Tag: downtown

Hubbell art exhibition at San Diego libraries!

San Diego area artist James Hubbell is beloved by many. He has achieved international renown. His beautiful, uniquely organic sculptures can be found all around the city. I’ve photographed much of his public art over the years.

Starting today, his visually stunning artwork can be enjoyed inside four different San Diego Public Libraries!

The exhibition James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation can now be viewed at the Central Library Art Gallery, the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library, the Mission Valley Library, and the Otay Mesa-Nestor Library. The citywide event will continue through August 4, 2024. To discover what you might find at each of the four libraries, click here!

I was granted a quick sneak peek inside the Central Library’s Ninth Floor Art Gallery this afternoon. The following photographs provide a taste of what you will experience…

Several special programs at the Central Library coincide with this exhibition.

On Tuesday, March 19, there is a film screening of James Hubbell: Between Heaven & Earth.

On Monday, April 22, there is a Dave Hampton lecture titled “James Hubbell at Midcentury: His Early Years in the San Diego Art Community.”

On Tuesday, May 21, there is a Keith York lecture titled “James Hubbell & Sim Bruce Richards: Collaborations.”

On Friday, May 17, there’s a stained glass workshop taught by ArtReach San Diego.

For more information about these programs, and to register, click here!

Finally, enjoy a photograph I took near the Central Library’s front desk. The beautiful sculpture is by James Hubbell. Opus, made of bronze, was created in 1970. It belongs to the City of San Diego Civic Art Collection:

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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 (formerly known as Twitter)!

A look inside San Diego’s Brain Observatory!

Refrigerator at the Brain Observatory holds brains preserved in formaldehyde.

About a year ago the Brain Observatory moved into downtown San Diego.

What, exactly, is the Brain Observatory?

It’s a museum-like place that the public can tour, whose mission is: Advancing knowledge of the brain and mental health through research, education, and the arts.

I enjoyed a look inside the Brain Observatory recently and much of what I saw was astounding. I was shown about briefly and learned about the unique facility’s history and mission.

The Brain Observatory houses a fully-functional research laboratory. Students and visitors can learn about the brain by utilizing authentic, state-of-the-art scientific equipment and by exploring real data, including samples from a large collection of donated human brains.

Founded in 2005 by Dr. Jacopo Annese, the Brain Observatory began as a brain research lab at UC San Diego. Ph.D. scientists from around the world, including a Nobel Prize winner from the Salk Institute, are on the Advisory Board.

The Brain Observatory uses MRI and microscopy to understand the biological basis of normal brain function and neurological disease. Advanced scientific equipment is also used to educate youth who take part in school programs.

Curious? The public can tour the Brain Observatory by reservation. In addition there are lunchtime lectures. Learn about these great opportunities by clicking here.

Dr. Jacopo Annese enthusiastically talked about his endeavors during my short visit. He has big plans. My own brain tried to assimilate so much information.

Brain Observatory tours and lectures, and the programs for students, are certain to be very stimulating!

A look inside the Brain Observatory in downtown San Diego. This space was last occupied by the SDSU Downtown Gallery.

The fascinating Brain Observatory uses scientific equipment to slice brains and conduct microscopic investigation.

Education is a focus of the Brain Observatory. Student artwork hangs on one wall.

Photos of people who donated their brains to science.

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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)!

Basketball court takes shape at Waterfront Park!

A new basketball court is taking shape at Waterfront Park, just north of San Diego’s County Administration Building! Check out the above photo taken this afternoon.

A large swath of the garden that originally existed on the north side of Waterfront Park has been removed, and recreational facilities are beginning to appear. Right next to this basketball court will be two pickleball courts. There will be table tennis and fitness equipment. A dog park will also be created.

These facilities will be welcomed by many downtown residents.

According to a banner on a construction fence, estimated time of project completion is July 2024.

(I’ve been told the Serpent Tree, a colorful sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle that used to rise here, will not be returning. If true, that’s sad.)

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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)!

Old art on the new Bay to Park Paseo!

The epic Bay to Park Paseo is a 1.7 mile long, art-filled walking experience that is now being created in downtown San Diego!

Many creators and designers will soon be installing unique artwork along the Bay to Park Paseo, which celebrates the designation of San Diego/Tijuana as World Design Capital 2024!

Most of the new art will be installed along Park Boulevard, up a corridor that connects San Diego Bay to Balboa Park. The Bay to Park Paseo will start at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront, cross the Harbor Drive pedestrian bridge, and run up the east side of Petco Park, continuing north up Park Boulevard.

Many of you know a lot of old art can already be found along this long corridor!

I’ve photographed most of it over the years.

Here are a few photos of preexisting art on the Bay to Park Paseo…

To enjoy blog posts that feature preexisting art along the Bay to Park Paseo, click the following links. I’ve arranged these links from south to north. (Check the bottom of each blog post for the approximate date I took the photos.)

Living metal palm trees rise into San Diego sky.

Giant seashell sculpture is a Growing Home!

Cool new mural in East Village crushes it!

Tony Gwynn street art in East Village!

Street art celebrates legendary musicians!

Art and science in two amazing East Village murals!

Young Art: Outside the Frame in East Village!

Super colorful street art in San Diego.

Discovering more Young Art: Outside the Frame!

Flowers, patterns, and a tangle of emotions.

The Strength of the Women mural by Rafael Lopez.

Colorful new murals on Park Boulevard!

More Young Art: Outside the Frame!

A shining mystery at San Diego City College.

Four more Museum of Art utility boxes!

Old sculptural figures at San Diego High School.

Young Art: Outside the Frame at Balboa Park!

Some of the painted artwork you see in these old blog posts has since faded, been replaced or badly marred by graffiti.

An idea! Before the Bay to Park Paseo officially opens, perhaps original artists could be contacted in order to restore some of this great old art!

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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)!

Petrichor rises in downtown Children’s Park!

Cool public art rises in downtown San Diego’s newly reopened Children’s Park. I walked through the park today and took photographs of this fascinating sculpture, which is titled Petrichor.

Last year, while the reimagined, redesigned Children’s Park was still closed to the public behind a construction fence, I had called this mysterious white structure a “tower of fun” in my ignorance. I thought it might be part of the nearby playground. I’ve since learned the steel and cement sculpture was created by San Diego artist Miki Iwasaki. (You might recall a different sculpture she created for Liberty Station in Point Loma.)

The odd lattice-like geometric shape of Petrichor in the sky makes an interesting contrast against nearby trees and more distant downtown high-rises!

Petrichor was added to the City of San Diego Civic Art Collection in 2023.

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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)!

Two very unusual vessels visit San Diego!

Two unusual ocean-going vessels are now visiting San Diego. Both are large and amazing!

The first, which you see above, is the Island Pride, a state of the art construction and support vessel. It features a large helicopter landing pad and an impressive crane. It’s docked at the B Street Pier. I don’t know why it’s in San Diego–I saw it this morning during a walk along the Embarcadero. If you’re curious, you can read about this impressive ship on its website here.

That helicopter pad in front makes Island Pride appear as if it’s wearing a hat!

The second ship, moored a short distance north of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, is the superyacht Aquijo.

According to this Wikipedia article, Aquijo is (or recently was) the largest ketch in the entire world! A ketch is a two-masted sailboat whose mainmast is taller than the mizzen mast. Aquijo was built in the Netherlands.

Take a look at the final photo. Impressive!

You never know what sort of cool sight you might encounter during a walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero!

UPDATE!

Here’s a pic of Island Pride taken several days later. It had turned around…

ANOTHER UPDATE!

About a month later, I spotted Aquijo docked behind the San Diego Convention Center…

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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)!

Dragons and lions invade San Diego’s Gaslamp!

Dragons and lions have invaded San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter this weekend!

The colorful “Chinese New Year Faire San Diego” is being held downtown, on 3rd Avenue and J Street near the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. The annual festival is hosted by the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association. The event seems to grow larger every year!

It’s the Year of the Dragon, and there’s one enormous dragon moving sinuously through the crowd. And lucky, happy lion dancers parading down the street, too!

Up on the stage there are school kids in costume dancing and ladies smiling during a Chinese fashion show. Thao French, whose amazing Year of the Dragon art you’ve seen in Little Saigon recently, is spray painting another dragon mural. There are vendors everywhere, activities for young people, and no shortage of yummy food. Kung Fu Panda is greeting one and all, too!

(I won a beach ball spinning a prize wheel! Can you beat that?)

You can view the program schedule for this weekend by clicking here. The Chinese New Year Faire San Diego continues tomorrow–Sunday, February 25, 2024.

Enjoy these photographs from Saturday morning!

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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)!

New public art appears at RaDD in San Diego!

New public art has appeared at the RaDD (Research and Development District) complex that now rises on San Diego’s waterfront!

Sculptures and murals can be viewed by those walking along the Embarcadero among the five gleaming RaDD buildings where some construction fences have recently come down.

I was able to photograph the above sculpture and a long mural today during my walk near the USS Midway, the Greatest Generation Walk and Ruocco Park. I also spotted a water feature among plants and trees between the two southernmost buildings.

Another large red sculpture and another mural have also appeared among the buildings to the north, but construction fences still obstruct photography. I’ll try to provide more photos when those fences are removed.

I know nothing about the artists. If you have any interesting information, please leave a comment. If I learn anything further about this new public art in San Diego, I’ll post an update!

(Last November, I spotted a new mural at the north end of RaDD. See those photos 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)!

Swiss clock tower rises above San Diego!

This might surprise you, but the high clock tower that rises above San Diego’s downtown 12th and Imperial Transit Center came from Switzerland!

A detailed explanation of the 233 feet high tower clock and its history can be found here. This is part of the description:

The Swiss Bank corporation which worked with the County of San Diego and the Metropolitan Transit Development Board, arranged for the donation of the clock from “Ebel Watchmaker Co.” of Switzerland… The tower was built in 1988 and the clock installed later that year. The clock has four dials, with red Roman numerals, a white face and 6-foot long red hands. The mechanism was shipped unassembled to San Diego from Switzerland in a jumbo jet. It took 12 days for Swiss technicians to put the system together…

There’s no elevator in the tower, so assembly of the clock was a difficult task that required manually carrying boxes full of mechanism parts up the equivalent of fifteen stories!

I believe the impressive clock still operates. The clock was installed with electronic speakers for chimes–but I don’t believe I’ve ever heard them.

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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)!

Amusing license plates at downtown Hodad’s!

The windows in front of the Hodad’s restaurant in downtown San Diego are filled with amusing customized license plates!

The other day, as I walked down Broadway, I paused to take these fun photographs!

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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)!