Carlsbad Real Estate News and Views

Carlsbad has shown itself once again to be outstanding destination art town with Art Splash Carlsbad 2009.

This was another winning art event, with another day to enjoy tomorrow, Sunday September 27.

A highlight, of course is the street chalk art by dozens of artists, which was process today with the judging tomorrow. There was also a family area where visitors could create their chalk art works of art on the road. 

Scott Wade, the Dirty Car Artist, was there in the midst of creating wonderful piece on the driver's window, with the other side of the car already completed (see the slide show). 

As in the past there were several sand artists assembling their sand masterpieces with great care, as well as a myriad of other artists displaying their creations in all sorts of mediums - oil, watercolor, glass, steel, and on and on.

I could go on and on but the photos say it best. Enjoy. 

And if you are in or near Carlsbad, Art Splash continues tomorrow on Armada Drive off Palomar Airport Road above the Flower Fields with views of the ocean. Sublime!

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If I can provide more information about Carlsbad real estate and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

Solana Beach has a wonderful art walk through their galleries in the Cedros Design District, and other shops that stay open, on the 3^rd Thursday each month. Definitely worth a visit it you enjoy that sort of thing and are in the area - more on that later.

READ MORE:  

Solana Beach Real Estate  

A Shopping Stroll in the Cedros District in Solana Beach 

We had an opportunity to have an artist create personalized t-shirts for us during the most recent art walk in Solana Beach last week at the Ocean Art Gallery. Plus we had an opportunity to chat with the artist, Wade Koniakowsky, who also is the star of the gallery there under the direction of his wife, Lynn Koniakowsky. 

Ocean Art features, well, art of the ocean and all that it inspires. A visit will whisk you away to our local coastline or to the tropics... sand, surf, waves, surfboards and even Hawaiian, or perhaps Tahitian, dancers.

You cannot help but feel relaxation and tranquility while gazing upon sunsets, waving palm trees, the drama of waves, and peaceful beaches. Koniakowsky has a remarkable ability to bring the color, light and movement of the oceans and coastline to us in a wide array of works on canvas, paper, and even surfboards. 

But let's not forget our personalized t-shirts, created and signed by the artist while we watched...and a gift for this special event. Read the news about this talented artist and his many ventures, all inspired by his love for the oceans that surround us. 

Enjoy the show as we tour the gallery and watch the artist create!

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If I can provide more information about Solana Beach, Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2008 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

I've noticed that since carrying my trusty camera with me everywhere I go that I tend to notice so much more. Sometimes that's a good thing, but I can get easily distracted, and I probably drive the people I am with (not clients) nuts since I want to stop and take photos of everything. The best solution is my solitary journeys when out looking at property or running errands.

This is a small, but growing, collection of wall art I have found in my travels here in Southern California.

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If I can provide more information about San Marcos, Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

The Cannon Art Gallery, Carlsbad's city-owned art gallery, continues to impress with the caliber of its exhibits.

The current show, which officially opens tomorrow and run through  June 13, 2009, is the 5th biannual National Arts Program exhibit which showcases works by city employees and their family members. 

"On Your Own Time" was sponsored by the National Arts Program Foundation in Malvern, PA (my old hometown!) in conjunction with the City of Carlsbad Friends of the Arts, and featured 218 works of art with 134 participants ranging in age from 6 to seniors.

The Awards Ceremony and Reception was tonight, and winners in 5 categories (Youth under 12, Youth 12 - 18, Adult Amateur, Adult Intermediate and Adult Professional) along with Best in Show and 4 People's Choice Awards (with cash prizes funded by the National Arts Program Foundation) were announced to a large crowd. 

The Family Open Studios will be held on Saturday May 30 from 11 until 2 PM. Children and their parents can participate in a number of arts projects including making animal puppets. The Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre will share a new production, Stellaluna, with folks at 11:30 and 1 PM (adapted from the book).

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If I can provide more information about Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

Enjoy the tour of this terrific exhibit.

Carlsbad has once again shown its artistic spirit in the form of phantom (temporary) galleries, window murals, and other artsy happenings in the Carlsbad downtown area.

The town's commercial/retail vacancy rate has hovered around 5% fairly consistently, despite the downturn in the economy. But vacant stores and shop windows are still a sad reminder of an economy that is not exactly booming. Carlsbad shop owners have expressed their own feelings about the impression this creates, resulting in a creative art program coordinated by the Carlsbad Village Improvement Partnership to counteract any perceptions of a failing commercial area which, as the vacancy rate suggest, is not the case.

Art Surf was born!!

Phantom (temporary) galleries are being created in empty stores and artists have volunteered to paint murals on storefronts of participating retailers and eateries (artists were recruited using a blog by Brian Snyder, artist and gallery owner [Snyder Art], called Carlsbad Crawl). Along with at least 7 permanent galleries, including Ivanffy-Uhler Gallery on Grand and Snyder Art, restaurant owners and retailers are focusing on increasing the foot traffic in the downtown area through a 2-month art walk in Carlsbad Village, the start of which coincided with the Carlsbad Village Faire on May 3 and which ends on June 30.

It is also a way of getting more art in front of residents, visitors and potential buyers through window murals that have already been created, and art displays in the windows of a number of shops and restaurants including Le Passage French Bistro, Fairen Del, Linda's Gifts, Witch Creek Winery, and many more. There is even a brochure available in each of the participating shops, galleries and restaurants with a map and list of all the exhibits and artists.

So take a self-guided walk through our lovely downtown, between Carlsbad Boulevard and Jefferson (to the east), and Carlsbad village Drive and the Buena Vista Lagoon to the north, enjoy the art, and check out some of the great salons, galleries, stores and eateries in the area.

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If I can provide more information about Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits

The Glass Ranch in the Del Dios area of Escondido, just up the hill from Lake Hodges, is a garden of delights. No, this is not a take-off on that famous painting, The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymous Bosch. 

But the Glass Ranch. with stunning gardens and glass works of art at every turn, is, in the same way, provocative, thoughtful, and filled with surprises, the handiwork of two talented, creative artists in a setting that is visually enticing and unique.

Garry Cohen and Cherrie La Porte Cohen are visionary creators of amazing glass works - fused glass sculpture, jewelry, blown glass, glasses, bronze sculpture and garden art and so much more. Their creativity is seen throughout the gallery, and the grounds surrounding their home and glass blowing shop, with glass art at every turn, in surprising places. One cannot separate the art from the garden, for the garden is a work of art itself. 

The Cohens' work is stunning in color, shape and texture, and meant to be enjoyed in many ways, indoors and out, and the Glass Ranch itself will inspire viewers to consider ways to enhance their own personal, garden or business environments. They have an open house and sale twice per year (taking place yesterday and today, then later this year), but are open for tours and glass blowing demonstrations by appointment.  

The Glass Ranch has been recognized by the area's press, including Better Homes and Gardens, the San Diego Union Tribune, the North County Times, the Carol Duvall Show, and Home and Garden TV Offbeat America, among many others. 

To see and learn more about these talented glass artists, visit their websites, and ENJOY THE VIRTUAL TOURS BELOW: 

Garry Cohen Studio

Cherrie La Porte 

Call for more information and to arrange a personal tour at 760-745-7020.

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If I can provide more information about Escondido Carlsbad and surrounding areas, or the housing market in general, or otherwise assist you in your homes search, please contact me by phone or text at (760) 840-1360 or email me at JDowler@remax.net.

All content copyright © 2009 Jeff Dowler Carlsbad Homes and Real Estate Tidbits