Everywhere you go in San Diego’s Old Town there are touristy shops selling Mexican curios. As I walked along one typical street last Sunday, I was struck by the dazzling array of patio ornaments on display outside a place called Miranda’s Courtyard.
I took several photos from the sidewalk. According to reviews on Yelp, Miranda’s Courtyard sells Mexican religious art, terra cotta suns, Talavera clay pottery, and just a huge bunch of colorful knick knacks.
Photo of suns and moons taken from sidewalk.Lots of colorful trinkets and home decorations.Seems you could spend a whole day at this place!Lady checks out Mexican curios at Miranda’s Courtyard.
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Lots of folks enjoying Cinco de Mayo weekend in Old Town.
Late this morning I took a long leisurely walk through San Diego’s Old Town, just to check out this weekend’s Cinco de Mayo festivities. Thousands of people had arrived already, and the crowd was rapidly growing!
People were excited to watch dancers and musicians performing on several stages. They enjoyed gobs of Mexican food, the Cantina Garden, a fun petting zoo, lots of very cool lowriders, and endless booths selling Mexican crafts and wares.
Mariachis play for huge crowd in Old Town’s central plaza.Posing for a fun Cinco de Mayo photo.Colorful Mexican ornaments and gifts seemed to be everywhere.This barbeque smelled really good to the passing crowd.Curled mustache and old-fashioned prickly pear lemonade!Fiesta de Reyes was more festive than usual for Cinco de Mayo.One Mexican folk dancer watches another perform on stage.Bright yellow festival dress worn by lady walking behind Seeley Stable.A petting zoo was set up in Old Town for the kids.There were dozens of amazing hydraulic lowriders.
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Original staff plaster memorial to Fray Junipero Serra, founder of the Franciscan missions in Alta California. Was part of the 1915 Exposition’s Food Products Building.
In the outdoor Panama-California Sculpture Court at Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado you’ll discover a small collection of rescued art. Most of these sculptures and decorative motifs are made of staff, which is gypsum plaster mixed with hide glue, reinforced with fibers. They were found in 1975 dumped in an unused corner of the nearby Casa de Balboa. Many are remnants of the old Food and Beverage Building from Balboa Park’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition and were designed by architect Carleton Monroe Winslow. Visitors today can admire these beautiful historical pieces up close.
Castle, which was located on the left side of the Serra Memorial, depicts the heraldic emblem of the former Spanish Kingdom of Castile.One of four identical heads created in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. It was located on the Varied Industries Building facade.Plaster models designed in 1924 of famous 17th century Spanish painters Velazquez, Murillo and Zurbaran. Used to cast sculptures above what is now the San Diego Museum of Art.This round staff plaster Spanish Conquistador vignette, dated 1914, formed a pendant beneath sculptural groups on the Varied Industries Building.Freestanding figure of a woman in flowing robes titled Religion. It stood atop the 1914 retablo of the Varied Industries Building.Unused cast concrete replica of an original 1914 angel head finial. Created for the 1971 reconstruction of the Casa del Prado.Beautiful works of art in Panama-California Sculpture Court at the Casa del Prado.Angelic column seen through arch of Casa del Prado.
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SILO in Makers Quarter is a cool venue in East Village.
People entering downtown San Diego from Highway 94 might glimpse on their left what appears to be a large dirt lot full of odd items and graffiti. At first glance, I figured it was just a junky, neglected old vacant lot. Upon closer inspection, however, I realized the place was something completely unexpected, and pretty cool!
A large black silo rises near the center of the lot, hence the name of this interesting events venue: SILO in Makers Quarter. Beer festivals, bazaars, film festivals…these and other events are staged here in this neglected portion of East Village. According to the Makers Quarter website: SILO in Makers Quarter will be the launch pad to encourage the early adopters in San Diego to embrace the neighborhood and bring about positive change. SILO in Makers Quarter is being established as a year round event venue to bring collaborative community and creative culture to East Village.
I took these photos through a surrounding fence. Very cool!
A black silo rises behind a smile!Painted on a building wall: You are important.Fun events are held in this unusual urban space.Large eye peers from behind chain link fence.Lots of fantastic street art at SILO in East Village.Another example of colorful street art.Makers Quarter’s goal is to attract energy to part of the city.Bold graphics seen from the nearby sidewalk.Photo taken through fence of twisted sculptures.Bales of hay, funky images create a party atmosphere.SILO in Makers Quarter on 15th Street in East Village.
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Part of Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art’s mural on F Street.
On F Street, one block west of SMARTS farm (see my last blog post), San Diegans can enjoy a huge public mural. Created by the Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art (MOOPA), the photo ArtWall covers the upper portion of the old Jerome’s Warehouse between 14th and 15th Street.
The mural features the work of three photographers. Matt Black’s photos feature a village in the Mixteca, an impoverished area in Mexico. Susan Madden Lankford’s photos show the streets of San Diego and contain many diverse portraits. A simple photo of a cone flower in the center of the mural, linking north and south, is the work of Polly Lankford Smith.
Face peers over treetops from large MOOPA ArtWall.Segment of gigantic mural in downtown San Diego.Walking along the rails on the upper wall of an old warehouse.Amazing photography records a face in time.Another example of art in downtown’s vibrant East Village.Old Jerome’s warehouse on F Street features the huge mural.Public art in San Diego’s East Village includes farm workers.Photo of child in a mask is part of MOOPA mural.Playing a tuba on F Street between 14th and 15th.Museum of Outdoor Photographic Art’s ArtWall is a very cool sight.East side of old Jerome’s warehouse across from SMART farms.
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Figures associated with books linger in relief above entrance of old San Diego Central Library. Literature East, by famed local artist Donal Hord, 1953.
San Diego’s old Central Library on E Street was never really much to look at–in my opinion, at least. It was just a small, nondescript, almost colorless building across from the downtown Post Office. When the brand new gleaming Central Library opened in East Village, the doors of the old library were shut forever. But a few notable images–beautiful works of art near the entrance–still remain.
The classic Literature Panels at either side of the library entrance were created in 1953, when the building was new, by important San Diego artist Donal Hord, whose iconic works can be seen throughout the city. These reliefs depict readers and writers of books in human history.
Because of poor health as a child, he spent many hours in the San Diego Public Library and developed a love for reading.
Timeless art by an internationally renowned San Diego sculptor depicts books and their association with history, music and culture. Literature West, by Donal Hord, 1953.
Clock shows midnight on east side of closed San Diego library.
A lamp still burns on the vacant library’s front sidewalk.The empty sidewalk contains images once tread by many feet.Graphic on sidewalk in front of old library tells of dreams, boldness and genius.Books still line the parking lot behind vacant library.Little else remains to be seen at the old Central Library.
In Search of Earthly Delights mural at San Diego Museum of Art.
If you’re walking around Balboa Park and feeling adventurous, you can sneak into a portion of the San Diego Museum of Art and enjoy a stunning indoor mural. Just enter the unlocked door near the Sculpture Garden’s outdoor cafe! Like the sculpture garden, this area of the museum is free to the public!
The 70 foot mural is named En Busca de las Delicias de la Tierra/In Search of Earthly Delights. Created by Writerz Blok, an innovative graffiti mural organization, it was painted by young artists Sake, Daze, Izze and Krown. Pieces from the museum’s collection of Mexican modern art were used for reference and inspiration.
San Diego Museum of Art visitor walks past large indoor mural.San Diego organization Writerz Blok helped to create this amazing mural.
San Diego’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade was held this morning. It ran along Fifth and Sixth Avenue, on Bankers Hill just west of Balboa Park.
I captured a whole bunch of fun pics just prior to the parade’s start. There’s no shortage of the color green! All sorts of people and pets were gathering and preparing and positioning themselves for the exciting event!
People head up Sixth Avenue to watch the big annual parade.Bagpipers in kilts assemble for the parade near Balboa Park.A colorful calliope stands by near start of parade route.Mounted participants in San Diego’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.Cal Fire stands at the ready for the big event.Girls anticipate marching on a sunny Saturday morning.Junior Achievement kids hold THANK YOU spelled out for a photo.Hanging some Irish green tinsel.Last minute preparations on a School of Irish Dance float.Another Smiling Irishman.Gentlemen in capes and plumed hats hold flags.A band was playing on a float even before the parade started.Kermit the Frog is proud to be green!Big American Flag is ready on Sixth Avenue.Another half hour until things really get rolling.Clown’s tie indicates Irish For a Day.Green-antlered hood ornament.Even dogs are wearing the green.San Diego Elks Lodge No. 168 and lots of shamrocks.A funny little wooden vehicle in line to start the parade.Lincoln High School band members in green.St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Diego is a wonderful tradition.
Ancient Egypt and its symbols inspire much of the vibrant mural.
Folks heading up Park Boulevard beside Balboa Park often turn their heads as they pass the amazing, enormous mural painted on the side of the WorldBeat Cultural Center.
The WorldBeat Cultural Center, based in a former water tower, is a multi-cultural arts organization that promotes and preserves the African and indigenous cultures of the world through music, art, dance, education and technology. The center is also used as a venue for concerts and other special events.
Last Saturday I walked around the structure and took some pics of the huge, colorful mural. It completely spans the outside wall of the cylindrical building.
Front entrance of the WorldBeat Cultural Center in Balboa Park.The WorldBeat Cultural Center is based in an old water tower.A variety of bold faces gaze in every direction from the mural.Fantastic images catch the eye of people passing on Park Boulevard.Egyptian figures painted on the north side of the WorldBeat Cultural Center.The back door looks like a magical entrance to another realm.Exotic falcon with spread wings.Diverse cultures from around the world are celebrated.Image in mural similar to the Mask of Tutankhamun.
UPDATE!
After posting these photographs, I did some research and learned a little more about this amazing mural that celebrates Egyptian, African, and Indigenous cultures.
Nearly all of the artwork was created by Mike Watson, otherwise known as AIR MIKE. He was the original artist at World Beat’s first location on Hancock Street, before moving to the repurposed water tower in Balboa Park under the leadership of Makeda Cheatom.
I also learned the King Tut artwork was contributed by muralist Mario Torero and a group of students.
Here are more pics I took with a different, better camera in early 2021…
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Here are even more pics from Barrio Logan! These photos were taken on the north side of Chicano Park, from the basketball court to Cesar Chavez Boulevard, including a stretch under the I-5 overpass.
As I mentioned before, some of these images might be considered controversial. To see previous photos, click the Chicano Park tag at the bottom of this post and scroll down. I have one more batch of photos coming up. Please feel free to share anything on this blog!
Raza mural decries Operation Gatekeeper.Cesar Chavez Blvd mural under busy freeway.Arriba Mexico on I-5 underpass mural.A painted Cesar Chavez and two youth greet traffic in Barrio Logan.Aztlan mural on Cesar Chavez Boulevard.Pedestrians near Chicano Park walk past public art.Mural at edge of Chicano Park opposes retrofitting.Painted images on Interstate 5 north of Chicano Park.Utility box painted with El Corazon, the heart.Mural supports Race, opposes the Border Patrol.Elaborate mural containing ancient symbolism on a handball court in Chicano Park.Painted jaguar crouches near basketball court.A very detailed and colorful mural in Chicano Park.Aztec mural painted near chain link fence.Utility box with colorful figures, including a mariachi.Classic cars depicted on a concrete pillar.San Diego Lowrider Council mural in Chicano Park.
Cool San Diego Sights! 