Two terracotta female figures stand at Heritage Plaza, near the intersection of San Diego Avenue and Hortensia Street.
A number of fine sculptures by artists T.J. Dixon and James Nelson can be spotted around San Diego. During a walk down San Diego Avenue in Old Town, I paused to photograph their 1995 sculpture of two life size female figures in terracotta. If you drive down the street past Heritage Plaza, it can be easy to miss them. Here’s a look…
Plaque reads Sculpture by T.J. Dixon and James Nelson. Tile by Mark Emery.Graceful female figure sculpted with lifted head and smile.The second terracotta figure.Art can represent essential human truth.
…
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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Folks dance on the stage at the center of Balboa Park’s International Cottages. The lawn program today was hosted by the House of France.
For a moment I thought I’d taken a wrong turn. Was this Louisiana? Upon entering the lawn area of Balboa Park’s International Cottages, the energetic, rollicking Zydeco music coming from the stage made me suddenly feel like dancing about! And I don’t dance!
San Diego’s own Bayou Brothers band was the main entertainment this afternoon for the House of France’s lawn program! And they appeared to be an enormous hit!
An accordion starts hands clapping and feet stomping.A nice crowd enjoyed some great entertainment on a perfect Sunday in the park.People gathered outside the House of France to listen to the music, talk, and look at some cultural displays.A poster says Welcome to the House of France. It depicts Mont St. Michel, Château de Versailles, la Tour Eiffel, and other popular national attractions.Some visitors inside the House of France sample treats and enjoy more good conversation.While outside, the music played. Just another wonderful day in Balboa Park.
…
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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Late this morning I went to the annual Ocean Beach Street Fair. As usual there was lots of live music, tons of yummy food, endless smiles, and a whole bunch of friendly artists creating amazing art.
Here is just a little of what I saw…
Someone tries their hand at creating with chalk during the Ocean Beach Street Fair. At the center, I Love Art.A large Artists’ Alley was full of life and energy.One artist was painting while people looked at her colorful canvases.This artist was just getting started. All art begins with an empty space that is full of infinite potential.Many different musical artists entertained the crowd at the OB Street Fair. This rollicking band could be heard at the Wonderland Stage.Meanwhile, another keg of beer is arriving in an alley by the Kilowatt Ocean Beach mural.Kids enjoyed a bounce house that featured comic book art.This bubble blower guy is an artist. Right? He creates shimmering joy.Another artist at the Ocean Beach Street Fair concentrates on her work.One guy in Artists’ Alley had a bunch of cool robot artwork for sale.Kids were learning how to make music, and were entertaining the crowd like rock ‘n roll superstars!Some surfers pass fun public art on Newport Avenue. They hear music coming from the main stage by the beach.These skateboarders hear it, too.A band pleases the OB crowd.Others were happy to just sit by the sand and gaze out at the beautiful ocean. The sun finally came out.A local photographer was showing off his art to those passing by.Members of the Ocean Beach community (or anyone at all) could paint a square of a new community mural.A number of colorful squares have already been painted!Love of life and love of art combine at the always wonderful Ocean Beach Street Fair!
…
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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
A new batch of public art has popped up in the breezeway between the Santa Fe Depot and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. I believe these pieces were all created by youth.
On Saturday I took a few photos after stepping off the trolley. Enjoy!
Half face of husky.Ali times eight.Pink face with closed eyes.Defying gravity. Something appears odd. Can you spot it?King, with a Dream.Patchwork elephant.
…
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!
Ion Theatre artist Kate Schott paints a cool mural on a wall in Hillcrest.
A mural is being painted on a wall next to the entrance of the Ion Theatre in Hillcrest. I first saw the new artwork a few days ago, so I snapped several photos. Today I swung by again after work to see what progress had been made.
By comparing photos, you can get a glimpse of the creative process. Kate Schott, the muralist, is a multi-talented Ion Theatre artist who is bringing this cool vision to life.
I hope to swing by on a later day to see the finished work! I’ll post photos!
A few days later, a human figure in the mural is coming to life. I look forward to seeing the finished work!
UPDATE!
On June 7th I walked by the Ion Theatre again. More painting has been completed! The mural is gradually coming to life!
Detail has been added to the first figure. And a second figure has now been painted in the forest of green trees.A third figure on the left side of the developing mural. Many colors outline the form of a sitting woman.I don’t know what this is. We’ll have to wait a little longer and find out!Finally, a singing face has emerged in the lower right corner of the new Ion Theatre mural!
ANOTHER UPDATE!
I took this photo on June 19:
The left side of the new Ion Theatre mural is taking form!
FINAL UPDATE!
The mural is finished! Here are a few elements that have come to life:
Declaration of Independence on a wall, altered to condemn instances where power is abused.A seeing eye in hand.Standing across water from a fiery skyline.Lady Liberty shines light from atop a piano keyboard. Ignite.
…
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!
Visitor to the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park journeys through a dream.
Stepping into the San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park is like entering a world of dreams. Weird, unexpected dreams hover around corners, dangle overhead, emerge mysteriously from the floor and walls.
A journey through this dreamworld opens one’s eyes to the possibilities of human creativity. During my recent visit I felt as though I were floating through some sort of Twilight Zone. The unearthly sounds, the psychedelic whirls of video, the explosions of imagination, the seemingly sublime and inexplicable visions.
If you’re in San Diego and love provocative art, head over to Balboa Park! The San Diego Art Institute is more gallery than museum, with exhibits that change every couple of months.
One can wander through a maze of rampant human creativity The current exhibit focuses on mixed media.Upside down, strange and sudden.Through alleys of dazzling images.Aaron Garretson, Sunday Morning Cocktails. Threat, yarn, cloth, found materials. 2016.Weird visions on a wall include spinning blobs of video.Elise Amour, Untitled. Mixed media with vintage photo. 2017.Surrounded by art. Slow feet meander from dream to dream.Eight pieces by Jodi Hays. Gouache, ink and collage on paper. 2015.
…
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can enjoy even more Cool San Diego Sights by following me on Facebook or Twitter!
Do you like to read original, thought-provoking fiction? To read a few stories I’ve written (and something that resembles a poem), click Short Stories by Richard.
A small part of a large, dynamic painting of San Diego’s working waterfront.
Yesterday I enjoyed a visit to the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. In addition to checking out various fascinating exhibits, I paused for a moment to gaze upon two large murals on display that were painted in 1936 by Charles Reiffel.
Charles Reiffel was a renowned Post-Impressionist landscape painter who was sometimes referred to as the American Van Gogh. Looking at these truly impressive paintings, one can understand why! The viewer enters his color-splashed, dreamy world and simply wants to linger.
Two more wonderful Reiffel paintings can be seen in Balboa Park inside the Casa de Balboa. I have photos of them here!
Charles Reiffel, San Diego Harbor, 1936. Oil on canvas. WPA mural inside the San Diego History Center that was originally commissioned for San Diego High School.This part of the fantastic oil painting depicts a pier and activity on San Diego Bay.Boats and buildings along San Diego’s colorful harbor.Charles Reiffel, San Diego Backcountry, 1936. Oil on canvas. WPA mural inside the San Diego History Center that was originally commissioned for San Diego High School.This part of the oil painting shows homes in the hills of San Diego.First introduced by Spanish explorers and missionaries, horse riding has become a popular activity in the country surrounding San Diego.A farmer plows a field somewhere in beautiful 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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Performers walk off the grassy stage at Crown Point during the San Diego Shaka Fest.
Here are some photos of the San Diego Shaka Fest held at Crown Point on Mission Bay yesterday. What a fun event!
There was a whole lot of Hawaiian culture, art and sport to see, including canoe racing and Hula dance.
It was so sunny and warm by the water, it was easy to imagine that everyone in attendance had been magically transported to the Hawaiian islands!
Caution! Your are entering an Aloha Only zone, ya! Please leave your troubles at da door!Lots of stand up paddleboards and canoes down on the water of Mission Bay.People enjoy a perfect San Diego Saturday.Some canoe racing between Crown Point and Fiesta Island.A nice lady told me a bit about Hawaiian dance. One can learn Hula at workshops provided by Halau Ka Lei Kukui Hi’ilani and Hawaiian Hula International.Hawaiian culture is sunny, welcoming and full of smiles.Tim Richards is creating a tiki using a chisel, mallet and palm wood. I believe he said it takes about 6 hours to produce one this size.Lots of fun Hawaii-themed stuff for sale at Shaka Fest.And more colorful stuff!Youth prepare to take the stage. They hold ipu gourds, a traditional musical percussion instrument in Hawaii.Hula dancing on Mission Bay.This couple was watching the entertainment.Lots of paddleboards were near the sandy beach.A pleasant day was enjoyed by many at the San Diego Shaka Fest.
…
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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
Cool graphics on the side of a customized lowrider on display at this year’s Chicano Park Day celebration.
I headed down to Barrio Logan this morning to enjoy a bit of the 47th Annual Chicano Park Day celebration!
The big festival celebrating Mexican and Chicano culture drew huge crowds as usual from all around Southern California. There was traditional folklorico dancing, Aztec indigenous dance, and a huge contingent of lowriders and motorcyclists who converged to enjoy the scene and showcase their cool rides. Families enjoyed great food, the park’s playground, and a look at artwork and unique gifts at the many vendor tents. It was fun to just hang around, absorbing San Diego’s warm sunshine and the lively entertainment. The famous murals of Chicano Park infuse the much-loved event with a sense of history and potent meaning. The murals tell of the hard-fought struggle for civil rights.
Chicano Park Day this year was dedicated to Ramón Chunky Sánchez, a very popular musician and a leader of San Diego’s Chicano community who passed away late last year. Speakers also provided emotional tributes to the four who died last year at the annual La Raza Run motorcycle festival in Chicano Park when a car tragically plummeted onto the crowd from a ramp to the Coronado Bay Bridge.
On a happier note, I must mention that in January Chicano Park was designated a National Historic Landmark! Chicano Park contains our nation’s largest collection of outdoor murals.
Please enjoy some colorful photos from this morning!
A family heads toward Chicano Park, where a big annual celebration of Latino history and culture took place today.The first thing that caught my attention were lots of awesome vehicles. Many were fitted with hydraulics. Southern California lowrider culture is unmatched in the entire world.Cool cars in Barrio Logan’s world-famous park.Motorcycles and their proud owners also rode in from far and wide for the event.One corner of one mural. As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil porque soy Chicano!Vendor has lots of fun gifts ready for the growing crowd.These guys were enjoying the lively scene from one of the public park’s picnic tables.Some old photos at one booth show Chicano Park being claimed and created by activist community members in 1970.A variety of images that tell some of the history of San Diego’s unique Chicano Park.A memorial still remains in Chicano Park, where four were tragically killed last year when a driver veered off the bridge above.A large crowd gathered around the pavilion to hear surviving family members remember the deceased and thank the local community for its undying love.A large crowd, and the festival had barely opened.And then the entertainment began!People enjoy Chicano Park Day among the many expressive murals. A beautiful image of Virgin Mary has a shrine at its base.Another photo of the festival today.The folklorico dancing produces smiles, cheers and applause. The park’s pavilion, also called the Kiosko, was designed to look like a pre-Colombian Mesoamerican temple.Traditional Mexican ballet folklorico is a delightful slice of Latino culture and much loved in San Diego.Some bold artwork on display at the festival. I spotted lots of Aztec and Dia de los Muertos designs.And more cool stuff!Photograph at one table shows the late Chicano musician Ramón Chunky Sánchez.Many dancers who would perform at the Chicano Park Day celebration wore resplendent Aztec-inspired costumes.Another fantastic sight in culturally rich San Diego.The High Class Car Club out of Los Angeles had lots of amazing lowrider vehicles on display at nearby Mercado del Barrio.A cool design on the side of one very cool car!
…
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 fun photos for you to share and enjoy!
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum is a cultural gem in downtown’s small Chinatown.
I recently enjoyed a visit to the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. It’s located downtown in San Diego’s Asian Pacific Historic District. I was graciously allowed to take some photos of the indoor exhibits and the peaceful outdoor garden.
Built in 1927, this Mission Revival style building was originally the Chinese Community Church in San Diego’s Chinatown. It was saved from demolition in the 1990’s, and relocated to its present location.
The museum might be small, but it overflows with an important slice of San Diego history. Its many colorful artifacts representing Chinese culture will fascinate your eyes at every turn! I recommend a visit!
Visitors enter the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum during the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s OPEN HOUSE 2017.Many colorful sights await inside the small historical and cultural museum.Someone looks at old photos of San Diego and Chinese residents who helped to build and grow our city.The museum building was originally a mission, which was moved to its present location in San Diego’s Asian Pacific Historic District.Extensive archaeological work has been performed in this area, including the block south of the museum. Many artifacts from old Chinatown have been recovered.Old photos show archaeological digs in the neighborhood.Some of many artifacts recovered include glass bottles, ceramic bowls, utensils.Objects used in everyday life include a rubber ball, marbles, mahjong tile, Chinese dice and go pieces.Historical photograph of Chinese fishing junks anchored in San Diego Harbor around 1887.Portrait of the Ah Quin family, one of the most prominent, influential early San Diego Chinese families.Chinese laundries in San Diego utilized irons, counter bells, an abacus, and other useful objects.A bridal carriage from the late 1800s made of rosewood, found in Yun Cheng.The limestone Buddha head of the Northern Qi Dynasty, was originally carved into a cave in Shanxi Province.A temple guardian, from Ming Dynasty. The carved wooden idol has a dragon headdress, robes, glass eyes and a real hair beard and mustache.A palm raincoat, called so yee, worn by fishermen and farmers for centuries in China.Colorful woven art, and Chinese shoes and slippers for bound feet.Looking past the Buddha head at a fantastic, ornate alcove bed.The gilt red-lacquered alcove bed, or babu chuang, was made of southern elm in the Sichuan province in the late 19th century.Clay Chinese opera figurines represent different scenes. The characters are from local theatrical traditions, and utilize a complicated set of symbolic gestures.Display case contains memories of military service.Punching devices used for the Chinese Lottery of San Diego, which was popular in the red-light Stingaree District and Chinatown. Technically illegal, the lottery was tolerated by the authorities.A scene from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The elaborate wood carving depicts the battle that Zhao Yun fought to save the sun of Liu Bei.Manjusri altar table, from the late 19th century. Manjusri is the Bodhisattva of wisdom–he holds a sword that cuts through ignorance and illusion.Terracotta horse and general are replicas from the Terracotta Army unearthed at Xian, China. They occupy a corner of the museum’s outdoor Chuang Garden.Statue of Confucius, donated by the generosity of the Ministry of Education, Taiwan, Republic of China.A granite courtyard scene, 1800-1840. In this wall panel, three children representing prosperity, peer out at the street.A tranquil path runs beside water along the north side of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.Ornamental carving along the peaceful path.Another warrior statue in the cool shade.Behind the horse is a tombstone made in 1796, the inaugural year of the Jia Qing Emperor. It lacks in inscription, perhaps expressing a power that no words can describe.
…
This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Cool San Diego Sights! 