Oceanside Art Walk by Vanessa Christie

Oceanside long known for its military connections is now home to an Arts District. 

Oceanside Arts Walk is a monthly art walk taking place on the first Friday of each month. The current show is “Zen of a Woman” in honor of Women’s History Month and features primarily female artists and performers.

The opening Friday March 6^th featured performances by Kelly Halloran, Taylor Thickner, and Blown Fuse, as well as Traditional Irish Band and site specific performances. The event was curated by Gailee Walker Wells. Some of the art will remain on display through the month of March. Next months them will be “Listen to the Music of the Art” with an opening the first Friday of April.

Oceanside Arts Walk: http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/

Ruth Jameson http://www.ruthjameson.com/ is the “Zen of a Woman” featured artist with one of her images on the “Zen of a Woman” brochure. Her work is inspired by Henry Moore, Rodin, and her imagination.

Erin Blair https://www.facebook.com/ErinBlairStudio is a photographer who has done a series of portraits of yoga teachers in outdoor locations.

 

Sasha Bravo http://www.sashabravo.com/ is an artistic jeweler.

Patrick Brown’s https://www.visualaids.org/artists/detail/patrick-brown work consists of large format abstractions inspired by his struggles living with HIV/AIDS.

Vanessa Christie  https://www.facebook.com/vanessatheartist   is showing surreal portraits of women inspired by masks and the hidden self.

Anne Fagan http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/anne-fagan/ depicts candid images of people in soft colors. Inspired by living in San Diego and travel in Europe and Mexico.

Falicia Ferrer http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/falicia-ferrer/ uses bright colors or black and white to depict women.

Ashley Gallagher’s https://www.facebook.com/smashley.art.7 work is inspired by pop culture. She uses paint and the human form to bring songs to life.

 

Marilyn Huerta http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/marilyn-huerta/ primarily a painting and mixed media artist with colorful images of animals and humans.

 

Mikaela McLeish http://mikaelamcleish.com/ depicts solitary figures on the border between reality and dream.

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Chuck McPherson http://www.ballastpointgallery.com/ is a watercolor painter who specializes in live painting before audiences.

Elizabeth Joy Nelson http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/elizabeth-joy-nelson/ uses vibrant colors to create positive energy.

Denise Nguyen  http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/denise-nguyen/ specializes in the ancient arts of ikebana and pottery.

Cat Chiu Phillips http://www.catchiuphillips.com/ uses found objects to explore contemporary culture.

 

Robin Spalding http://www.robinspaldingart.com/ is a surreal/conceptual photographer.

Also on display currently Jeannie Marshall Oritz: http://www.oceansideartwalk.org/product/jeannie-marshall-ortiz/

 and at Pacific Choice are works provided by 

TERI, INC  http://www.teriinc.org/, which helps disabled people create acrylic and mixed media art.

MAS Attack 8 at San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park

MAS Attack 8 - 75 LA Artist Meet 75 SD Artist for this one night event on Sat Feb 28 from 6 to 10 pm at the San Diego Art Institute (1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, House of Charm, SD 92101). Live music by Angel Dust and Prayers All 150 artists will be present for the MAS (Mutual Admiration Society) event started by Artra Curatorial. This was one wild night! More info: Marina Grize 619.236.0011

Finding 150 artist, half from LA, willing to deliver their art for a one night show is a spectacular feat. Hanging that work in 5 hours gives an idea of the spirit of this event, where nothing is for sale and even the wall labels are only attached by the artists as they arrive. This was not an evening for collectors, but one when the artist admired one other and celebrated each other's company. MAS stands for Mutual Admiration Society. That is not to say there were not loads of spectators who came to marvel and maybe to rub shoulders with artist in all mediums. People were still arriving when I left at 9 pm after talking straight for 3 hours. 

The San Diego Art Institute under the direction of Ginger Porcella and with the approval of the board (I have to declare a interest as a board member) aims to introduce the institute to a wide range of artists in our community. I ran into many artists at the show who had never been to this premier space in Balboa Park for contemporary art. There are many great artists living and working in our region and SDAI hopes to celebrate the excellence of their work.   Artists naturally embrace change. I think it is part of the job description of a creative person. I believe that continuous quality improvement goes hand and hand with greater support for the arts. I am pleased to say that the membership of artist at SDAI has increased and this is due to the excitement created by Ms. Porcella in opening up the space for shows like MAS Attack. 

Photo by Ed Roxbourgh

SDAI's Ginger Porcella and Artra Curatorial's

Max Presneill – Curatorial Director. Not pictured

Kio Griffith – Development Director

Colton Stenke – Operations Director

Prudence Horne

 These first three pictures are all by artists soon to appear in the New Contemporaries VIII at Valencia Gallery Fri. May 1 to Fri. May 29.

Jessica McCambly - tiny, tiny pearl like dots delicately placed in the middle of a white expanse.

scott b. davis

Carmen Argote

Ismael de Anda III

Panca

Katya Usvitsky

Don Porcella

Claire Jackel

Daphne Hill

Becky Guttin

Clayton Ehman

Hung Viet Nguyen

Susan Feldman Tucker

Ann Zapolli

Bhavna Mehta - I stood for quite a while, waiting to get a clear shots of this elaborate cut out work by Bhavna and finally decided that  this acute viewer  deserved a presence in this report.. Bhava is one our SD Art Prize recipients for 2014 and her work goes on view  soon San Diego Art Prize 2014 at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
March 28-May 2, 2015 with Marianela de la Hoz, Philipp Scholz-Ritterman and Joseph Huppert.

Einar and Jamex de la Torre are past recipients of SD Art Prize

Jessica McCambly,  This work by Jessica is on view right now along with the following four works, at the SD Airport as part of the SDAI 75 anniversary year which takes place in 2016.

Cheryl Tall

Devon Browning

Scott Shoemake

Vincent Mattino

Balboa Park at 100

Balboa Park at 100
Showing from Jan until Feb 27 San Diego Art Institute
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park, House of Charm, SD 92101
More info: Marina Grize 619.236.0011

San Diego Art Institute presents this show organized by Executive Director Ginger Shulick Porcella and Francis French, Director of Education at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, which  is a collaborative exhibition, exploring the past, present, and imagined future of Balboa Park. 

The back room of SDAI is converted into a Commemoration of a Theft. It is the essence of a change in time and place in this show which explores, in quite abstract ways, the shifts in time that occur in any one location. But for location you can substitute memory, concept, and attitude. We see echoes of our own selves and are surprised by some of the shadows which don't so much haunt us but remind us that time is influenced by context. 

Carlos Castro Arias,

Carlos Castro Arias,

Carlos Castro Arias,

Carlos Castro Arias,

Alex Young

Alex Young

In this installation by Alex Young (above and below) we learn about the Heaven on Earth Club. They encouraged the branding of San Diego as Heaven on Earth. I often refer to living in Paradise for our home here. This spiritual calling was applied to the promotion of SD as a destination. 

Alex Young

Alex Young

Cat Chiu Phillips

Cat Chiu Phillips takes that same tourist promotion which we see today and stitches it with overlays of thread and paint. This works are converted into overlays of past and present.

Saulo Cisneros

The veils of time are activated in Saulo Cisneros work where a projection of nude figures leaps and strides making reference to those first studios of photographs of the figure which was used to study anatomy. The figures almost look like holograms as they seem to exist in a 3-d space. This display leads very nicely into the installation of Clark and Spriggs where a nude suit is on display along with a photo album of visitors of the park game to wear the suit. This commemorates the Nudist Colony at Zoro Gardens which was  public space for nudes right in the park, which peep holes in the wall so it could be observed. The idea seems totally absurd today but didn't seem to be the scandal we would have imagined it to be at the time

Kate Clark and Hermione Spriggs

Kate Clark and Hermione Spriggs at Zoro Garden Nudist Colony

Brian Goeltzenleuchter & Charmaine Banach'

I was able to hear 4 out of the 6 audio recordings of stories of past events related to certain spots in the park preformed by this duo. This again carries forth the theme and adds sound and smell and that interactive aspect that makes you responsible for activating the art work. Seeing yourself as part of the history and future of the park is an important part of the centennial celebrations. Balboa Park at 100, is after all, about that celebration.

This brings me to my favorite piece in the show. I loved the giant lantern created by Belize Iristay. It is made up of those glass candle votive holders beloved by Mexican that usually have religious theme. You can buy them at any 99 cent shop. Iristay has stacked these up and on a whole section has created her own iconography. The flame in the center gives this a lovely glow. Just seeing it makes me want to celebrate.

Beliz Iristay