almost completed! (One construction worker affirmed to me that it’s glorious.)
The (newly named) Jacobs Music Center Opening Night Concert will be on September 28, 2024. It promises to be A Triumphant Return!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
All sorts of creative fun can be experienced during the annual San Diego International Fringe Festival. I found some of that fun today on a patch of grass in Balboa Park!
When I happened to walk by, a puppet show was being enjoyed on this particular patch of grass near the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater. Artists who aren’t officially part of the festival are encouraged to “bring your own venue” and that’s what I had stumbled upon!
Steve Sanders with his The Wandering Umbrella’s puppet was reciting powerful poetry. Steve would later break out two additional dancing puppets, delighting surprised kids.
When I arrived, his audience was composed of other Fringe Festival performers: those folks with the furry, colorful hats. They are the theatre group GUMBO. They’ve come all the way to San Diego from Japan! Later this week they’ll be performing Forest of Truth at the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park.
The extensive student art exhibit opened recently in the large makerspace room on the museum’s second floor. Excellent works on display include paintings, drawings, photography, graphic design, mixed media, multimedia and more. Dozens of unique creations reflect a diversity of viewpoints, and absolutely boundless human imagination.
I could see how these students, as the future unfolds, will be using their unique talents to add life to our dynamic, ever evolving culture!
All of these works were worthy of a photograph, but I’ll share just a few from my visit…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
The annual Fringe Festival returns this week to San Diego!
For a stretch of 11 days, unusual, innovative, sometimes bizarre performances by relative unknowns will be enjoyed at venues in Balboa Park and across San Diego!
Bad Behavior. Messes Solo Circus. I Need a Beer. Puppet Bash. Kid Goblin. Taptastic. Spiked Punch. Pirates of Hamlet. These are some of the numerous theatrical acts that you’ll be able to enjoy with the purchase of affordable tickets. Proceeds go entirely to the artists!
The two main venues for the Fringe Festival in 2024 are the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater and the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park. Tickets can be purchased outside each show or online.
I’ve randomly bought tickets to several shows in the past, not knowing what to expect. I noted the actors are all striving hard to achieve success. The performances can be a bit unpolished or crazy or unconventional, but they’re super creative and fun!
To see the full lineup and schedule, and detailed information about this wonderful festival, click here!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
A new binational art exhibit opened last week at San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum. Three notable Mexican artists–Charles Glaubitz, Alejandra Yépiz Portillo, and Urbano Mata–have contributed large walls full of comic art in a collaboration between the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego and the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park. The exhibition is titled Border Blitz: Artistas del Cómic de Tijuana.
San Diego and Tijuana share unique qualities, including dynamic cultural cross-pollination between two nations. Border Blitz: Artistas del Cómic de Tijuana celebrates the selection of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024!
During my visit to the museum last weekend, I really enjoyed all the great, super creative artwork on display. I took the following photos as I explored the extensive upstairs gallery. To experience everything, make sure to visit the museum yourself!
The first group of photos represents the artwork of Charles Glaubitz. The artist’s work includes zines, graphic novels and animation, and transcends traditional visual arts. He intersects vibrant psychedelic imagery with ancient myths, quantum physics and spirituality! Pretty wild, right? Check it out…
The second artist is Alejandra Yépiz Portillo, who was born in Ensenada, Mexico. The pieces chosen for this exhibition represent the beginning of her work in professional comics. Her fun art is ever-evolving. She focuses on coming of age, comedy and drama with digitally drawn comics and panels imitating manga…
Finally, the third artist who lives in Tijuana is Urbano Mata. He asks: what is it like to live and love in a city divided by a border? He is noted for his comedic, cynical and carefree cartoon style. His characters are usually based on real people–affectionate portraits of people he knows closely…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Are you a fan of science fiction, horror, comic books or graphic novels? You don’t want to miss Collaboration(s)! A Journey with John Jennings, a fantastic new exhibit that opened last week at the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park!
John Jennings is an Eisner Award–winning and New York Times best-selling artist, designer and author who has worked in comics for over twenty years. He’s also a professor of media and cultural studies at the University of California, Riverside and the director of the Abrams ComicArts imprint Megascope, which publishes graphic novels focused on the experiences of people of color.
Jennings was introduced to comics by his mother at a young age, and fell in love with the medium, whose possibilities are limited only by human imagination. Since then he has made many notable contributions to the popular culture.
Perhaps you’re familiar with the new Marvel character, Ghost Light. Jennings was the creator! He is the author of the 2023 comic series Silver Surfer: Ghost Light.
The African American character Ghost Light actually began his life as Al Harper, a physicist and friend to Silver Surfer, who sacrificed his life to save the world in a 1969 story titled And Who Shall Mourn for Him? That was back in Marvel’s comic book Silver Surfer #5.
Jennings brought the character back in a way that represents the modern African American experience. Ghost Light also reflects John Jennings’ artistic collaboration with co-creators and his love of Afrofuturism, which can be observed throughout this new museum exhibit. He has helped to create thousands of images that have been enjoyed in art shows and diverse publications.
As my few photos demonstrate, you’ll be dazzled by the bold, very colorful comic artwork produced by this prolific artist. You’ll see familiar Marvel superheroes, monsters and dark horror, images filled with symbolism and mythological and historical references, and futuristic wonders that might blow your mind!
Visitors to the exhibit can also “collaborate” with the artist by writing a story or coloring a sketch, and then share it on a wall in a Comic-Con Museum gallery. Very cool!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Should you walk down the alley that runs just south of Grand Avenue in Escondido, you might notice many of the murals that once graced the blocks between Maple and Broadway have vanished. These works of local artists, from the inaugural 2021 season of Esco Alley Art, had to be removed.
I explored Escondido’s cultural center last weekend and discovered familiar works of art mounted to several outdoor walls…
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
In recent years, locals artists, many of whom belong to the Escondido Art Association, have been working diligently to beautify Escondido. Some of these artists were on hand yesterday during the Cinco de Mayo event in Grape Day Park!
A variety of community projects have been undertaken by these inspired artists. You might recall a blog post in 2020 during the COVID pandemic. Concrete barriers along Grand Avenue were colorfully painted by Beautify Escondido. Later, an alley south of Grand Avenue would turn into an amazing outdoor gallery, featuring the murals of Esco Alley Art.
Suzanne Nicolaisen (aka Zanniki), one of the leaders of these efforts, was present at the Cinco de Mayo festival. She and others were showcasing their artwork, painting live, and promoting the beautification of Escondido.
Not only does creativity flow from these generous artists, but expanding ripples of happiness and positivity. They are true community heroes!
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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!
I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter)!
Cool San Diego Sights! 