Cool urban art by Exist1981, created for PangeaSeed’s Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans festival. The public artwork, located at the Quartyard in East Village, warns that melting sea ice due to climate change will affect polar bear populations.
Whenever I walk past Quartyard in San Diego’s East Village, I look around to see what cool urban art I might discover. I took out my camera yesterday and snapped a few photos of the colorful artwork!
Quartyard, at the corner of Market Street and 11th Avenue in San Diego’s East Village, is a place where people can gather to eat, drink, talk, and enjoy entertainment.Mail delivery person heads into Quartyard, a community gathering place made from repurposed shipping containers. Coffee, beer, concerts and food trucks are found here.A cheerfully painted parking meter stands strangely by a mail box.The Meshuggah Shack occupies one shipping container. The funky place is known for their great coffee and friendly vibe.The colorful Meshuggah Shack offers coffee, tea, oddities, smoothies, noshes, and other fun stuff.Words on one shipping container at the Quartyard proclaim this is Your City Block.Sun, water, hungry sharks and a tropical island. I’m not exactly sure what is going on in this crazy street art created by Nick McPherson and MR DVICE.
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
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Lawrence Godfrey. Sunflowers and a peaceful country scene interpreted with chalk.
Check out these photos of amazing chalk art!
This morning dozens of chalk artists were busy working to complete their masterpieces as 2016 Festa in Little Italy officially opened. There was no special theme this year, so the artwork along Beech Street included anything and everything Italian. The photos I took yesterday (for my previous blog post) provided only a hint of what would materialize. Today’s photos show hours of hard work by the artists, who have brought their unique visions to life.
I’ve included what I believe to be the team names in the photo captions. Congratulations to all the great artists!
Artists work to complete their chalk art masterpieces at 2016 Festa in Little Italy.Santa Fe Christian High School. Colorful trees and hills. Perhaps it’s an orchard or vineyard in Italy.Elisabeth Eckert. Flowing artwork on the streets of Little Italy during Festa.Canyon Crest Academy. A chalk depiction of classic painting The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio.Liberty Charter High School. A scene from Venice, Italy produced with chalk.Pearson Family. A colorful face sure to please thousands of visitors at 2016 Festa in Little Italy.Lidia F. Vasquez. Another sensational work of art by a very accomplished young chalk artist.Lydia Puentes Phillips. The face of Christ before the Crucifixion.Stan Tang. A strong masculine face drawn with chalk.Chalkolate. A red Alfa Romeo made entirely of chalk. The Gesso Italiano at 2016 Festa celebrates everything Italian, including cars!Mount Miguel High School. Someone is trying to reach out of the asphalt on Beech Street!Alex Dejecacion. Some fine chalk artistry has produced a lovely woman.Weenie Kingdom. Another amazing chalk female portrait.Liliana Mai. It seems a Venetian gondolier is waving from some water beneath a San Diego street!Valerie Michelle. Unusual chalk art depicts an elegantly dressed dog!Megnificent. A chalk art portrait of Leonardo DiCaprio is being created.Team Pinoy. Sylvester Stallone, a movie icon whose father was Italian.Judith Arnaud Gary. The head of David, a famous sculpture by Michelangelo.Francois Lariviere. A chalk figure in exotic armor created for 2016 Festa in Little Italy.Team Parada. Colored chalk has produced a stunning face.Shuji Nishimura. The face of famous Italian actor and comedian Roberto Remigio Benigni.Holly Lynn Schineller. In Praise of Imperfection, a tribute to Italian twin sisters.Carlos Alberto Cortez Gomez. Colorful classical figures created with Gesso Italiano.Cecelia Linayao. A mother and child take form on the street at Festa.Grasiela Rodriguez. This Roman Colosseum is an Italian chalk art work in progress.Brenda Mora. In loving memory of Josephine Pecoraro, resident of Little Italy.Angela Checco. Two lovers enjoy romance in Rome.Tonie Garza. Madonna in Glory by Italian painter Carlo Dolci. One of many Catholic chalk art images created for Festa in San Diego’s Little Italy.Tiffany Garza. A face from Italian popular culture appears on a San Diego street.Renee Keady. Grapes crown a beautiful female face.Brianna Cunha. The Italian theme at 2016 Festa most certainly included grapes!Kira Lewis-Martinez. A graceful religious figure softly composed of chalk.Shawnet Sweets. A classic Italian painting translated into chalk art.Team Zamora. The colors of Italy. Looking upward with pride.Lisa Pierre-Davis. A life-filled chalk character at 2016 Festa in Little Italy!
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A beautiful face comes alive on a Little Italy street. Amazing chalk art will be a central attraction at the annual Festa celebration in San Diego.
Tomorrow Festa will be enjoyed by thousands of people in Little Italy. One of the annual festival’s biggest attraction is the amazing chalk art, which is also known as Gesso Italiano. Today the chalk artists began creating their masterpieces. Their unusual canvas is two blocks of asphalt along Beech Street.
I walked this afternoon from Cortez Hill down to Little Italy, to see how far the artwork has progressed. Most of the artists had already made a good start.
I looked with wonder at many colorful chalk art faces that have gradually come to life. The artists, when drawing a human form, often begin with the face. So many beautiful faces were gazing up from the asphalt.
Festa begins tomorrow, Sunday, at 10 o’clock. Thousands will enjoy the finished chalk masterpieces. I will definitely be there!
Chalk artists line two blocks of Beech Street. It’s a very special October weekend in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood.This chalk artist uses a grid to form his emerging creation.Another face mysteriously materializes on the street. Many different colors of chalk can be used to create subtle effects.Elaborate chalk artwork, also known as Gesso Italiano, is being created the day before 2016 Festa begins in Little Italy.Chalk can be used to produce truly sensational images.Another chalk artist at work creating a bold face in the middle of the street.Many classical images borrowed from Italy’s rich history and culture will appear tomorrow on Beech Street for 2016 Festa.Chalk and asphalt. Passion and skill. A human face is born.Eyes peer up from the street, patiently regarding a skilled chalk artist.A colorful chalk angel almost ready to take flight in Little Italy.A beautiful face beneath a halo.Flying purple hair, and a glowing face in the sunlight.These eyes have been infused with life. Chalk artists have converged to create beautiful art in Little Italy for 2016 Festa!
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
This morning I walked through Chicano Park. It had been a while since I last wandered among the park’s many famous murals. My camera was searching for no one thing in particular. But I couldn’t stop admiring the many expressive faces that have been artfully painted: faces from our Hispanic community that contain a whole range of emotions, including pride, hope and resolve. The expressive faces reflect humanity and inner beauty.
I’ve blogged about this amazing collection of outdoor murals (the largest in the country) on several occasions, providing a little more information. Today, I simply present a few photos of painted human expression.
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
An imaginative performance at Fault Line Park in San Diego’s East Village during the 2016 Trolley Dances!
Check out these fun photos! They show the energy audiences will experience when they venture downtown to watch the Trolley Dances this year!
The Trolley Dances is all about contemporary dance in surprising public places. This year the Trolley Dances, a collaboration between the San Diego Dance Theater and our Metropolitan Transit System, begins with a performance in Barrio Logan. Mobile audiences, following guides, then make their way by trolley and foot to a variety of unusual downtown locations, where dancers appear like magic and perform. The unique experience lasts about two and a half hours and comes to a conclusion at the relatively new Fault Line Park in East Village. That’s where I snapped a few pics of the final two dances.
I’ll try not to give away too much. Let your imagination go to town–or better yet, buy a ticket. The 2016 Trolley Dances takes places this weekend and next!
A mobile audience arrives at San Diego’s Fault Line Park. The park will be the setting of two energetic dances.The audience takes a seat. Is something behind that wall?Yes, indeed! These suddenly rising dancers seem to have paddled in to shore!Perhaps it’s an invasion!Dancing on boulders at Fault Line Park! Flight of the Valkyries plays!A unique work of modern dance at the 2016 Trolley Dances in San Diego.The dancers approach the audience as if rowing a Viking longship . . .They have conquered!Meanwhile, out on the nearby grass, not far from some people practicing football skills, I spot a circle of baseball players . . .These baseball players also happen to be dancers!Just like professional baseball players, each performer is introduced by name to the Trolley Dances audience.And a joyful dance commences . . .Just a lot of fun.Dancers rest for a few minutes. They await the next mobile audience that will arrive at Fault Line Park during the 2016 Trolley Dances.
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The end of San Diego’s B Street Pier is lined with amazing sand sculptures created by world masters for the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge.
At this moment, the most amazing sand sculptures in the entire world are on display in San Diego on the B Street Pier. They were created by genuine world sand masters–many have won world championships–for the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge’s World Masters Solo Competition. The artists have come in for this big competition from countries all around the planet!
You doubt these are the most fantastic sand sculptures in the world at this very moment? Take a look at some photos! All of these sculptures will be destroyed right after the special event ends. The day after Labor Day, these truly amazing works of art become history!
Rockin’ Bobbin, by Kirk Rademaker, world sand master from Stinson Beach, California.The Rockin’ Bobbin, which resembles a machine with many parts, is a wonderful example of complex sand art.I Want To Fly, by world sand master Katsuhiko Chaen from Japan.A large winged foot carved of sand appears ready to take flight.Armadillo Lizard, by world sand master Susanne Ruseler of the Netherlands.The friendly world-class sand sculptor Susanne Ruseler poses for photos by her fantastic artwork.Alpha Waves, by world sand master Fergus Mulvany of Dublin, Ireland. This sculpture won second place at the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge.Alpha Waves photographed from a different angle. The layered sand art is truly amazing.And another photo from behind.Yell, by world sand master Benjamin Probanza of Mexico City.An angry, melting face yells at a graceful woman made of sand.Another photo of the astonishing sand sculpture Yell.My Inner Self Revealed, by world sand master Melineige Beauregard of Montreal, Canada.Peering through the amazing layered sand sculpture reveals a human form.The tender, small inner self is revealed.The Man Who Wasn’t There, by world sand master Rusty Croft of Carmel, California.This abstract work of sand art makes the viewer think about its potential meaning.A photo of the rear of this surreal sand sculpture reveals an open door.Yesterday upon the stair I met a man who wasn’t there he wasn’t there again today Oh how I wish he’d go away…What Is The Real Face, by world sand master Agnese Rudzite-Kirillova of Latvia.Is this the real face, or a mask worn in public?What is the real face? Where is it?Nostalgia, by world sand master Ilya Filimontsev of Moscow, Russia. This incredible sculpture won first place at the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge!Proof that sand sculptures can sometimes be classified as fine art.Side view of the stunning, award-winning sand sculpture on San Diego’s B Street Pier.Surrender To Diversity, by world sand master Michela Ciappini of Italy.An unusual sand sculpture features a rabbit perched upon an upside-down alligator!Out Of Reach, by world sand master Thomas Koet of Melbourne, Florida.Many hands reach for a very beautiful woman, but she is out of reach.The most amazing sand sculptures in the world can be found in sunny San Diego. That is–until this Labor Day weekend ends!
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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 fun and sometimes truly amazing photos for you to enjoy!
A sand sculpture representation of the famous statue Ultimate Surrender and magical animals greet people arriving in the morning for a special festival.
Here are lots of photos from the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge! The Labor Day Weekend event at San Diego’s B Street Pier presents so many genuinely cool sights, I’m dividing my many photographs into two blog posts.
This first batch features a sand sculpture near the entrance to the event, plus one sponsored sculpture. The remaining sculptures you will see here, which are completely amazing, were being finished this morning by local Southern California teams. This particular competition is between Cool California Carvers!
My next post will feature fine art sand sculptures created by the world’s best sand artists that will blow your mind, so stand by!
During the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge, San Diego is transformed into “SAND iego”!Inside the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge on the B Street Pier, food trucks, vendors with art, and some sponsored sand sculptures attract the eye of visitors.This way to the Cool California Carvers, who on Saturday morning are still working on their sand sculptures. We’ll check out the World Masters Solo Competition in my next blog post!Looking down the length of the B Street Pier between the Broadway Pier Port Pavilion and the San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal. These artists you see belong to teams representing the Cool California Carvers.Magnify It! That’s the name of this complex three-part sand sculpture, being built by the Sand Squirrels and SD Sand Castles.Peer through the telescope-like eyepiece and you see a peace sign superimposed on planet Earth!These creative people are the I.B. Posse. Their sand sculpture is titled United We Stand. I see they are working from a small model.Talented sand sculptors work on the flaming torch from New York’s Statue of Liberty.Carving the base of Lady Liberty’s torch.Reaching upward together with peaceful aspirations.Team Archisand is creating an unusual sand sculpture called REAL-EYE’z Your Futur.Small people stand together behind a mask-like face made of sand.Many of these fantastic works of sand art really catch the eye! We’ve got some great local teams!This sand sculpture seems to recreate a coral reef. I don’t know its title. I do know Team San Diego San Castles created it!A close-up photo of some marine life living in a coral reef made of carved sand–on a pier!A team called The Sandcastle Man is bringing some Crazy Dreams into reality. Yes, that’s the name of this sand sculpture.We’re All Mad Here! It must be an Alice in Wonderland themed sand sculpture! I see a team member of Archisand.I see Alice, the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter!Visitors to the 2016 U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge check out artwork being created by one of the Cool California Carvers teams.And that team is called The Sand Squirrels. The title of this cool art is The Captain’s Tale.That sea-going captain appears to be a pirate who has discovered a treasure chest. Or perhaps it’s a mirage made of beach sand on some deserted island…or on a city pier!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! 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 fun photos (including amazing sand sculptures) for you to enjoy!
The face of Dave Winfield, a past San Diego Padres superstar, now in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, greets fans on the north side of Petco Park’s historic Western Metal Supply Co. building.
Just before the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played in San Diego, a special section at Petco Park was readied to showcase our baseball team’s greatest players. In addition to large iconic images of four Padres favorites which had been added to the north end of the Western Metal Supply Co. building, an impressive “Padres In Cooperstown” wall of plaques was installed near the Padres Hall of Fame, which itself opened on July 1, 2016.
The faces you see in my photos bring back many memories. My fond memories include the magical 1984 season, which I followed closely when I was a young man. I hope any Padres fans visiting my blog might enjoy their own special memories.
Randy Jones as a starting pitcher won the Cy Young Award in 1976. Today he is in the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.The familiar face of Tony Gwynn, Mr. Padre, on the Western Metal Supply Co. building. One of the best Major League Baseball hitters of all time.The face of Trevor Hoffman, who pitched as a closer for over 15 years with the San Diego Padres. His 601 saves are presently the second most in MLB history.Legends who played baseball with the San Diego Padres who are now in Cooperstown’s National Baseball Hall of Fame include Ted Williams and Willie McCovey.A wall at Petco Park is dedicated to Padres coaches and players who are now in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Names include Rollie Fingers, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Goose Gossage.National Baseball Hall of Fame players who spent time with the Padres also include Roberto Alomar, Greg Maddux and Mike Piazza.Dave Winfield played for the San Diego Padres from 1973 to 1980. A talented outfielder, he swung the bat with power. A special plaque for him now stands separately in front of the “Padres In Cooperstown” wall at Petco Park.Tony Gwynn was simply one of the best Major League Baseball players of all time. He spent his entire career as a San Diego Padre. He was a cheerful soul loved by the fans and everyone who knew him.The smiling face of Tony Gwynn on a very special plaque. It stands eternally in front of the “Padres In Cooperstown” wall at Petco Park.
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Unusual signs near America Plaza contain quotes from famous modern artists. This thought-provoking art was installed by the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which is located across the street.
Look what I discovered this evening! I had disembarked from the trolley at the Santa Fe Depot and was making my way to America Plaza when my eyes were ensnared by a very cool sight.
At first glance I thought it was a cluster of directional signs that point every which way to cities around the world. Then I realized these signs were far more interesting!
On one side each sign contains a thought-provoking quote from a modern artist. The cities shown on the reverse side are those associated with the artists.
The modern artists quoted are: Pablo Picasso, Jeff Wall, Jackson Pollock, John Baldessari, Jose Clemente Orozco, Edward Ruscha, Joseph Beuys, Richard Diebenkorn, Henri-Robert-Marcel Duchamp and Eleanor Antin.
I walked back across Kettner Boulevard to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and learned that these unusual signs were installed by the museum about two weeks ago!
People walk down the sidewalk along Kettner Boulevard. A few glance up at what appears to be a cluster of strangely colorful directional street signs.Quotes from ten notable modern artists are featured on the MCASD signs. The reverse side of each directional sign contains a city associated with the artist.Provocative public art rises from a downtown sidewalk, across the street from the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
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Lifelike bust of Baskets the Clown, from the FX comedy series Baskets.
Outside 2016 San Diego Comic-Con, in the park directly in front of the Bayfront Hilton, the FX television channel has created a uniquely interesting FXhibition! The exhibition includes six cool busts of characters that have appeared on various FX shows. A couple of the sculptured heads are eerily lifelike. Take a look!
Quinlan, a vampire/human hybrid from the FX series The Strain.Frank Reynolds as The Troll, from the episode The Nightman Cometh in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.The White Nun, from American Horror Story: Asylum.Pam Poovey, from Archer, an animated spy comedy series on FX.Gorbachaka the Troll, from the FX sitcom Man Seeking Woman.
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Comic-Con is almost over for 2016, and this will probably be my final blog post concerning it. I hope you enjoyed the ride! Now it’s on to other cool stuff around San Diego. Next up . . . another super special tour at the San Diego Museum of Art! So please stay tuned!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Cool San Diego Sights! 