Great works of art greet shoppers and diners inside Del Mar Plaza. Wander about and you’re bound to stumble upon surprising artwork, in the form of a sculpture, mosaic or mural!
These pieces are part of the Public Art Collection at Del Mar Plaza. I discovered them in no particular order…
I found this mural in a quiet hidden area. I saw no information concerning it.Level Head by artist Tony Cragg, 2006, Bronze. Tony Cragg is a British sculptor. His works are held in many leading museums.A beautiful swirling mosaic extends on the ground from Level Head through a nearby passageway.Beautiful mosaic looks like water.LEVER II by artist Anthony Gormley, 2012, Cast Iron. Anthony Gormley is a British sculptor. This is an example of his “digital-cubism” where the human form is rendered in many different postures.It does appear like a lever!OPUS #1 by artist Maidy Morhous, 2019, Bronze. I’ve photographed other pieces by local artist Maidy Morhous around Del Mar.OPUS #1 from a different angle.A beautiful tree mural grows in Del Mar Plaza. By artist Kelsey Montague.Jackass and Elephant by artist Barry Flanagan, 1995, Bronze. The renowned Welsh sculpture enjoyed creating humorous, anthropomorphic figures.Jackass rides an elephant through Del Mar Plaza!In every direction, Del Mar Plaza is full of fun, unexpected artwork!
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Denise Cerro was working on a mixed media piece in Gallery 21, at the Spanish Village Art Center. With a great big smile she was greeting visitors to her solo exhibition My Colors of Home.
I looked at her artwork and immediately loved it. Denise tends to use the same color palette in her works–earthy colors that appeared to me like water, leafy green and the soil beneath our feet. She embraces the same palette in her house, dress and life. They are her colors of home.
To create art she utilizes all sorts of materials–from bits of wallpaper to newspaper and magazine clippings to other interesting found objects. She can find all sorts of odd little treasures at estate sales. The junkiest stuff is often best!
Denise loves to create art filled with flowers. She confided to me that after she produces an abstract piece, she feels compelled to return to flowers.
I learned Denise has her studio at Liberty Station in one of the old barracks. If you like what you see in my blog, you might want to pay a visit. Her website is here.
The exhibition My Colors of Home in Gallery 21 is about to conclude–it runs through tomorrow, June 3. I caught it just in time!
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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.
South Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach is a place where creativity thrives. Walk down the sidewalk through the Cedros Avenue Design District and your eyes will discover surprising art wherever they turn.
I walked this way three years ago and found a bunch of cool stuff. See it here. I also stepped into the fun Art Alley on Cedros. See that here.
Yesterday I took a similar walk and found new sights that I hadn’t previously seen! In addition to a very colorful tile mosaic bench south of the Belly Up Tavern, I photographed the following…
The planet I live on is the planet you live on.You turn graves into gardens – You turn bones into armies – You turn seas into highways – You’re the only one who canOut of the Blue
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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.
This bench decorated with tile mosaics adds beauty to the edge of a parking lot south of the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.
I saw the artwork yesterday during a leisurely walk down South Cedros Avenue. It was one of many new discoveries that I made in the very colorful Cedros Avenue Design District!
I believe I see a starfish, garibaldi, seahorse and crab. The curving bench appears to show an underwater ocean scene. What do you see?
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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.
Do you have a curious mind? Five years ago, during the month of June, Cool San Diego Sights featured a whole universe of photographs. Perhaps you might enjoy viewing colorful moments from the past!
From Escondido to La Jolla, from North Park to City Heights, from Barrio Logan to National City to Chula Vista, my camera recorded many places and events. I took so many photos, in fact, that I’ve had a hard time choosing which posts to share!
The upcoming links will take you back to June 2019. It was a fine time to take a walk. Summer events were underway. San Diego Comic-Con was on the way. Human creativity, activity and possibilities could be discovered everywhere!
To see many photographs, click the following links!
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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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.
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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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.
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.
Cool San Diego Sights! 