The works on display are curated by Befu Osawa, a Master Calligrapher based in San Diego. The history of Chinese and Japanese scripts is shown, along with Kanji letters that are very seldom seen.
The exquisite art of calligraphy has always fascinated me. Particularly when it’s applied to logograms that visually represent words. With careful applications of ink, the meanings of words and written stories are made visible, and imbued with additional dimension.
As a writer whose alphabetical pen strokes are careless scratches, that skillfully added depth makes me jealous!
If you love calligraphy, head over to the Exhibit Hall at the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden. This exhibition continues through July 23, 2022.
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Today the House of Norway celebrated their country’s Constitution Day a bit early with a lawn program in Balboa Park!
Norway’s proud history, democratic ideals and culture were showcased at the center of the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.
There was food (including waffles!), and folk song, and friendly folk in traditional costume, and speeches made by local dignitaries. And beautiful Norwegian crafts, like Hardanger embroidery, wood carving, and knitting. And Norwegian Elkhounds were on hand, too!
I checked out the festive event a couple of times as I walked about Balboa Park and took these photographs…
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Several wonderful pieces of Donal Hord art are now on display at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. I noticed them last weekend.
Most prominent is the extraordinary sculpture Summer Rain, Donal Hord’s final commission. Originally sculpted in 1946 from the dense wood lignum vitae, Summer Rain was cast in bronze in 1968 by Homer Dana, his assistant, two years after Hord’s death.
Donal Hord is considered San Diego’s greatest sculptor. He achieved international fame by bringing a variety of materials, including very hard stone, to life. Many of his spiritual, symbol-filled sculptures were inspired from a year he spent in Mexico, where he studied traditional Olmec and Zapotec art. Some of his public sculptures have become iconic landmarks or representations of our city.
Summer Rain stands near the center of the History Center’s fine art exhibition Be Here Now. The work of artists who lived or spent a great deal of time in San Diego fill a large gallery, and visitors are asked to consider what the collected artwork might say about our region.
…Hord’s figure dances on a cloud pushing out the rain, with hair swept up like a thundercloud, and a rattlesnake on top to symbolize lightning…The San Diego History Center collections include examples of Hord’s work in bronze, wood, stone, and plaster along with maquettes (or scale models), preliminary drawings, tools and extensive archival material.
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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 photos for you to enjoy!
Tired of living much of your life virtually for the last couple of years? Would you like an awe-inspiring, exhilarating first-hand experience of fine art?
At the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park, numerous Impressionist masterpieces now await your eyes!
All I know is that I visited the museum yesterday and found myself drifting into dreamlike worlds through frames hung on gallery walls. Scenes composed with mere glimpses of light, color and form somehow became real–more than real.
It isn’t often eyes are privileged to absorb artwork this historically important, and excellent.
Artists I noticed include Monet, Pissarro, Cezanne, Matisse, Gauguin, Degas and Picasso. If you’ve never had the opportunity to view original artwork by some of the world’s greatest artists, now is your chance!
Just a few different examples…
Boats on the Beach at Etretat, Claude Monet, 1883. Oil on canvas.The Jockey, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, 1899. Gouache and lithograph.Almond Trees in Flower, Paul Signac, 1902-1904. Oil on canvas.Portrait of Angel Fernandez del Soto, Pablo Picasso, 1903. Pastel.View of Antibes, Henri Matisse, 1925. Oil on canvas.
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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!
Checking out dozens of museums around San Diego for free? That would be better than good! That would be great!
If you’re presently a member of a museum in San Diego County, there’s a good chance you qualify for The Big Exchange.
What’s that?
During the San Diego Museum Council’s special The Big Exchange event, which is now underway and lasts through May 18, 2022, anyone who is a member of a participating institution qualifies for free reciprocal admission to over 40 museums, historic sites, gardens, and more throughout San Diego County!
Whoa! How cool is that?
I’m already taking advantage of The Big Exchange! You should, too!
One seldom observes public art that features poetry. It’s even more rare when the poems are composed by people who are frequently ignored.
Transcending Perception is public art that debuted in Liberty Station back in October, 2020. I hadn’t seen this installation until last weekend, when I walked down a pathway on the east side of THE LOT movie theater.
The images of Transcending Perception, according to the nearby information sign, “were created in a series of workshops that combined theater, poetry, and photography with the intention of ‘returning the gaze’ on both current and historical representations of those who are often excluded or misrepresented in the dominant media…”
This artwork was created by Josemar Gonzalez/Diana Cervera/The AjA Project.
Should you visit Liberty Station in Point Loma, you might want to read these potent words and consider what they mean and why they were written.
We all lead unique lives, with our own experiences and assumptions. It’s enlightening to put yourself in another’s shoes.
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Wonder, surprise, and plenty of WOW was experienced by those visiting Liberty Station today. That’s because La Jolla Playhouse was in their final day of the 2022 Without Walls Festival!
Among many outdoor performances free to the public was the colorful, kinetic procession TransMythical.
Strange, never-before-seen spirits, nature gods, high priests and mythological creatures appeared from the arches at the edge of Liberty Station’s North Promenade.
As they emerged, they seemed to step tentatively into an unfamiliar world–our world.
The mysterious creatures looked about with wonder. They wandered, gathered, formed a procession.
Appearing beautifully strange–and strangely familiar–the giant puppets and masked characters interacted with the crowd in a very human way. But then–all elemental myths are composed by us human types–right?
During the performance a baby deer was born.
The mythical creatures and we humans all looked on with wonder. The fawn was greeted with happiness.
The tiny deer looked about our shared world with newly opened eyes.
These strangely wonderful myths were brought to life by the San Diego-based Animal Cracker Conspiracy!
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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!
Three enormous ants interacted with excited children today in San Diego.
The strange human-size ants were first spotted carrying large bread crumbs about the green lawn of Liberty Station’s North Promenade.
The onlooking kids quickly understood the silent, methodical ants had a plan. They were carrying the crumbs and dropping them on the grass to form lines!
Lots of kids promptly assisted them!
Ants was the name of this very unique, super fun interactive outdoor performance, a part of La Jolla Playhouse’s 2022 Without Walls Festival at Liberty Station.
The three giant ants came from Polyglot Theatre in Australia!
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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!
What an outstanding community event! Today I experienced the 37th Annual Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair and Parade, and I gathered lots of photos!
I’d never before attended this annual event, and was blown away by the diversity, colorful entertainment, and all the smiles!
Numerous community organizations had set up canopies along on Linda Vista Road, and were greeting neighbors walking past. I was interested to learn there are plans to create a community garden. I saw many friendly people working to improve the lives of Linda Vista residents.
As I walked around, I smelled lots of yummy food. I saw kids super excited to go on rides in a fun zone. For several minutes I paused to watch and photograph a variety of cultural dances at the two festival stages.
Just before the parade began at 11 o’clock, I headed a bit north up Linda Vista Road to view the spectacle away from most of the crowd.
Personally, I liked the many roller skaters and their fun, musical routine. Linda Vista is home to Skateworld San Diego, and roller skating is a unique part of the community’s identity!
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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!
The rich culture of our region’s Native American Kumeyaay is honored at Old Town San Diego State Historic Park.
Near the corner of Juan Street and Taylor Street, the beautiful Iipay ~ Tipai Kumeyaay Mut Niihepok Land of the First People outdoor interpretive area teaches interested visitors a little of the Kumeyaay language. Kumeyaay words for many native animals and plants can be read along the edge of walkways.
During my last visit, I photographed many of the engraved artworks representing wild mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, cacti and trees, and the corresponding Kumeyaay and Spanish words.
If you want to see more of the surrounding area, the Land of the First People opened last year, and soon thereafter I took these photographs.
Incidentally, today there will be a special event held in this corner of Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. Earth Day will be celebrated! So if you read this in time, and you’re in the area, you might want to come on by!
Milyaapan. Mexican free-tailed bat.Sha-ii. Turkey vulture.Meshalyaap. Monarch butterfly.‘Aahmaa. California quail.‘Ensnyaaw. Coast live oak.‘Aashaa kwilaaw. Northern mockingbird.Hatepull. Nuttall’s woodpecker.Kekhuu. Northern flicker.Hallyewii. Alligator lizard.Iihay halakwal. Salamander.‘Emallk. Big-eared woodrat.Perhaaw. Gray fox.Kwak. Mule deer.Nyemtaay. Mountain lion.E’mull. Shaw’s agave.Ehmaall. Ground squirrel.‘Ewii. Southern Pacific rattlesnake.Waipuk. California kingsnake.Kusii. Jimsonweed.Hattepaa. Coyote.Hampachoka Huumpaashuuk. Anna’s hummingbird.‘Ehpaa. Coast prickly pear.Ashaa hahpaa. Cactus wren.Ku’uun. Red-tailed hawk.Hachehwach. Hooded oriole.Kupally. Blue elderberry.Nyemii. Bobcat.Llyexwiiw. Striped skunk.Para ak hepeshu. Great blue heron.Hantak. Treefrog.Ashaa milshlap. Mallard.
UPDATE!
I took photographs of more words during a later visit…
Hantak sa-ai. California toad.‘Ehnaally. Western pond turtle.Mashhaatiit. Dragonfly.E’pilly. Southern cattail.Meshalyaap heyull. Western tiger swallowtail.Para ak nemeshap. Great egret.Chi ariar tenurr estik. California killifish.‘U’uu. Great horned owl.Nemas. Raccoon.Miskenan. Stink beetle.Kellyemuy. Bumble bee.Hiiwaat. Deergrass.‘Eshpaa ewall nemeshap. Bald eagle.Kilyaahwii. Mourning dove.Tellypuu. Greater roadrunner.Meniish. Scorpion.‘Aanall. Honey mesquite.‘Eshpaa. Golden eagle.Kunyaaw. Black-tailed jackrabbit.Menniih. Tarantula.Muu. Bighorn sheep.
The following are animals that are extinct or no longer found in the area around San Diego…
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 photos for you to enjoy!
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