By Chris Gomez | Little Italy News
The Little Italy neighborhood is chock-full of art and culture — from public art and cultural events to public piazzas and much more — and the Little Italy Association is always working to enhance the neighborhood through arts and cultural projects.
In order to keep bringing the community events like FESTA!, Taste of Little Italy and the Christmas Tree Lighting, and to keep implementing projects like installing Bocce Ball courts and Piazza Basilone, the Little Italy Association is constantly looking for creative ways to build community support.
This month, we are calling on a little magic for some assistance as the Little Italy Association hosts “minor magic,” a fundraising art show from Nov. 21 – Dec. 30 to benefit the association’s efforts to promote the arts and culture in San Diego’s Little Italy.
The show will feature local artist and creator of “minor magic,” Randy Crawford.
A past commercial artist and an illustrator and graphic designer for a major aerospace company, Crawford traded in his pens, pencils and paintbrushes for a digital workstation. Today, he uses his Mac as his drawing board and easel, and Photoshop as his pallet and canvas to create his new form of art.
Crawford focuses on capturing photos of urban scenes, old cars, motorcycles, images worldwide of his travels and more. He then takes the photos and alters them utilizing his digital work platform to create his rather unique “minor magic” works of art.
The show will offer a variety of art for collectors and individuals new to the art scene, from original photos to images on canvases, of scenes from all over Little Italy, San Diego, Italy, San Francisco, some of Crawford’s favorite pieces, and more. Custom orders of prints will also be available.
Fifty percent of sales from the art show will benefit the Little Italy Association’s efforts to promote the arts and culture in the Little Italy neighborhood. By having the community’s support at these events, enhancing and beautifying the neighborhood with new arts and culture projects is even more possible.
The Little Italy “minor magic” art show will kick off Saturday, Nov. 21, with a private reception from 6 – 9 p.m. at the New City America office, 710 W. Ivy St.
Guests will have the opportunity to meet Crawford and view his artwork while enjoying refreshments and small bites. Attendees can RSVP for the private reception by emailing [email protected].
The show will be open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., and by appointment, 619-233-3898 through Dec. 30 at the New City America office.
To find more about the featured artist, Randy Crawford, please visit minormagic.net, and for details about the upcoming art exhibition, visit littleitalysd.com.
To check out what’s going on in our neighborhood, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @LittleItalySD and Facebook/San Diego Little Italy.
—Christopher Gomez has been Little Italy’s district manager since 2000. Reach him at [email protected].