Balboa Park's beauty and cultural offerings will astound you.  It is in San Diego CA just a bit more than an hour from my community in La Mision, Baja California, Mexico.   The Spanish Village Art Center was my first stop and when I turned the corner to enter, it took my breath away!  It was like stepping onto one of my abstract paintings.
                              
                                       
Grid #3 Acrylic on Canvas 55"x42" One in a series of many I call "loose works"  c.2007 Viktorya

If you can see in the Spanish Village photo, the Red Door to the Right of the Yellow Umbrella? It is a ceramic studio.  I walked into browse for coffee cups and met Mary Cuzick, artist/ceramicist.  We started talking about Mexico and I shared with her how I admire the richness of the Mexican Culture and how I love living in Baja.  She recounted a story about her first visit into Mexico.  She said  within a moment in time, she experienced a life changing event, which she commemorated in a poem.  She and I were tearful as she spoke the poem.  She wrote it on a piece of white paper in pencil for me to take with me — it lays here now on my pink table.  It goes:

I pitied them for they had nothing
Until I turned my face
And in a moment's contemplation
I saw Life's Simple Grace.
                               -Mary Cuzick

Carole Reil (fellow artist and best bud from Sacramento) and I walked around the Art Center and were drawn into the studio of Jihmye Collins and Sylvia Mejia.  Jihmye sat at his drafting table; his pencil lightly touched paper graphically portraying Martin Luther King.  Sylvia's ceramic sculptures beckoned touch as she explained her process.  Sylvia works with many cultural groups, including Native Americans.  You can view Jihmye's Public Art Project at 14th and J Streets, Downtown San Diego commissioned by Wakefield Housing and San Diego Interfaith Housing 2006.
                                  
                                                     Sylvia and Jihmye are at Studio 13.


For a listing of art events check out Art/Exhibit Openings in the Calendar

The Contemporary Scroll Visual Explorations Exhibition    Aug 2, 07 thru Sep 2, 07
Contemporary works inspired by the cultural heritage of the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Outstand Visual Artists    Jun 28, 07 thru Jul 29, 07
Featured artists Judy Pike and Heather Middleton - showcasing outstanding visual artists of the San Diego region.

Paint Out    Aug 18, 07
Paint, draw, and explore Balboa Park. All artistis, amateur to professional, can participate in any and all medium (oils, acrylics, watercolor, ...

Outstand Visual Artists    Aug 2, 07 thru Sep 2, 07
Featured artists Claire-Lise Matthey Anderegg and Joline Ecstein.

Oaxacan Artist Doris Manzano    Aug 18, 07 thru Sep 16, 07