Tag: genius

Artists, livestreams, creativity at Ignition Pavilion!

Ignition Press, the Los Angeles based publisher of comic books and graphic novels, has returned to San Diego Comic-Con with their Ignition Pavilion! You can find the two-story pavilion on MLK Promenade among many other activations.

As the Ignition Press website explains: The creator-driven company exclusively publishes original series including Murder Podcast, Voyeur, Roots of Madness, Deluge, NO Place, Arcadia, and Bloodland. Current film and television adaptations of Ignition Press series include The Beauty (FX/Hulu) and Extraction (Netflix).

Comic-Con goers don’t want to miss this. In addition to buying a wide range of comics and graphic novels, fans have the opportunity to speak at length with writers and artists, all of whom are very friendly and eager to discuss their work. (You might purchase something, too!)

I noticed that downstairs you can watch the “Revenge Of” podcast. Not familiar to me.

Upstairs, there is a coffee bar (you get one free), and eBay Live which you can watch in action.

The very best part of being upstairs, however, were the awesome creators behind tables with their books.

Here are Jim McCann and Joe Eisma. They’ve created individually and in collaboration with each other. Jim McCann has written for Marvel, including the series Hawkeye & Mockingbird. You can see their cool stuff at their table inside the coffee bar.

This is Ande Parks. He has created Bad Thoughts, a dark psychological thriller. As an artist he is best known for his work on Green Arrow. The art on his table immediately reminded me of work by Mike Grell. He liked my Neal Adams Superman t-shirt!

Lots of great creators to meet!

Dave Wielgosz is another cool creator I met. He wrote 2021’s Man-Bat and contributed stories to comic book anthologies including Batman: The Brave & The Bold and Superman: Man of Tomorrow. His first creator-owned project is Showdown..

Walking over to check out the eBay Live lounge area…

Pretty cool, huh?

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Extraordinary art, artists at Chuck Jones Gallery during SDCC!

During Comic-Con 2026 in San Diego, the public has a very special opportunity to experience extraordinary art and artists!

The Chuck Jones Gallery in Seaport Village has daily free activities you don’t want to miss.

Today, Wednesday, I got to speak with Craig Kausen, grandson of legendary animator and director Chuck Jones. (That’s Craig in the above photograph.) I was also privileged to see original works by Chuck Jones from the family archives, including pieces that have been exhibited in museums around the world.

Craig Kausen was so generous with his time, speaking enthusiastically about the life and work of Chuck Jones, showing me works of original art from different eras, different projects.

Some of these original works will remain on display through the course of Comic-Con.

Craig spoke about the creative process, how Chuck Jones paid special attention to detail, even in his most simple drawings. Every line and curve convey subtle but exact feeling, just as carefully chosen words convey a specific meaning when writing.

I loved it when he explained how his Chuck Jones Center for Creativity has inspired countless kids to be more creative and appreciate art. His business card reads “Exercise Your Genius!”

I’m not exaggerating when I say he was truly amazing.

Here’s a sign in front of the Chuck Jones Gallery with the San Diego Comic-Con 2026 Line Up. Expand the image to read it…

I was also super lucky to meet and speak with artist Stephen Reis. That’s him in the next photo:

What a cool guy! What a dynamic personality! He an artist on The Simpsons who does mostly storyboards. Some of his original art is on display in the gallery and available for purchase. With his art he has generously helped raise funds for the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity.

Did you know it takes about 8 months for a single The Simpsons episode to become fully developed and completed? That’s one of many things I learned.

I also enjoyed looking at shoes he has hand painted based on Looney Tunes characters, such as Marvin the Martian. If you come by on Saturday when he’s presenting “From Sketch to Screen” at the Chuck Jones Gallery, he’ll no doubt show you, too!

Now tell me: would you like to meet some important artists and see fantastic art? You know where to go!

Stopping by the gallery today made my day. Thank you!

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If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Design and art meet in La Jolla exhibition.

The potential of human creativity is celebrated in a fantastic exhibition in La Jolla.

Art that was created by practical designers is now being showcased inside the Wisteria Cottage, which operates as the museum of the La Jolla Historical Society. The exhibition is titled Space Maker.

Very technical designers–such as architects–often enhance their work with artistic practices. Space Maker explores this fusion. It includes the work of many local visionaries, including the likes of Robert Irwin, Eugene Ray and Sim Bruce Richards.

You’ll be surprised by the range of work in the exhibition: from visual art that is puzzle-like or oddly geometric, to futuristic blueprints, to stained glass that appears 3-dimensional, to textile artwork featuring complex patterns . . .

It’s hard to describe everything you’ll encounter–it’s so very diverse. But that’s the genius of creativity, right?

Two sculptures standing outside of the Wisteria Cottage are also part of the exhibition. I posted photos of them earlier today.

I recommend a visit. But you have one more week. Space Maker inside the Wisteria Cottage continues through June 7, 2026.

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The original palace of the Fish Taco King.

You’re looking at a true landmark in San Diego.

In 1983 a modest Orange Julius stand in Pacific Beach was converted into a palace. It would become the original palace of Ralph Rubio, who today is known as the Fish Taco King.

Rubio, credited with making fish tacos popular in Southern California, opened this very first restaurant on Mission Bay Drive. Lovers of nostalgia and tasty Mexican food can still visit it today.

The first Rubio’s location retains its simple charm. To me it resembles both a taco stand and a vintage roadside diner. The menu might have expanded from the original (when fish tacos sold for 99 cents), but I can attest their food remains mouth-watering good. I enjoyed a couple fish tacos the other day. I also took this photo.

If you’d like to visit the original home of Rubio’s Coastal Grill, head over to 4504 E. Mission Bay Drive, just off Interstate 5 in Pacific Beach. Then perhaps head to the beach for a perfect San Diego day!

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Scrolls of wisdom unroll in downtown San Diego!

In downtown San Diego, numerous scrolls of wisdom are waiting to be unrolled. If you step into the studio of artist James Watts (@jewattso), you can easily attain that wisdom!

James was at work in his studio this morning, and I said hello. He showed me one of the projects he’s now working on. There on one table were a bunch of new scrolls!

Last year I posted a blog about his ambitious scroll project. I explained his handmade scrolls are painted on fabric and utilize wood sticks he’s found, cut to size and sanded smooth. He loves philosophy, religion and literature, and bits of inspired thought make their way into his work.

Yes, indeed, it is what it is!

And more!

He accompanies the wise sayings with still life paintings. Such as an egg and swiss cheese. Interpret as you may!

I don’t know whether you had a chance to see James Watts’ exhibition at the Oceanside Museum of Art four years ago. If you didn’t, click here and check it out!

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Exhibit celebrates Irving Gill’s architecture in Oceanside.

The Oceanside Museum of Art occupies a building that was designed by renowned architect Irving J. Gill. They soon will be expanding into an adjacent building also designed by Gill. So it’s appropriate museum visitors can now enjoy an exhibition titled Modern Simplicity: The Architecture of Irving J. Gill in Oceanside.

Irving Gill is a name you might recognize. His architectural work can be found all around San Diego. He’s considered a pioneer of the modern movement in architecture. Twelve of his buildings throughout Southern California are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (In nearly thirteen years of blogging, I’ve photographed much of his work. To find those past blog posts, click here.)

As the exhibition webpage explains: The City of Oceanside is home to several notable examples of Gill’s later work, including two landmark buildings that define the east-west axis of the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) campus: the former 1934 City Hall and the original [1929] Fire Station #1 and police station.

In Oceanside he also designed the Americanization School (1931), the Nevada Street Kindergarten (1931), the Blade Tribune building (1936), and several others. The exhibition documents his buildings with fascinating information and historical drawings and photographs.

The exhibition explains how Irving was inspired by Southern California’s climate and stripped architecture of unnecessary ornament and focused on pure geometric form.

People might not realize it, but many buildings and houses around San Diego were greatly influenced by the vision of one man: Irving J. Gill. In Oceanside–and now at the museum exhibition–that inspired vision comes to life.

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Plaque honors creative genius of Balboa Park.

Have you seen this plaque in Balboa Park and wondered about it? Located on the west wall of the California Quadrangle near the Museum of Us, it honors David Charles Collier, the prime mover behind San Diego’s 1915-1916 Panama–California Exposition.

The plaque reads:

DAVID CHARLES COLLIER

A Man of Vision–A Dynamic Leader–A Developer and Builder

A Great and Lovable Character

The Creative Genius of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915

An Inspiration to the Citizens of Today

The plaque was installed on October 11, 1936, in the second year of the California Pacific International Exposition.

David Charles Collier, often called D. C. Collier, was a real estate developer and philanthropist. He is considered the founder of Ocean Beach, where he built his home and lived for many years. He also helped to develop Point Loma, Pacific Beach, University Heights, Normal Heights, North Park, East San Diego, and Encanto.

He made many of the decisions concerning the Panama-California Exposition, including its location and style of architecture. He served as Director General of the Panama California Exposition from 1909 to 1912, and president of the Exposition from 1912 to 1914… He also chose “human progress” to be the Exposition’s cultural theme. The theme exhibit, particularly focused on the anthropology of the Southwestern United States, later became the San Diego Museum of Man, of which he was a founder.

The Museum of Man is now called the Museum of Us. It’s appropriate the plaque is located nearby.

Here’s a public domain photo of D. C. Collier from the United States Library of Congress’s Prints and Photographs division:

If you’d like to learn more about David Charles Collier, here’s an extensive article about the life of this fascinating man, published in The Journal Of San Diego History.

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Unique art and ideas multiply at Zine event!

Individual free expression took center stage today at the Compressed Zine & Music Fair. The event, organized by Particle FM and Burn All Books, was held at Bread and Salt in Logan Heights.

Writers and artists (and dreamers who are doers) gathered from around the San Diego region to showcase hundreds of their uniquely created zines. (And other printed works of art!)

What is a zine? According to Wikipedia: A zine is a magazine that is a… noncommercial often homemade… publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter.

As you might imagine, individuals printing their own zines can be boundlessly creative. They aren’t limited by the “demands” of societal acceptance or mainstream publication. Anyone with access to a copy machine or modest printer (and perhaps a stapler) can create a zine. It’s a cool way to easily get ideas out there and create something tangible that others can share.

You know those revolutionary pamphlets created by our nation’s Founding Fathers? In essence, they were zines.

Today’s zines can range from philosophically serious or politically satirical, to just plain silly or art for the sake of art. Some zines are love letters to people, places or things by devoted fans. Some are critiques. Many titles include wry humor.

Titles I spied while walking around the Compressed Zine & Music Fair include Copy Machine Manifesto, Shotgun Seamstress, Respawn Archive, Typical Natural Disaster, We Miss Jerry Garcia, This is a Critique of the X-Files, and My Feelings Are Not Wrong.

It appeared to me that the best part about making a zine is the simple joy of creativity.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Dog Stick Library open in North Park!

What’s more fun than borrowing a book from a little lending library? Borrowing a stick from a Dog Stick Library!

Canines have the opportunity to borrow a stick to carry in their mouths while walking with their human companions in North Park. An innovative Dog Stick Library is open on the sidewalk near the intersection of Upas Street and 29th Street!

Is this clever, or what?

The absurdity–and sheer originality–had me stop in my tracks the other day. I love it!

How many dogs take advantage of this little lending library box? It was stocked up with a fine selection of sticks. Whether your four-legged best friend is a large Great Dane or a little Pomeranian, there appeared to be a stick perfectly sized for any mouth.

Now, the question must be asked: Do responsible dogs return the sticks? In good condition?

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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.

Feel free to share!

The eye-opening Art of Autism in Oceanside.

The Art of Autism: A Different Lens is an exhibition now showing at the Oceanside Museum of Art. More than a dozen neurodiverse artists have pieces in the museum, and their work is truly eye-opening. The brilliant creativity of special artists who possibly see the world differently than you or me is off the charts.

The exhibition is a collaboration between the Oceanside Museum of Art and The Art of Autism, a non-profit whose mission is to empower and connect individuals within the autism community through participation in the Arts.

By viewing these works of art, visitors to the museum will appreciate how people on the autism spectrum and others who are neurodivergent have the ability to depict the world in uniquely insightful ways. Of course, interpreting our world in very different ways is what art is all about.

I enjoyed my experience of the exhibition last weekend. Here are a few photos to give you an idea of the fine work you’ll discover.

If you’d like to expand your own understanding of this world we all share, visit The Art of Autism: A Different Lens by August 3, 2025.

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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.

Feel free to share!