Johnny McDonald | Exploring Balboa Park
A new overseer takes over
The Conservancy, a City-appointed organization to support Balboa Park activities, will host December Nights, a celebration that ushers in the holiday season.
This year’s festival hours have been extended on Friday, Dec. 6 from 3 – 11 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7 from 12 – 11 p.m.
“We have taken over as sponsor host this year and into the future,” said Carol Chang, Conservancy board president. “It’s an iconic event in San Diego, witnessed each year by some 360,000.”
Participating Park museums will stage open houses 5 – 9 p.m. both evenings. Those attending will participate in multicultural experiences with food, music and entertainment from around the world.
Musical and dance presentations will be conducted by the San Diego Junior Theater, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet and Del Cerro Baptist’s Christmas Story Tree.
The Community Christmas Center Committee will display an eight-piece Nativity and Gingerbread House in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
Visitors can utilize free Wi-Fi access in the central mesa, spanning from the organ pavilion to the Museum of Art. The Wi-Fi hot spot will provide online information about all activities.
Because of limited parking, visitors are urged to use the free off-site shuttles or take public transportation. Parking will be available at Petco Park and City College, running from 3 p.m. – midnight, Dec. 6 and 11:30 a.m. – midnight, Dec. 7.
Chang also felt it was an excellent opportunity to acquaint the public with the functions of her 15-member board in partnership with the City Council.
“Beyond this celebration, our volunteer and nonprofit organization will oversee most of the projects and conservation of the issues that surround the park,” she said.
“In recent years, the city has not had adequate resources necessary to fulfill Balboa Park’s management and operational requirements.”
The Conservancy intends to undertake major maintenance, repair and replacement needs and will implement already approved and future capital improvement projects.
Contemporary art explained
Basically, the term “contemporary art” refers to art made and produced by artists living today. However, when engaging this form of art, viewers might wish to ask some questions.
Just inside the entryway to the Museum of Art this form of artistry is prominently exhibited.
We recently toured the area with former Associate Art Curator Amy Galpin, who explained that it was her favorite section.
We were told viewers might find it “challenging” but also “interesting.”
For example, we felt one of the paintings might have been done in a short amount of time.
“No,” she advised. “That took the artist several months to complete. Many of them take that long.”
She pointed out that contemporary artists may question traditional ideas of how art is defined, utilizing abstract expressionism.
“Don’t look at it as a picture but as an event on canvas,” was a New York art critic’s astute description.
Further into the museum you step away from contemporary art to view works done by the world’s masters.
“The galleries are organized by geographical areas,” Galpin said. “The focus is on Japanese, Chinese, South East Asian and India art. Upstairs galleries are devoted primarily to European.”
She was particularly fond of Georgia O’Keeffe, stating that, “she is considered one of America’s most important artists, best known for her abstracted over scale paintings of flowers.”
The museum also has a sculpture court and garden, which she said recently installed works by Louise Nettleson and Henry Marks.
Elsewhere in the Park—San Diego State University’s Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education has kicked off a new four-year National Science Foundation-funded initiative with the Balboa Park Learning Institute. Taking part will be Mingei International, Photographic Arts, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and the Natural History Museum.
After an award winning, 38-year sports-writing career with the San Diego Union and authoring three books, Johnny McDonald now considers writing a hobby. He enjoys covering aspects of the port district, convention center, Balboa Park, zoo, and stories with a historical bent. You can reach him at [email protected].
