Tag: mosaic

Restoring the Tony Gwynn sculpture at Waterfront Park!

Did you know there’s a sculpture of Tony Gwynn in Waterfront Park, just south of San Diego’s County Administration Building?

The sculpture, created by world-famous artist Niki de Saint Phalle, is titled #19 Baseball Player. The mosaic sculpture debuted nine years ago, and I was there for the ceremony. You can see those photographs by clicking here.

When I walked through Waterfront Park early this morning, I noticed the fun sculpture depicting Mr. Padre holding a baseball bat was being restored.

According to a sign, the work is being done by Lech Juretko. He operates Art Mosaic Inc. in Santee. For eight years he was an assistant to Niki de Saint Phalle, helping to produce 100 of her works!

Lech now works with the Niki Charitable Art Foundation, and has done restoration work on Niki’s fun Nikigator (in front of the Mingei International Museum) and her epic, mind-blowing Queen Califia’s Magical Circle (at Kit Carson Park in Escondido).

To read a great article about Lech meeting Niki and his subsequent experiences, click here!

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White-tailed Kite sculpture in Normal Heights!

It’s easy to miss this very beautiful sculpture by a sidewalk in Normal Heights. The figure of a White-tailed Kite in flight stands in front of Art FORM–Found Objects Recycled Materials at 3316 Adams Avenue.

According to a nearby plaque, the mosaic sculpture was created by Endangered Concepts in collaboration with Art FORM with the helping hands of Normal Heights Elementary 1st Grade classes of 2017-18.

It also explains: The White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucarus) is a raptor found in western North America and parts of Central and South America. By the 1930s it was nearbly driven to extinction, but with the help of wildlife conservation efforts its population has increased… This mosaic sculpture is a tribute to conservation efforts, reminding us that together we can beat the odds.

Enjoy these photos…

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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.

Meaningful art at Encinitas Fire Station.

I found two instances of meaningful art as I walked past Encinitas Fire Department Station One today.

The first work of art I noticed was a mosaic in the sidewalk beside the station building. It memorializes New York fire fighters who lost their lives during the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The number 343 represents the number of New York Fire Department members that perished in the terrorist attacks.

I assume the mosaic was dedicated five years later, on 9-11-2006. If you know more about this mosaic, please leave a comment.

The second work of art is on the fire station itself, near its entrance. The beautifully carved wood panel depicts curling ocean surf and a rare Torrey Pine tree.

The panel reminds us that wonders surround us, and how every wonder is worth protecting.

I spied a small plaque at the edge of wood panel, dated 2022. It indicates the creators are Tijuana artist Jose Antonio Alcantar and Encinitas Fire Engineer Jake Fodor.

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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.

Public art inside the Del Mar Plaza.

Great works of art greet shoppers and diners inside Del Mar Plaza. Wander about and you’re bound to stumble upon surprising artwork, in the form of a sculpture, mosaic or mural!

These pieces are part of the Public Art Collection at Del Mar Plaza. I discovered them in no particular order…

I found this mural in a quiet hidden area. I saw no information concerning it.

Level Head by artist Tony Cragg, 2006, Bronze. Tony Cragg is a British sculptor. His works are held in many leading museums.

A beautiful swirling mosaic extends on the ground from Level Head through a nearby passageway.

Beautiful mosaic looks like water.

LEVER II by artist Anthony Gormley, 2012, Cast Iron. Anthony Gormley is a British sculptor. This is an example of his “digital-cubism” where the human form is rendered in many different postures.

It does appear like a lever!

OPUS #1 by artist Maidy Morhous, 2019, Bronze. I’ve photographed other pieces by local artist Maidy Morhous around Del Mar.

OPUS #1 from a different angle.

A beautiful tree mural grows in Del Mar Plaza. By artist Kelsey Montague.

Jackass and Elephant by artist Barry Flanagan, 1995, Bronze. The renowned Welsh sculpture enjoyed creating humorous, anthropomorphic figures.

Jackass rides an elephant through Del Mar Plaza!

In every direction, Del Mar Plaza is full of fun, unexpected artwork!

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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.

Mosaic bench near the Belly Up Tavern.

This bench decorated with tile mosaics adds beauty to the edge of a parking lot south of the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach.

I saw the artwork yesterday during a leisurely walk down South Cedros Avenue. It was one of many new discoveries that I made in the very colorful Cedros Avenue Design District!

I believe I see a starfish, garibaldi, seahorse and crab. The curving bench appears to show an underwater ocean scene. What do you see?

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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.

Colorful art at Sherman Heights Community Center!

The residents of Sherman Heights are very fortunate. They have a community center that radiates positive energy with loads of incredible art!

The Sherman Heights Community Center welcomes visitors with its many colorful outdoor murals and mosaics. Low walls, planters, columns . . . even an electrical box has been decorated! Yesterday, when I walked up Island Avenue and saw all the artwork, my camera became very busy!

The center’s website explains: The community we serve is predominantly Mexican- American with many families facing economic hardship. This community has preserved itself by using art as an avenue towards empowerment & collaboration. For many years the community has supported and participated in creating, preserving, and cultivating a culture of rich history through the arts here at our center.

Sherman Heights, just east of downtown San Diego, is famous for its Día de los Muertos celebrations. That’s reflected in some of the artwork.

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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.

A legacy of beauty by James Hubbell.

Beloved artist James Hubbell has passed away. When I heard the very sad news today, I immediately thought of all the beautiful art he has left as a legacy around San Diego.

If you live in or near San Diego, there’s a good chance you’ve seen his public artwork. His sculptures and mosaics can be found from El Cajon to La Mesa to Del Mar to Oceanside to Mission Valley to Coronado to Shelter Island. His Hubbell Studios/Ilan-Lael Foundation compound in Santa Ysabel (which I’ve not visited, but have seen in photos) is an inspired, absolutely unique architectural marvel.

James Hubbell designed and created so many beautifully organic forms–often with the help of his wife, son, artists in residence or volunteers–that I’ll often encounter his work during a walk. To me, each work possesses a spiritual quality.

This world we live in has been greatly enriched because of James Hubbell’s genius and vision.

Here are some photos I’ve taken over the years…

Pearl of the Pacific on Shelter Island.

Pearl of the Pacific.

Pacific Spirit on Shelter Island.

Pacific Portal on Shelter Island.

Pegasus at Olaf Wieghorst Museum in El Cajon.

San Gabriel Arcángel sculpture at Mission San Diego de Alcalá.

Opus in front of Oceanside Museum of Art.

Marker on walkway at SDSU Mission Valley. Coffeeberry (Frangula californica).

Sea Passage in Coronado.

Mosaic on restroom at Briercrest Park in La Mesa.

Fountain at Dr. William C. Herrick Community Health Care Library in La Mesa.

A River of Time at the Del Mar Library.

Art displayed at exhibition James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation, now on view at the Central Library Art Gallery.

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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.

Butterflies mosaic installed in Normal Heights!

An exceptionally beautiful work of public art was installed today in Normal Heights. Kaleidoscope of Butterflies now takes wing on a corner of the City of San Diego Adams Recreation Center!

The artwork, consisting of eleven interlocking mosaic panels, features combined elements of very different butterflies. It was created by artist Kim Emerson, who lives a few blocks away. She and her husband, Dennis Reiter, are founding members of Normal Heights Urban Arts (NHUA).

Kim Emerson’s mosaics and sculptures have already been enjoyed by many San Diegans. You can see a couple examples of her fantastic public art here and here.

Kim’s website has a description of her Kaleidoscope of Butterflies and the history of its creation. Read her words, and see photos of the mosaics being pieced together, then installed on the Adams Recreation Center here.

Here’s an inspirational article about the artist, her work with renowned artist James Hubbell, and her calling to create. As we each can do in life, she picks up broken pieces and combines them into new beauty. But that’s not all. When this project is finished, Kim has decided that it’s time to pass on her knowledge to other artists and agencies seeking qualified artists, to help elevate the awareness of contemporary mosaic art. She plans to mentor other artists, teach mosaic from her home studio and experiment more with her personal mosaic work.

If you drive east on Adams Avenue near 35th Street, you can’t miss the Kaleidoscope of Butterflies. Plus many other butterflies that have been painted on nearby electrical boxes by Normal Heights Urban Arts.

I arrived this afternoon after installation of the eleven panels had been completed. I took the following photos under overcast, drizzly conditions.

The art is like sunshine for the soul.

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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)!

Art at Wellness Garden in Southeast San Diego.

A beautiful new Wellness Garden opened last year in Southeast San Diego!

The sunny, park-like space, filled with colorful art, is located outside the new Southeastern Live Well Center in Valencia Park. The garden can be freely accessed by anyone via a pathway on the south side of the large health and social services facility.

A plaque near the pathway indicates that the garden’s public art was created by Jean Cornwell Wheat. It’s titled Spirit of the Community featuring Bird Song. Additional information is provided:

Commissioned; painted and mosaic embellished totems; concrete, poured resin, lime stones.

Artist Statement: These totems represent the community cultures of African American, Mexican/Chicano, Latin American, Filipino, Polynesian, and Asian. The final meditation totem is the artist’s personal statement of peace, love and unity. The centerpiece, Bird Song, represents the Kumeyaay Nation’s symbol of the oak tree. Images on the four sides symbolize earth, air, fire, and water.

Across the Market Street from the Southeastern Live Well Center, at the Malcolm X Branch Library and Performing Arts Center, a beautiful mosaic was created by the same artist. You can see it by clicking 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)!

Flaming woman: hidden art in Middletown!

Extraordinarily beautiful public art can be found in a seldom seen corner of San Diego’s Middletown neighborhood. A tile mosaic appears to depict a fiery, spiritual woman, rising above surging waves of colorful artwork composed of individually made tiles.

The mosaic is mostly hidden in a cranny by Kettner Boulevard, east of the Middletown trolley station, near the bottom of stairs that climb to the pedestrian bridge over Interstate 5. Few people use these stairs.

I can find no information about this mysterious public art. I took these photos today. The last time I observed it, about four years ago, the mosaic hadn’t been completed. You can see those images here.

If you know who created this stunning, very complex mural (perhaps a community project?) please leave a comment below!

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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)!