Spanish Village Art Center

Last updated
Spanish Village Art Center
Balboa Park, Artist village.JPG
The site of the art center in 2004
Spanish Village Art Center
LocationSan Diego
Coordinates 32°44′1″N117°8′51″W / 32.73361°N 117.14750°W / 32.73361; -117.14750
TypeArt Center
Website Official website

The Spanish Village Art Center is located in San Diego's Balboa Park, in the U.S. state of California. [1] Anni von Westrum Baldaugh was among the artists who had studio space at the Spanish Village. [2] Current tenants include the San Diego Mineral and Gem Society and the Southern California Association of Camera Clubs.

Contents

History

The art center was originally designed and constructed by architect Richard Requa for the second year of the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935. [3] Although the center was intricately designed to provide simple Spanish architecture, it was not created with longevity in mind, likely to be demolished after the exhibition. That was until painter and photographer Sherman Trease advocated for local artists and proposed that the space be converted into an artist community, in which the empty buildings become art studios and storefronts.

During World War II, the art center became a station for the US Army, forcing the artists away from their spaces. The buildings were left in poor condition by the army after the war ended, but the artists moved back into their spaces in 1947. The artists were allowed these spaces for free as long as they covered renovation expenses and repaired the buildings themselves. [4] [5]

During the 1980s, in an attempt to attract more guests to the art center, artists banded together to paint the many tiles laid in the ground, which are believed to be made of the ruins of demolished buildings in the 1930s. [3]

Today, artists are still part of a large community, as part of a membership program, but must pay the City of San Diego for the spaces in which they work.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panama–California Exposition</span> Exposition in California, United States

The Panama–California Exposition was a world exposition held in San Diego, California, between January 1, 1915, and January 1, 1917. The exposition celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal, and was meant to tout San Diego as the first United States port of call for ships traveling north after passing westward through the canal. The fair was held in San Diego's large urban Balboa Park. The park however also had a second Panama-California exposition again in 1935.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fleet Science Center</span> Science museum and planetarium in San Diego, United States

The Fleet Science Center is a science museum and planetarium in Balboa Park, located in San Diego, California. It is at the east end of the El Prado Drive walkway, next to the Bea Evenson Fountain and plaza in central Balboa Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barrio Logan, San Diego</span> Community of San Diego in California

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centro Cultural de la Raza</span> Non-profit organization

The Centro Cultural de la Raza is a non-profit organization with the specific mission to create, preserve, promote and educate about Chicano, Mexicano, Native American and Latino art and culture. It is located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California.The cultural center supports and encourages the creative expression “of the indigenous cultures of the Americas.” It is currently a member of the American Alliance of Museums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Pacific International Exposition</span> 1935 and 1936 exposition in San Diego, California

The California Pacific International Exposition was an exposition held in San Diego, California during May 29, 1935–November 11, 1935 and February 12, 1936–September 9, 1936. The exposition was held in Balboa Park, San Diego's large central urban park, which had also been the site of the earlier Panama-California Exposition in 1915.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University Heights, San Diego</span> Community in California

University Heights is a neighborhood in Central San Diego, California centered on Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. University Heights is bounded on the west and north by the edge of the mesa, the southern boundary is Lincoln Avenue, and the eastern boundary is Texas Street. The area is filled with a number of restaurants, coffee shops, boutiques, and artist studios primarily on Park Boulevard and Adams Avenue. Live entertainment can be found most nights. Adjacent to Hillcrest, Normal Heights and North Park, additional restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and night clubs are within easy reach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Museum of Art</span> Art Museum in California, US

The San Diego Museum of Art is a fine arts museum located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park in San Diego, California that houses a broad collection with particular strength in Spanish art. The San Diego Museum of Art opened as The Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego on February 28, 1926, and changed its name to the San Diego Museum of Art in 1978. The official Balboa Park website calls the San Diego Museum of Art "the region's oldest and largest art museum". Nearly half a million people visit the museum each year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downtown San Diego</span> City center of San Diego, California, United States

Downtown San Diego is the city center of San Diego, California, the eighth largest city in the United States. In 2010, the Centre City area had a population of more than 28,000. Downtown San Diego serves as the cultural and financial center and central business district of San Diego, with more than 4,000 businesses and nine districts. The downtown area is the home of the San Diego Symphony and the San Diego Opera as well as multiple theaters and several museums. The San Diego Convention Center and Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres, are also located downtown. Downtown San Diego houses the major local headquarters of the city, county, state, and federal governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of San Diego</span> Overview of the culture of San Diego

The culture of San Diego, California is influenced heavily by American and Mexican cultures due to its position as a border town, its large Hispanic population, and its history as part of Spanish America and Mexico. San Diego's longtime association with the U.S. military also contributes to its culture. Present-day culture includes many historical and tourist attractions, a thriving musical and theatrical scene, numerous notable special events, a varied cuisine, and a reputation as one of America's premier centers of craft brewing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Building (San Diego)</span> United States historic place

The Ford Building, a Streamline Moderne structure in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, serves as the home of the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The building was built by the Ford Motor Company for the California Pacific International Exposition, which was held in 1935 and 1936. The Ford Motor Company built a total of five exposition buildings for the world's fairs. This is the last remaining structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Art Institute</span> Art museum in San Diego, California

The San Diego Art Institute was a contemporary art museum with a focus on artists from the Southern California and Baja Norte region. It was founded in 1941 as the San Diego Business Men's Art Club. Its name was changed in 1950 to the San Diego Art Institute. In 1953, women were admitted for membership. It officially became a nonprofit in 1963. The San Diego Art Institute in Balboa Park and Lux Art Institute in Encinitas merged in September 2021 to become The Institute of Contemporary Art, San Diego, with each museum continuing to operate at its respective site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Charm</span>

The House of Charm is a historic museum building in Balboa Park, San Diego. It was built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition, and like most buildings from that Exposition it features Mission Revival Style architecture. It acquired its current name, "House of Charm", during the park's second Exposition held in from 1935 to 36. It now houses the San Diego Art Institute and the Mingei International Museum as well as rehearsal space for the Old Globe Theatre. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Balboa Park (San Diego)</span> Historic San Diego park

Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre (490 ha) historic urban cultural park in San Diego, California, United States. In addition to open space areas, natural vegetation zones, green belts, gardens, and walking paths, it contains museums, several theaters, and the San Diego Zoo. There are also many recreational facilities and several gift shops and restaurants within the boundaries of the park. Placed in reserve in 1835, the park's site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use. Balboa Park is managed and maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of San Diego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Quadrangle</span> United States historic place

The California Quadrangle, California Building, and California Tower are historic structures located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. They were built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition and served as the grand entry to the Expo. The buildings and courtyard were designed by architect Bertram Goodhue. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1974. They now house the Museum of Us.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Prado Complex</span> United States historic place

The El Prado Complex is a historic district in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. The 13-acre (5.3 ha) complex includes 13 contributing buildings and one contributing structure. Most of the structures were built for San Diego's Panama-California Exposition of 1915–16 and were refurbished and re-used for the California Pacific International Exposition of 1935–36. The original architects were Bertram Goodhue and Carleton Winslow. The area was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of San Diego, California, United States.

Guillermo Acevedo (1920-1988) was a Peruvian-born artist and master draftsman, most famous in the United States for his striking portrayal of Native Americans of the Southwest, and for his ability to capture and help preserve the disappearing architectural styles of old neighborhoods throughout the U.S. and abroad. Known to be an artist-observer with great sensitivity, Acevedo is recognized as a master at recording the human condition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Botanical Building</span> Botanical garden and historic building in San Diego, California, U.S.

The Botanical Building is an historic building located in San Diego's Balboa Park, in the U.S. state of California. Built for the 1915–16 Panama–California Exposition, it remains one of the largest lath structures in the world. Alfred D. Robinson (1867–1942), founder and president of the San Diego Floral Society, suggested the construction of a lath house as a feature of the Panama–California Exposition, which was to open in the City of San Diego on January 1, 1915.

Anni von Westrum Baldaugh was an American painter of Dutch birth.

Hispanic and Latino Americans make up 30.1% of the population of the City of San Diego, California in the US, and 35.0% of the County of San Diego, with the majority of Hispanics and Latinos in San Diego being Mexican American.

References

  1. "Spanish Village Art Center - Balboa Park". balboapark.org. Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  2. "Anni Von Westrum Baldaugh (1881–1953) – San Diego History Center – San Diego, CA – Our City, Our Story". Archived from the original on 6 February 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
  3. 1 2 "How artists transformed the Spanish Village in Balboa Park". FOX 5 San Diego. 2023-02-11. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  4. Davis, Victoria (2017-05-31). "Spanish Village Art Center: The hidden treasure of Balboa Park". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2023-11-13.
  5. Pischner, Grace. "Spanish Village Art Center" (PDF). City of San Diego. Retrieved November 13, 2023.