SD Botanic Gardens Sculpture

by Patricia Frischer

San Diego Botanic Garden continues to be home to a stunning display of sculptures curated by Naomi Nussbaum. ( this set from June to May 2017) Located at 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, 92024.

The Botanic Gardens never looked better. Lush and in bloom, with waterfalls and lookouts, the sculptures are so well sited by Naomi Nussbaum and her team of artists and gardeners that there is joy around every corner. I had to crop many of the photos to cut out the distracting plants just so you could see them in the images below. But go to the park and see the vegetation and art works living together in perfect harmony.  I have only documented a small portion of what is on view. Sculptures that move and reflect, abstract, figurative, there is something for everyone and no one with a garden should come away without wanting an art work in their own space. 

Yuriy Akopov

Jeffery Laudenslager

I am showing you three views of this rotating work by Deanne Sabeck because as it turns the glass changes colors. The last of the three was the reflection of the work on the ground.

Yuriy Akopov

Lynn Forbes

Laurenn Barker

Julia S. Rasor

Yuriy Akopov

Helen Segal

Patricia Palenschat

Chris Brown

Peter Mitten

Becky Guttin

These last two works are on permanent display but I wanted to show case them as well. I was not able to see the names of the artist so my apologies to them. 

This very large disks of disks is on the side of the building facing the parking lot. It dances in the sun.

This is just one of an entire set of figures that are made from living matter. I like this dancer so much with her delicate little foot lifted just above the ground.

Fall Round Up, Brad Maxey, Pablo Llana, Mark Jesinoski, SDAI Gala

by Patricia Frischer

We are so lucky in San Diego to have so much art to see every single month. In October there are 31 events listed just in the first week. Here is a little tiny taste of the most current events I have attended. This does not even include:

Annual San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) Workshop A+ Art Blog by Patricia Frischer

Cultural District Public Input Meeting Picked RAW Peeled by Patricia Frischer

2nd Annual Open Door Open Studios Picked RAW Peeled by Patricia Frischer

SD Botanic Gardens Sculpture Picked Ripe by Patricia Frischer

Noel Baza Pop UP at Art Produce presenting Brad Maxey's recent paintings (3139 University Avenue, SD 92104, enter through Tostadas Restaurant from 11 am to 6 pm daily, Oct 8 to Nov 9.

Brad Maxey is an artist specializing in realism and he does not disappoint. This genre requires the artist to point something out to the viewer that he might have missed, So it is all about the artist's eye and what he notices in the landscape (cityscape in this case). Maxey manages to magnify our view of the world. 

This mirror glass side of a building cuts the palms that are reflected and makes them appear to be floating up into the air.

Maxey is catching that perfect time in the morning when the world appears to be glowing with light. Noice how the color of the roof, tree trunk, bush and car are all in contrast with the cool colors of the sky and lawn.

EAT - artist Pablo Llana,  Think Outside the Box- Basile Studio Artists plus Outdoor light sculptures by architect/artist Adrian Sierra Garcia at basileIE + CMCuratorial  from Oct 8 to Dec 1 (2070 Logan Avenue San Diego, CA 92113)

There are two separate shows in this double roomed space in Barrio Logan. Pablo Llana's work is constructed from junk food wrappers that are crushed together and shellaced. He is speaking to the horror of the eating habits of youth in Mexico who have a very high rate of obesity in the world. 

A close up of the crushed wrappers and some of the smaller works represent the food eaten by one child in one day!

An almost quilt like design, from junk food coverings

The other side of the gallery was filled with works made by the very talented staff of Basile Design Studio

The staff came together and each one was responsible for a small part of this work which says, "FUCK COLLABORATION"

Just a tiny part of the work viewed close up.

 

Carlos Ulloa presented this prototype of a limited edition table. I have never seen this design before. The back of the draw sticks out of the side of the table side and becomes the handle to open the drawer. Clever, sleek and sexy. 

Mark Jesinoski's one night  exhibit on Oct 8 is titled Speaking in Tongues.  (opening at Negulescu FineArt (1878 Main Street, SD 92113 in the Barrio Logan Arts District). These painting contain cyborgs, puppets, and caricatures and play with themes of religion, bias, fear, politics, and tribalism and are an unfiltered expression of the thoughts, feelings, and ideas we all experience and struggle with today.Jesinoski has a career of helping people, most lately in the work he does with veterans. These powerful new canvases show his own progress as a creative force. He is leaving San Diego to live near Cincinnati with his lovely wife and child and baby on the way.. We wish him luck in his new location and want him to know he will be missed!. 

Mark Jesinoski

Showing at the same time with Mark Jesinoski is a wonderful group of Don Quixote figures by James Watts. They use Watts traditional hammered tin can surfaces that we know and love but combine them with wonderful stone carved horse and man heads that look ancient. The man from la Mancha even has a removable heart. 

San Diego Art Institute annual benefit celebrating 75 years included dinner, live art, and silent auction. It was held at Writerz Blok, 5010 Market Street, SD 92102. Dinner provided Chef Mario Medina, music, dancing, opportunity drawing, silent auction with musical guest Cumbia Machin.

This party menu was colored themed with delicious purple cocktails and a starter of beet soup. After it got dark it was harder to see the colors of what we were eating, but everything was very delicious.

 

Maria Mingalone, new director of the Oceanside Museum of Art  meeting a whole new group of art folks

Two very long tables within the graffiti of  Writerz Blok made for a wonderful setting.

Irene de Watteville enjoying the company.

Ann Berchtold and David Malmuth, and Karen Gilbert across the table, all great supporters of SDAI

2nd Annual Open Door Open Studios

by Patricia Frischer

2nd Annual Open Studios is produced by Studio Door (3750 30th Street, SD 92104) with a reception: Sat. Oct 8, 6 -9 pm for all the participating artists. The exhibition runs from  Oct 1 to 22. The Self Guided Studio Tours: Sat/Sun Oct 15/16, 10 am to 5 pm. More info; Patric Stillman 619-255-4920. Our thanks to the following artist for the use of their images in our banner which include Linda Litteral: Background, Left to right: Combat Arts San Diego, Julia S Rasor,  Dennis Dizon, Chris Smith, Hyacinthe Baron, Gabriele Bitter, Danielle Nelisse

This is a story about Patric Stillman more than the Open Studios.  He has worked so hard to promote this event which is no small task. He has gathered artists from all over the county and encouraged them to open their studios for a weekend, designed and printed a map showing all the locations, grouped artist so that the public enjoys as many artists as possible in one location, and then finally hosted a group show of all participating artist at Studio Door. This is a huge effort to take on and so it is even more surprising that he was able to start a whole new series of work since Open Studio last year. This work really resonated with me. He is telling the personal story of his family and the one word I would use to describe this lovely subtle works is authentic. He has managed to touch something in himself which is so appealing and so honest. So I think that not only is he an administrator to be admired and praised but also an artist who is an example to all of those who he shelters and supports. 

Patric Stillman - This depicts the story of a relative who in 1915 gave sex education lectures in St. Louis. She charged $600, but one's ladies group was no outrages by the subject matter that they refused to pay her fee. Clipping from the newspaper about her make up the background of this image.

Patric Stillman

Pierre Bounaud - a charming tea set with impeccable technique

Hyacinthe Baron - amazing series of Apsaras which are divine women of paradise. This one is a bark goddess.

Chris Smith

Gabriele Bitter,

Julia S Rasor

Linda Litteral - very interesting back side to these two facing figures. You see small cubicles filled with a variety of white objects.

Manuelita Brown - It is hard to photograph this little bronze figure of a begging man with his face down turned and his shoulders stooped. But I end this report with another truly authentic work of art. Ms. Brown has captured all the sadness and stress of those less fortunate. No, this is not a hopeful work, but it is a very real one.

Cultural District Public Input Meeting

by Patricia Frischer

Cultural Districts Public Input Meeting San Diego Region presented by California Arts Council  was on Mon, Oct 3 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at California Center for the Arts: Conference Center (340 North Escondido Blvd, Escondido, 92025)

There was a good north county attendance for this meeting put on for the benefit of the entire county of San Diego.Introductions were made by Ayanna L. Kiburi, Deputy Director of CAC, and Caitlin Fitzwater
Public Information Officer. Larry Baza who is the first representative to the CAC from San Diego (also Chair of the Commission for Arts and Culture) emphasizes he is representing the entire county,  We were led through a outline of the sort of information they were looking for by Jessica Cusick.

Basically AD 189 is legislature that approves a design for Cultural Distinct in California. It most importantly includes a clause that existing arts should not be displaces by this new designation.  Thirteen states already have similar programs and the CAC is looking for us to have a set of criteria in place by 2017. They hope to offer and encourage technical support, joint marketing, convening and access to state resources. The step before actually finding funding for the program is to complete a set of toolkits.

Cultural Districts can be complex combinations. They should be culturally rich, of course, but also diverse and creative. They might be a place where art is produces, consumed or preserved. They can be urban, rural or suburban. When they are successful, they have some pre-existing assets, have a good mapping system in place, have a coherent identity, have leadership from multiple sectors, have great collaborations and partnerships, and can present data with pictures and stories.  And one major quality that is so important to maintain and is central to success is authenticity.

We were asked to contribute comments that address worries and hopes and a large part of the audience stepped forward. The voiced concerns included a sample as follows:

• What is the ability for cultural districts to support affordable studio and housing for the artists and small businesses that might be priced out when the district is successful?
• Can you produce tool kits that are not just how to start but how to leverage the districts for ongoing success?
• What kind of buy in is needed from the city of the district? What incentives could the city offer to make this effort tempting?
• How can the district be leveraged to other parts of the state?
• Is one plan sufficient for a state as diverse and large as California?
• Can communities’ problems and causes be addressed by districts and can that be mandated?
• How is tourism integrated in the promotion of the district?
• Can a priority be given to those areas with no administration for the arts right now at all?
• How will the program be funded by CAC?

All interested parties are encouraged to weigh-in via brief online survey, available at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CAC-CD.

Click here to download the PowerPoint presented at the meeting: http://arts.ca.gov/files/CAC%20CD%20final%20-%20for%20web.pdf


Side note: There are now 14 categories for $14 million in grants from the CAC. This is greatly expanded and you are encourage to check out your own possibilities for qualification

Annual San Diego Tourism Authority (SDTA) Workshop

by Patricia Frischer

I try to attend the Annual San Diego Tourism Authority  (SDTA) Workshop workshop about every five years to see how this powerful group evaluate and increases its goals to bring tourist to our region. In general the SDTA is SD City centric, but their remit is the whole of the county. The San Diego Tourism Authority is a private, non-profit, mutual benefit corporation composed of approximately 1,000 member organizations, businesses, local governments, and individuals. Members include lodging, dining, arts & attractions, shopping, and transportation i.e. any company even indirectly involved in tourism. It is funded in part by members and the San Diego Tourism Marketing District (City of SD Lodgings) with City of San Diego Tourism Marketing.(City of SD Economic Development) assessment funds. 

Tourism is the second largest segment of San Diego's economy and employs approximately 180,900 people. SDTA invests $25 million dollars in advertising and promotional programs. Tourists spend $9.9 million and the TOT (Tax on Tourist) raises $246 million of which $180 million in SD City Only. Tourism as revenue is second only to Research/Technology/Innovation in our region. This is another good reason to combine both in STEAM (Science Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) education. 

With 80 on staff a large part of their business is bringing large meetings and conventions into our centers and hotels. They do this by showing perspective decision makers, how fabulous the area is climate, hotels, restaurants and especially attractions like Sea World and the SD Zoo not to forget the 85 art institutions. A terrific program is called Kids Free in October. Over 40 museums are allowing kids 12 or under in for free with a paid adult for the whole month. 

The Brand they are promoting is San Diego Owns a Sunny Outlook and The People + The Place + The Climate = Inspired Optimism.  SDTA’s stance is that San Diego is different from LA because we are authentic and collaborative. Climate is important but also the people and the natural and built environment. What is surprising is that it is the we rate 5^th in the county for programming which is a big part supplied by the arts. 

They very cleverly are starting an award program for hotel (Rancho Bernardo Inn) and sales person (Rachel Strong) who performs outstanding services for the quarter, sort of an Art Prize for Tourism.

The media breakout was cancelled but the B2B (Business to Business) Social Marketing panel was interesting thanks to industry panelists including special guests Tyler Anderson, and Stephanie Liu well versed on facebook, Instagram, twitter, and SDTA's Ernie Rossow, National Sales Director  and Nick Karvounis, B2B Content Editor. Introductions for all the presenters below were made by Dave Mering. We were also treated to this video of him seeing all three attractions which was a real hoot. Here are a few tips I picked up:

• In postings, be yourself, have fun, tell your story and your history
• Drill down on your hash tags, from the large audience to the individual interest
• Use video to go behind the scene for more interest
• If you use paid ads on facebook, make sure your placement is not on the side rail but in the Newsfeed
• Reach out for additional curated posted from others on topic
  
  

It was interesting to see that the attractions are all taking on cause marketing. Legoland Empowers Children. The Zoo save endangered species and Sea World is in the middle of re-inventing itself as an educational institution concentrating on the oceans. 

Here are links to the presentations followed by links to the info they gave us on flash drives for anyone who wants to dive deeper.

• San Diego Tourism Authority, Kerri Kapich
• Port of San Diego, Karen Porteous – great new resort projects in both National City and Chula Vista will be considered outside public living rooms.  The bridge lights on Coronado Bridge are back on track.
• San Diego Airport, Thella Bowens  - yes, Terminal 1 is being upgraded and then replace entirely for $1.5 billion. She also acknowledged how much the art de-stresses the travel experience.
  * Airport Presentation
  * Thella's Notes
• San Diego Zoo, Ted Molter  - The new Watering Hole at the Safari park will be promoted for weddings and parties. Africa Rocks is a brand new display.
• SeaWorld San Diego, Barbara Drahl
• Legoland, Peter Kock, director of marketing - The last time I visited, Logoland was rather small and seemed a joy only for 5 year olds. They have added attractions every year like Star Wars coming 2017 and now have a hotel like a proper resort and are building another hotel and expanding parking.  I was impressed that one of the three attractions presented was in Carlsbad. 

 

SDTA Member Opportunities 2016-2017

San Diego Travel Forecast

San Diego Visitor Profile

San Diego Brand Overview