Where the Art Is

San Diego has a thriving contemporary art scene, and you can be apart of it.  Spring is upon us and with the gorgeous flowers blooming all around, now is the perfect time to get out and explore all the amazing art exhibits happening right now.  We’ve highlighted a few diverse favorites that you won’t want to miss.  

The Latin American Art Festival is an outdoor art show that celebrates over 70 artists from all over the Latin world.  This is the second year the festival is coming to the Point Loma Liberty Station, after a successful run last year.  The Festival aims to not only introduce talented painters, sculptors, photographers, and printmakers to San Diego, but to also celebrate and educate goers about the diversity of the different Latin American communities.  The free all-day event will feature stunning works of visual arts, performing arts and culinary arts all in one place.  Come hungry, as there will be award-winning chefs serving delectable bites and wine and beer from Mexico.  Attendees of all ages will love the live music and performances throughout the day.  There will be a children’s area where young ones can can learn about the art world and create their own original works of art.  Stop by the on Friday, March 18^th, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM or Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. 

For those seeking a tranquil moment in a quiet, sun-soaked gallery head to the San Diego Watercolor Society, also at the Point Loma Liberty Station.  There you will find works, from abstracts to landscapes, all in the watercolor medium.  Each month a new show is presented to the public and visitors can vote on their favorite piece submitted by members of the Watercolor Society.  This month’s show “March Goes Round,” will be on display until March 26^th.  The San Diego Watercolor Society has been a non-profit organization for over 50 years and has around 700 members.  A visit to the gallery is free, and open from Sunday through Wednesday, usually from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.   Check out their calendar for more specifics HERE.  

One of the most influential pop artist living today is Los Angeles-based Ed Ruscha.  His works are influenced by the landscapes and even vernacular of Southern California.  Ruscha got his start in the first Pop Art exhibits at the Pasadena Art Museum in 1962, where his works were hung next to Lichtenstein’s and Warhol’s.  The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla has an impressive art exhibit going on now entitled “Ed Ruscha Then & Now: Paintings from the 1960s and 2000s.”  MCASD La Jolla has had a long standing relationship with this world-famous artist, including the larger than life mural outside, “Outdoor Mural Brave Men of La Jolla (1995- 1996),” Ruscha created just for the exterior of the La Jolla location.  The museum’s permanent collection includes 30 of his creations, and the exhibit will feature many more works from Ruscha’s long career.  The exhibit runs through April 24^th, and the museum is open six days a week (closed on Wednesdays) from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. General Admission is $10; seniors and students 26 and over (with ID) are $5; students 25 and under and military and family (with ID) are free.

Celebrate the first days of spring surrounded by beautiful blooms and beautiful works of art.  You could easily plan an art-themed vacation, complete with a stay at Mission BayVacation Rentals, and taking in multiple art shows, both indoors and out.  Book with MBVR today and soak in some of San Diego’s rich cultural happenings. 

Summer's Artistic Endeavors

After blogging about the Stuart Collection’s jaw-dropping 18 works of sculpture art at UCSD, and later on the genius of artist and author Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel,  we thought a post just about Art would be the natural next step.  San Diego county has over 200 art galleries and museums, and that doesn’t include artists sprinkled all over the city selling their original pieces (check out This Link for a full list of galleries, art spaces and museums).  This is the perfect weekend to get out and explore all the artistry this town has to offer.

There are 28 galleries and museums in the tiny enclave of La Jolla.  That’s a lot of art for a quaint sea-side village.  Our favorite is the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, or MCASD.  The MCASD has two outposts in the city: La Jolla, and one located downtown. Both are fascinating, but we are partial to the La Jolla location.  The museums have an impressive collection of modern art, photography, sculpture, and installation art from today’s greatest visionaries.  Both locations are closed on Wednesdays and are free on the third Thursday of every month from 5 to 7p.m.  General admission is $10, $5 for seniors and students over 26,  military and their family as well as students under 25 are free with ID.  A perk to admission is that it is valid for 7 days and can be used at both locations.

Part of MCASD La Jolla’s permanent collection is artist Robert Irwin’s “1° 2° 3° 4°,” an austere box of a room with three white walls and glass windows, giving the viewer a true life postcard  view of the sea and palm trees.  The natural beauty of La Jolla, seems to be art enough for this piece, until you closely inspect the windowed walls and see that perfect squares have been cut in the middle of the glass in three places, exposing one to the elements outside.  Irwin is known for manipulating light, space, and perception, and all three come together in this beautiful room.

Balboa Park has 8 museums in a concentrated area, but if you only have time for one and you have art on the mind, then the San Diego Museum of Art is the clear winner.  The edifice took two years to finish, including the sculpture relief that makes up the ornate doorway, which took its inspiration from antique buildings and churches in Spain.  Inside, majestic interiors continue Spanish influence, with tiered stairways and an indoor fountain.  

Their art collection ranges from classic pieces by El Greco and Fransisco de Goya to the masters who started the Modern Art movement like Henri Matisse.  The museum also features works from around the world, like sculptures of Hindu gods from the 6th century and pieces from 18th century Japanese art.  Their Current Exhibits feature four very different presentations that you will not want to miss: Contemporary artist Pan Gongkai has created six new paintings especially for the museum; “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland 1861-2008” explores the fun and fantasy of New York’s famed amusement park; “Art of East Asia” focuses on the history of ancient China, Japan, and Korea; and finally “Romantic Views: Mexico at the Turn of the Century.”

For those who want to not only enjoy art in a museum, but to own an original work of art, then this Saturday and Sunday you won’t want to miss San Diego’s ArtWalk.  Now in it’s 10th year, this event gives patrons the unique opportunity to talk with the artist about their inspiration and ideas behind their work.  ArtWalk takes place at the NTC Liberty Station at Ingram Plaza near Downtown, once used as the Naval Training Center, it now houses art studio, galleries and a performance stage.  In addition to free admission and free parking, there will be live music, food trucks, and KidWalk, an interactive area for kids and adults to create their own art.  The event takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and will feature over 175 talented artists selling their originals.  

Sandwiches between forested mountains and a glimmering ocean, it’s no wonder San Diego has inspired so many artists.  Our picture-perfect setting is also ideal for galleries and museums to display their pieces, as viewers can enjoy masterful works of art and then step outside and enjoy the equally-stunning Mother Nature.  With La Jolla to the north, Balboa Park to the east, and Downtown San Diego to the south, Mission Bay Vacation Rentals just happens to be at the center of it all.