Tag: painting

San Diego artists interpret life on Imperial.

Members of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild have beautiful works now on display at the TULAROSA gallery.

Before creating their pieces, these Atelier artists spent time walking around Imperial Avenue east of downtown San Diego. Their inspired interpretation of the historic neighborhood can be viewed in the TULAROSA gallery, which is appropriately located at 2602 Imperial Avenue.

The exhibition is titled One Day in the Life on Imperial.

I swung by after 11 am today, shortly after the gallery opened. And whom should I meet as I stepped through the door? Renowned muralist Mario Torero! He was just as friendly and gracious as ever.

I enjoyed looking at all the pieces. Some of the artwork includes buildings and murals one might see on the street nearby. It was fun trying to find them!

The exhibition will continue at TULAROSA through Sunday, March 29, 2026. The gallery is open 11 am to 7 pm.

What special events at the gallery are coming up?

Wednesday, March 25: Community & Artist Leaders Panel. 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM.

Thursday, March 26: San Diego Artists Guild Panel II. Continuation of artist discussions and exhibition programming. 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

Friday, March 27: Jazz, Soul & R&B Legacy Night, celebrating the musical history of Imperial Avenue, once one of San Diego’s most important music corridors.

Saturday, March 28: Community Mural Activation. Community painting of the 19th Street Mural Project. Artists participating include Mario Torero. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Sunday, March 29: Closing Day of the exhibition. Final mural painting session for the 19th Street Mural Project. 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

Here are some examples of the artwork on display…

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Art contest, exhibit for San Diego seniors!

Are you a senior in San Diego who loves creating art? Do you know a senior who fits that description? Heads up!

Seniors age 60 or better are invited to enter the AgeWell Services Art Contest & Exhibit!

AgeWell is a program of the City of San Diego. Their services can be enjoyed at several community centers, including the Balboa Park Senior Lounge.

The Senior Lounge is where I saw this art contest notice today. (Thank you Mark for pointing it out on the bulletin board!)

Entries will be accepted May 1 to May 11, 2026 at the locations indicated on the notice. You can enlarge my photograph to read it. A public Art Exhibit including the contest entries will be on display at Park de la Cruz from May 18 to June 22.

For more info you can call AgeWell Services at 619-525-8247. Or email cool guy Skyler at SLemire@sandiego.gov!

Keep on creating!

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Chinese brush painting event in Balboa Park!

An exhibition and sale of Chinese brush paintings continues tomorrow, Sunday, March 1, 2026 in Balboa Park. To view some very beautiful artwork, step into Room 101 of the Casa del Prado between 11 am and 4 pm.

The event features original Chinese brush paintings by members of the Lung Hsiang chapter of the American Artists of Chinese Brush Painting. Admission is free. Most of the pieces on display are for sale.

Visitors get to meet the artists, view a painting demonstration, and even try their own hand at brush painting! If you’re looking for gifts, you’ll find framed and matted paintings, and hand painted cards and crafts.

I visited the exhibition today and am pleased to share a few photos.

When I asked one artist the difference between traditional Chinese brush painting and Japanese brush painting, I was told the Chinese style has more “pop” and more chi, or vital energy. To me, generally speaking, the Chinese style seems a little more bold and colorful than Japanese brush painting, which appears more delicate and impressionistic.

All that I saw was exquisite and very beautiful.

2026 is the Year of the Horse!

For curious eyes, there’s much to discover. I was shown the historical evolution of the Chinese pictograph for horse. The three strokes represent a horse’s mane and legs.

Visitors can learn how to paint it!

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All Shall Be Well at Athenaeum Art Center!

Do you love art? Have you ever visited the Athenaeum Art Center in Logan Heights? You should!

The Athenaeum Art Center is located inside the Bread and Salt building at 1955 Julian Avenue. The art center includes the Catherine and Robert Palmer Gallery, a secondary classroom gallery, and an extensive, very impressive print studio (which I’ll blog about shortly). The main gallery is currently hosting the exhibit Jonathan Paul Parker: All Shall Be Well.

San Diego artist Jonathan Paul Parker‘s first solo exhibition features drawings and painted works that are mostly on paper. His abstract pieces are colorful, complex and dreamlike. They are informed by his involvement in experimental film and improvisational music.

I visited the gallery today.

The images appeared to me like confused dream-shards a sleeper tries to assemble and retain in memory shortly after waking. Or perhaps they’re a sort of visual stream of consciousness–fragments of thought, feeling or memory that take strange form, rising mysteriously to the mind’s eye from a person’s inner being.

The exhibition webpage states: Using color, gesture, and rhythm, [Jonathan] works in a state of focused openness that allows intuitive and archetypal forms to surface. His process draws on the idea of active imagination, where inner images and impulses rise to awareness and shape the direction of the work.

Visit the free exhibition and discover how this unique art speaks to you!

You have a little over a week. Jonathan Paul Parker: All Shall Be Well can be enjoyed through March 7, 2026.

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Peanuts holiday mural painted in North Park!

A super fun mural was painted in North Park last December in time for the holiday season. Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the entire Peanuts gang are now frolicking on the side of 420 Smoke Shop, at 2559 University Avenue!

The talented artist’s Instagram is @cravemoreart. The artist identifies as Scenic Painter for Haunted Trails of Balboa Park 2025. Very cool!

I hope this art remains on the building, even as seasons change and San Diegans dream of sunny, warm beach days–not of Christmas trees, snowmen, winter snow and ice.

Is that Santa and his reindeer up there in the starry sky?

This mural is simply too much fun!

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Tasty street art on an Escondido corner!

Hungry?

Feast your eyes on this tasty street art at a busy intersection in Escondido!

I used to drive past the corner of West Valley Parkway and Auto Park Way and think I should take photographs of this electrical box. I finally did yesterday.

The cheeseburger and fries looks particularly good.

Several eateries are located nearby. This colorful food art seems to be strategically positioned!

Yum!

Symbolism and family and one artist.

That’s San Diego artist James Watts (@jewattso) in the above photo. He was painting an image of Japan’s Seven Lucky Gods (or Shichifukujin) on the downtown sidewalk outside his studio yesterday. It’s number 93 of the 100 paintings he’s presently working on.

I had to look up those lucky gods to understand what he was painting. He also showed me a painting of his own family, which got me to thinking.

Mythology, literature, and every creative work uses symbolism. We use symbols in order to better understand and engage with an infinitely larger reality.

Now, what do we understand best? Our own lives.

So it isn’t surprising the symbols we create reflect our human experience. The deities of mythology explain the mysteries of this world, but tend to be very human. The illuminating words of great literature rely upon human experience and interaction. In a strange way, created symbols and reality combine in our own minds. Symbols inform our living.

James Watts loves mythology, literature and life, and his symbolic art connects it all. Or so it seems to me.

His next painting is of the characters in Voltaire’s novel Candide…

The next photograph shows James Watts’ family years ago, when he was a youth. That’s him in a white t-shirt…

And here’s a painting he recently created, based on the old photo…

Symbols we create can be extremely powerful.

Might we all strive to understand, remember, live fully.

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Neighborhood eateries painted by San Diego artist!

Painting of Pho Xpress and Stout Public House on Sixth Avenue in downtown San Diego. By artist James Watts.

I love these fanciful paintings of neighborhood eateries! They were created by San Diego artist James Watts (@jewattso) as part of his ongoing 100 Paintings project.

I happened to walk down the sidewalk in front of his downtown studio today and he was there outside in the sunshine with his two cats, working with a smile on painting #93. Read about his 100 Paintings project here.

I ventured into his amazing studio, and he showed me some of his latest work. Among many great new paintings, he showed me these three colorful pieces. You might recognize the restaurants they depict!

James Watts is a creative dynamo who is a true San Diego treasure. He’s a super cool friendly downtown neighbor, too!

Read the photo captions. (More on his paintings in my next blog post!)

Painting of Ichiban Sushi & Japanese Cuisine on University Avenue in Hillcrest. By artist James Watts.
Painting of Las Cuatro Milpas on Logan Avenue in Barrio Logan, now permanently closed after 92 years. By artist James Watts.

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A hidden mural at La Jolla Shores!

Very few people see this beautiful mural. It was painted in an extremely narrow space next to Scoops Ice Cream on Avenida de la Playa in La Jolla.

Someone eating ice cream at an outdoor table feet from the mural didn’t notice it until they saw me taking photographs!

The nice lady serving ice cream at Scoops thinks the artwork was painted years ago. The artist is Charlene Mosley (@cm__art).

Painted on the wall across from a scene of undersea life is an image of two kids eating ice cream. The employee I spoke to believes they were painted by the same artist.

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Double Bill art exhibition in La Jolla!

Lovers of art in San Diego are in for a treat. Head down to the Wisteria Cottage Gallery in La Jolla and you can admire the work of two celebrated local artists who taught at UC San Diego.

Double Bill: The Art of Manny Farber and Patricia Patterson contains numerous fine works by this husband and wife team who made their home in Leucadia.

Paintings large and small, beautiful sketches, historical photographs, and books the pair published are all on display.

Both artists liked to create images of simple, familiar things. Family life and home are frequent subjects. The images are friendly and warm. If I could reach into two dimensions, I’d happily take the depicted scenes and objects into my hands and make them my own.

You’ll notice when you visit the gallery that Patricia often paints people and moments in life. Manny often creates collage-like images of ordinary objects. To viewers who love living, they can all make a powerful connection.

Here’s the exhibition webpage.

Double Bill: The Art of Manny Farber and Patricia Patterson will be open free to the public through February 1, 2026.

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