Tag: logan heights

Celebrating restored Virgin of Guadalupe in Chicano Park.

Chicano Park, a National Historic Landmark in San Diego, is experiencing a renaissance. Many of the outdoor murals that were painted in the late 1970s are being carefully restored.

One of the first murals to be restored is very beautiful. La Virgen de Guadalupe was originally painted by artist Mario Torero in 1978. Its two month renovation was recently completed by Mario with the help of several assistants, including close members of his family. Today many gathered to celebrate and rededicate this truly extraordinary mural.

The dedication ceremony included indigenous dance (Danza Azteca) and a blessing by Father Neal “Pepe” Wilkinson of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. Mario Torero and his family members then spoke about the mural–of its inspiration, creation, symbolism and importance. How it represents hope for many in the community–particularly those who are in need.

Mario Torero spoke of his experience when he once touched this painted image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. He could feel that the many prayers made before the mural were alive. Everything about the place and moment felt perfect. It changed him.

Words printed on the mural state: For 45 years this monolith has kept hope and faith alive for so many people. We are sure that many miracles have been manifested.

I can say that when you stand before this glowing Virgin of Guadalupe, you feel the light she brings forth.

The next photograph is from nine years ago. It’s how the mural then appeared. A comparison shows that beautiful imagery (eagle and condor wings) and color have been added during the recent renovation…

And today…

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I Love My Park Day coming this Saturday!

I Love My Park Day is coming up this Saturday, May 13, 2023!

The City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department invites one and all to enjoy entertainment, inflatables, crafts, games, music, community resources, food, and lots of other fun stuff! The free event is organized by the San Diego Parks Foundation.

I Love My Park Day can be enjoyed at these four locations in San Diego, between 3 pm and 6 pm:

City Heights at the City Heights Recreation Center, 4380 Landis Street.

Linda Vista at the Linda Vista Recreation Center, 7064 Levant Street.

Logan Heights at the Dolores Magdaleno Memorial Recreation Center, 2902 Marcy Avenue.

Skyline at the Skyline Hills Recreation Center, 8285 Skyline Drive.

Also, this same coming Saturday, May 13th, bring the entire family out to Teralta Park in City Heights between 2 pm and 3:30 pm and experience San Diego’s favorite Fern Street Circus!

It’s all free!

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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 Twitter!

More fun murals along Commercial Street!

Commercial Street east of downtown San Diego is an excellent place to spot colorful murals and other fun public art!

Perhaps you’ve already seen the giant robot, the trashy whale, and the fence full of comic book characters.

Yesterday I rode the Orange Line trolley into the Logan Heights neighborhood on a mission. I wanted to photograph more murals on Commercial Street between the 25th Street and 32nd Street trolley stations.

The first mural, which you can see below, depicts famous jazz singer Billie Holiday. This artwork was painted a couple years ago by the Southeast Art Team (@southeastartteam) on their Oya Art Gallery and Boutique building, a bit west of 28th Street.

The next series of murals can be found between 31st and 32nd Street. Read the photo captions…

This cool shoe mural was painted very recently at SD Custom Footwear by @colorsoner713

Colorful bird mural painted in late 2022 by @espy_dpt_znc

Mural painted late 2022 depicting piñata character Chucho and roses by SoCal artist Michelle Ruby (@MrBBaby).

Finally, at the intersection of Commercial Street and 32nd Street, a mural is now being painted on what appears to be a new home for San Diego beer company Little Miss Brewing…

(Spider-Man, Cyclops, Wolverine and other Marvel comic book characters were on this building a few years back.)

UPDATE!

A new mural was painted at a later time to the immediate right of the Michelle Ruby artwork (visible on the far right in the next photo). The new mural is by (@misterhir).

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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!

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Murals at new Logan Memorial Educational Campus!

Have you seen the huge, super colorful murals at the new Logan Memorial Educational Campus?

If you’ve driven through Logan Heights down 28th Street or Ocean View Boulevard, you probably have!

I photographed six of the murals that are visible from the street.

The artwork, designed by Visual Asylum, contains fused abstract faces and positive messages: DIVERSITY, COLLABORATE, LEADERSHIP, INSPIRE, COMMUNITY, COMPASSION, CREATIVITY and GROWTH.

Not only do these murals motivate students attending the newly opened school, but they brighten the neighborhood and inspire those passing by.

They made me smile!

At the entrance to the new campus, I came upon a very colorful LMEC…

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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!

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A look at the old Logan Heights Library.

I came upon this great article concerning the old Logan Heights Library and decided I’d walk past it to have a look.

The old library, built in 1927, is in a state of decay these days, but you can easily see how handsome it appeared in its heyday. The building was a popular community destination before it was replaced a short distance up 28th Street by the new Logan Heights Library in 2009.

According to this article from several months ago, there are plans to restore the building.

Here’s the City of San Diego web page that concerns the Old Logan Heights Library Renovation.

I took these photos yesterday.

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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 Twitter!

A very cool San Diego mural in Logan Heights!

Here’s the rest of that very long mural by artist Fizix (@alexfizix) in Logan Heights that I first referenced a couple days ago here. The artwork wraps around a business at the corner of 33rd Street and Broad Avenue.

San Diego is proudly painted in an elegant graffiti style!

As you can see in these photos, the theme transitions from a nostalgic noir theme including classic cars and figures with an old school mobster look, to a Día de los Muertos sugar skull painted lady, to . . . Batman villain Penguin!

You can enjoy photos of the adjacent Batman imagery, also by San Diego artist Fizix, here!

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Batman Family and Villains street art!

Ready to see some awesome Batman street art? Check this out!

A long fence and gate in Logan Heights was painted earlier this year with characters from the Batman Family and with assorted members of the Batman Rogues Gallery.

The spray painted artwork is by prolific San Diego muralist Fizix (@alexfizix), whose more ordinary name is Alex Julian.

You can see this great comic book inspired street art on 33rd Street, just south of Broad Avenue.

The long mural by Fizix actually continues up the fence and onto Broad Avenue, but the subject becomes something quite different, so I figured I’d post those photographs on a separate blog, which will be coming up shortly.

If you like this comic book-style street art, you’ll like another mural painted by Fizix several years ago with even more superhero and pop culture characters. You can enjoy photos of that amazing mural by clicking here!

Looking from left to right along the long Batman-themed mural by San Diego artist Fizix.
Penguin by artist Fizix.
Catwoman by artist Fizix.
Batman by artist Fizix.
Bane by artist Fizix.
Batwoman by artist Fizix.
Poison Ivy by artist Fizix.
Continuing left to right…
Robin by artist Fizix.
Joker by artist Fizix.
Harley Quinn by artist Fizix.
Red Hood by artist Fizix.

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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!

Cool mural at Stoody in Logan Heights!

Early this morning I walked in Logan Heights to see a super cool Batman mural I’d heard about by San Diego street artists Fizix.

But first I found more of his art in the neighborhood!

Let me share this mural painted by Fizix on one side of Stoody Industrial & Welding Supply, located at 33rd Street and National Avenue.

The image of hardworking welders and workers is awesome!

If the mural has something of a comic book look, that’s because San Diego illustrator, digital artist and muralist Alex Julian aka Fizix (@alexfizix) has a distinctive pop style that can also be found in his graphic novel art.

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Your Actions Save Lives mural at Bread and Salt.

During my walk around Chicano Park today I noticed a huge new mural has been painted on one side of the Bread and Salt building in Logan Heights.

After I took some photos and returned home, I learned this mural, titled Stop the Spread, was painted by Tatiana Ortiz-Rubio. The eye-catching public artwork is part of the Your Actions Save Lives campaign in California. The mural, which is readily seen by those driving along Interstate 5, is intended to promote Covid-19 awareness.

To learn more about the mural and artist, and the Mexican symbolism of marigolds as a face covering, read this great article.

Late last year I photographed many other colorful murals all around Bread and Salt, and I posted those pics here!

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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!

More cool urban art in Memorial.

Here’s one last batch of photos from my adventure in the Memorial neighborhood a couple weekends ago!

These first four photographs were taken at the Sawaya Brothers Market.

I documented the big, extraordinary mural facing Ocean View Boulevard here. But there was also graffiti and urban art spray painted on two other walls of the store, which you are now viewing. All of this artwork appears to have been created by David Mena, whose signature you can see.

The following three photos were taken in the same alley where I photographed the Mother Teresa mural, which you can revisit here.

I observed Power 2 the People and all sorts of super colorful imagery.

It appears David Mena is also responsible for this artwork.

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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!