Prints by Rufino Tamayo at America Plaza.

It seems few people realize the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego has a small “gallery” inside One America Plaza, the tall building that stands across Kettner Boulevard from the museum’s downtown location. Works of art are often displayed behind several windows in a passage connected to the office building’s lobby.

The artwork now on display is titled Sun: Prints by Rufino Tamayo from MCASD’s Collection.

According to a sign in one window: “Rufino Tamayo was a prolific artist working in many media, from oil painting and watercolor to printmaking and even sculpture. Tamayo was also a prominent muralist, and completed projects for museums, universities, and libraries throughout the world. Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, Tamayo emerged as one of the leading artists in his country and is recognized internationally as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century.”

This morning I enjoyed a look at the eleven pieces that are on display. To me they all possess a primitive, even elemental quality that seems mysteriously symbolic. These are representations of life that are both strange and intimately understood. They are visions that you might see in your dreams.

If you happen to be in downtown San Diego, or simply love the art of Rufino Tamayo, head into the main entrance of One America Plaza, then turn left to find this small treasure trove of fantastic art!

For the sun is in all his pictures, whether we see it or not; night itself for Tamayo is simply the sun carbonized. --Octavio Paz
For the sun is in all his pictures, whether we see it or not; night itself for Tamayo is simply the sun carbonized. –Octavio Paz

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!

Nine mysterious shadows in San Diego!

Mystery Shadow #1

Ready to have some fun?

Can you identify the location of each shadow?

Here are nine photos of mysterious shadows that I took in the past couple weeks.

All are from walks through downtown or Balboa Park.

Mystery Shadow #2
Mystery Shadow #3
Mystery Shadow #4
Mystery Shadow #5
Mystery Shadow #6
Mystery Shadow #7
Mystery Shadow #8
Mystery Shadow #9

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 short story about a mysterious artifact.

Have you ever visited a museum and viewed an historical object that seems timeless? An artifact that might still belong in the hands of the living?

I’ve written a short story based on my own strange experiences. It has a surprise ending. It’s titled The Recovered Artifact.

To read it, click here!

I would like to express gratitude to those teachers who’ve introduced my story One Thousand Likes to students recently using Google Classroom. I observe my website stats and am stunned. I never imagined such a small story would be read by so many. It’s a writer’s wildest dream come true!

Now it’s time to start brainstorming again!

There are many more places to walk in San Diego and many more photographs to take. Unexpected new adventures await! Thanks for coming along!

Wishing all my readers a Happy New Year!

Richard

Sunlit floats on Grape Street Pier.

This morning, as I walked past the Grape Street Pier in downtown San Diego, a strange bright something caught my eye.

At first I thought I saw gigantic billiard balls!

No, it was early morning light on a cluster of brand new floats.

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!

Fantastic ikebana exhibitions in Balboa Park!

Today I got lucky!

I stumbled upon two different ikebana exhibitions while strolling about Balboa Park!

The first show I enjoyed was being held inside the Casa del Prado. Sogetsu San Diego Branch had filled a large room with many fantastic Japanese flower arrangements.

The Sogetsu School of ikebana originated in 1927. This school of floral arrangement allows for wider individual expression than traditional ikebana, which adheres to formal rules.

According to what I read in a brochure at the show: Sogetsu Ikebana can be created anytime, anywhere, by anyone in any part of the world, and with any kind of material.

You can see in a few of the upcoming photographs that some rather strange materials are indeed used!

The second show I enjoyed was being held inside the Exhibit Hall at the Japanese Friendship Garden. Fantastic arrangements had been created by the Ohara School of Ikebana, La Jolla Chapter.

A friendly artist explained that the Ohara School often creates a sense of natural landscape with flowers and common plants, like grasses, ferns, holly and even garden vegetables! Wide basins and water can enhance the sense the viewer is hovering above a wild garden or beautiful lake.

The careful design of each arrangement incorporates at least one triangle. You can see several of those triangles in my photos:

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!

How to possibly move the Earth.

I wrote another small story yesterday.

The words came to me in Balboa Park while I listened to my friend Mitchell playing didgeridoo. People walking down El Prado would pause before the strange, resonant instrument. A brave few would dance.

As people came and went, I wondered what effect their movement might have on the planet. Both Mitchell and I are curious about strange, cosmic things.

The title of my short story is Spinning the Earth.

If you like to use your imagination, click here!

A slightly unusual morning by the water.

A seagull hopes for a morning morsel while I eat breakfast outdoors on the Embarcadero, not far from the USS Midway.
A seagull hopes for a morning morsel while I eat breakfast outdoors on the Embarcadero, not far from the USS Midway.

This morning I walked along the Embarcadero, from Broadway Pier to Tuna Harbor.

My camera captured some of the usual beauty, plus a few unusual images!

Research vessel JOIDES Resolution (Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling), a scientific drilling ship used by the International Ocean Discovery Program, docked in San Diego.
Research vessel JOIDES Resolution (Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling), a scientific drilling ship used by the International Ocean Discovery Program, docked in San Diego.
Here come Cabrillo, the Coronado Ferry, across a very smooth San Diego Bay.
Here comes Cabrillo, the Coronado Ferry, across a very smooth San Diego Bay.
Someone exercises by the water on a beautiful early San Diego morning.
Someone exercises by the water on a beautiful early San Diego morning.
Some colorful lobster traps were stacked at the edge of the parking lot beside Tuna Harbor.
Some colorful lobster traps were stacked at the edge of the parking lot beside Tuna Harbor.
Strange reflections on the smooth water of Tuna Harbor.
Mysterious reflections on the still water of Tuna Harbor.
Trees and downtown buildings upside down on the water.
Trees and downtown buildings upside down on the water.
A worker casually stands on the plank above the water. An odd and mysterious image!
A worker casually stands on the plank above the water. A rather strange image!

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 few odd photos of superheroes and ducks.

Kid meets Gold Zeo Power Ranger in front of the San Diego Museum of Art!
Kid meets Gold Zeo Power Ranger in front of the San Diego Museum of Art!

I have a few odd photos to share. Problem is, I’m not really sure what to do with them. So I’ve posted them here, together!

The first three photos were snapped in Balboa Park over the weekend; the final two were taken during my commute home today.

Behold: two valiant superheroes and ducks waiting for a bus!

Gold Zeo Power Ranger, Trey of Triforiaz, cosplay in Balboa Park.
Gold Zeo Power Ranger, Trey of Triforiaz, cosplay in Balboa Park.
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) stands guard inside the House of Israel in Balboa Park.
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) stands guard inside the House of Israel in Balboa Park.
A flock of ducks waits for a bus at the Fashion Valley Transit Center.
A flock of ducks waits for a bus at the Fashion Valley Transit Center.
Ducks prepare to board a waiting bus.
Ducks prepare to board an arriving bus.

These silly ducks, unfortunately, forgot their bus passes.

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!

Strangely beautiful rusted chains on a barge.

I know, Cool San Diego Sights is supposedly dormant now. But today I enjoyed a very pleasant evening beside San Diego Bay, and by habit I pulled out my camera.

I photographed some strangely beautiful rusted chains (and other odd bits of iron) at the end of the Maritime Museum’s barge!

Amusing photographs from Comic-Con!

He told me his name is Pickle Rick.
He told me his name is Pickle Rick.

Here’s a collection of amusing photos I took today while walking around San Diego Comic-Con.

At least, they are amusing to me.

I've heard of pitching with extra mustard on it, but this is ridiculous.
I’ve heard of pitching with extra mustard on it, but this is ridiculous.
A little girl who hates clowns couldn't wait to see Pennywise munched to pieces by Sharkzilla.
A little girl who hates clowns couldn’t wait to see Pennywise munched to pieces by Sharkzilla.
The black Symbiote Costume is making Spider-Man act a bit erratically.
The black Symbiote Costume is making Spider-Man act a bit erratically.
It's Bullwinkle!
It’s Bullwinkle!
An odd pair.
A rather odd pair.
Waiting for the next moon walk.
Waiting patiently for the next moon walk.
That cosplay photo won't fit in one frame.
That cosplay photo won’t fit in one frame.
Joker tells reporter this town needs an enema.
Joker tells reporter this town needs an enema.
Fortunately, this guy doesn't need any sunscreen.
Fortunately, this guy doesn’t need any sunscreen.
Spaceballs cosplay! I gotta watch that great movie again.
A great Spaceballs cosplay! Woohoo! I gotta watch that movie again.
Captain Marvel in a police lineup.
Captain Marvel somehow ended up in a police lineup.
Forgive me, but I laughed.
Forgive me, but I laughed.
Absurd. But that's the wonder of Comic-Con!
Completely absurd. But that’s one wonderful aspect Comic-Con!
I think that's Lumière. Or a guy who missed a payment on his electric bill.
I think that’s Lumière from Beauty and the Beast. Or a guy who missed a payment on his electric bill.
Try to be more gruesome next time.
I’m not convinced. Try to be more gruesome next time.
A smiling Ebenezer Scrooge can't be too far behind.
A smiling Ebenezer Scrooge can’t be too far behind.
It appears these stormtroopers just got back from a vacation in Hawaii.
Looks like these stormtroopers just got back from a vacation in Hawaii.

Six blog posts in one day is a record for me. I suppose I’m having too much fun.

Perhaps I should take a nap.

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!