Electric art

It's fun to see that more electrical boxes around Downey are still being painted. This is Candace, and she has incorporated many of the Downey landmarks into her theme of "Gangs Out Of Downey."

Printed graffiti

I discovered a new electrical box that the city has had painted. It's on the southeast corner of 2nd Street and Downey Avenue. This one is painted in a retro style. The pictures show scenes of earlier days of downtown Downey. Stop by and peruse the pictures on all five sides. Even the lock is painted to fit where it lies.

But the thing that caught my eye and got me upset was the arrogance of someone to put an advertisement on this piece of art. You can see it in the upper right corner of this photo, on the "D" of Downey. I hope they can peel it off without damaging the artwork.

What do you think? Was it good business to put this advertisement on someone else's artwork?

Stay inside the lines!

I love to color! It's one of those latent childhood activities that has never lost its charm for me. I will color in the coloring book of a friend's child, just give me the chance. That made the coloring opportunity at the Downey Food & Music Festival so fun and appealing.

"In my soul, I am still that small child who did not care about anything else but the beautiful colors of a rainbow."
~ Papiha Ghosh

The crowd

Even though I arrived fairly late, there was still quite a crowd at the opening of the Madestuff exhibit at Stay Gallery.

Crowd-watching is fun, whether it's family or friends posing with the artist (right), or just the general public enjoying the art (above).

Pizza box art

Bianca Herrera, a student at Old River Elementary School, is proudly posing for a picture next to her pizza box mosaic.

Her mosaic of McDonald's is, according to the Stay Gallery where they were on display, one of "70 student mosaics on display today for the opening of our 2nd Annual Pizza Box Exhibition. Using old magazines and newspapers and donated pizza boxes as their canvases, elementary school students interpreted their favorite Downey icons."

When I commented to Valentin Flores, the Stay Gallery director, that these mosaics were really good, he replied, "We have a lot of talent in our Downey kids."

The exhibition was a hit with parents and students alike, and it was rare to see only a couple of kids in front of a section of the display.

Bloom where you are planted

I didn't see the creative hands that worked to plant these imaginative "flowers." I simply came across the display while walking around Furman Park recently.

Now, some people would have walked past this and not even noticed. But, I think it is important to recognize and appreciate the ability of some people to take mud, a stick, and some color and be able to create something. I don't know who did it, but I wish I could thank whoever did, 'cuz it brought a smile to my face this morning.

"I must have flowers, always, and always" 
~ Claude Monet

The Irish invasion

This summer, Downey will be hosting over 100 athletes and coaches from Ireland. This delegation is coming to the U.S. for the Special Olympics World Games that will take place in Los Angeles. According to the Downey Patriot, before the World Games begin on July 25, 2015, more than 7,000 athletes from 177 countries will be welcomed to southern California through the Host Town program.

Mayor Luis Marquez says, "Hosting the Ireland delegation is even more special to us due to our City’s history ties with Ireland, and our Sister City relationship with Roscommon County, Ireland." Some of the activities planned for the days before the games: a welcome community concert, a private tour of the Coca-Cola bottling plant, and a visit to the Columbia Memorial Space Center.

This latest example of Downey's electrical box street art commemorates this upcoming visit.

Downey landmarks

Here's another example of the beautification of the electrical boxes around Downey. This one focuses on historic Downey scenes, and is located in downtown Downey. Sort of an electrical box version of Downey Doodle-icious?

Dia de los Muertos Art Festival

Yesterday's second annual Dia de los Muertos Art Festival included a fine art exhibit in the the Downey Theatre’s upstairs art gallery. The exhibit displays the Dia de los Muertos-themed artwork of approximately 25 artists. This exhibit will be on display for the month of November at the Downey Theatre.

About 10,000 people were expected to attend this year's festival. Everywhere I looked, I saw crowds enjoying the great food, amazing art, and live music.

Lucky 7 art

Yesterday I shared with you my experience of listening to the Downey Symphony. At the same event, the Downey Arts Coalition sponsored an art exhibit titled "Lucky Number 7." Each artist included the number 7 in their work in some way.

One painting I admired had a barefoot woman among 7 trees. The above artwork is by Lindsay Yost, shown standing next to her art. The work is done by placing broken pieces of ceramic in just the right spot to create the image. Lindsay's husband made the frame for her. By the way, the cost of the work is $700.

The "writing" is on the wall

I'm back in San Diego visiting my grandson who was born 6 weeks early about three weeks ago. He is in Rady Children's Hospital. A couple of days ago I met Wendy. She was working on a mural for the wall you see as you enter the Nelson NICU ward.

One of the things I find so impressive about Children's Hospital is how much effort they place on making the buildings (and therefore the experience) welcoming and beautiful. There is a variety of art on the walls, from quilts to pictures to interactive children's activities to murals. It is one of the things that makes their hospitals unique.

"Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder." 
~ E. B. White

Pizza box art

A recent display at the Stay Gallery featured this one-day exhibit made by 4th and 5th graders using paper mosaics on pizza boxes. The images represent iconic places in Downey, many of which we have photographed for Downey Daily Photos.

I like this version. Wouldn't these make a great set of Downey postcards or kitchen magnets?

3rd Annual Chalk Art Festival

I went by this morning to check out the art at the Chalk event. One student I met, Susana, was working on two different designs. This one above is already completed.



Warren High School Art Club is hosting their 3rd Annual Chalk Art Festival, under the leadership of art teacher Jennifer LaMar.

Students and members of the community have been invited to create works of sidewalk chalk art throughout the main part of campus, with a competition to follow. All money raised at this event goes towards Art Club Scholarships for Warren High School Seniors, who have dedicated many service hours to Art Club and the Arts.

Kid's Club

Saturday was Kid's Club at the Stonewood Center Mall (sponsored by National Geographic Kids). Kids gathered around the stage while Wacky Wendy talked about sea creatures. Here you see some of the participants being kelp.

After a fun teaching time, complete with live music, the kids were invited to use the provided materials to create their own "under the sea" art project.



This little artist was proud to share her work!



"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to  remain an artist once he grows up".  
~ Pablo Picasso

The Music Van

I spotted this van in the parking lot the other day. It was so intriguing to me that an artist would spend so much time to decorate his vehicle in this way. Notice the statue of Liberty on the back...what kind of car do you drive? Are you in the market? This one's for sale...



sic gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything" ~ Plato