Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 25, 2010

14

HOMES AND PROPERTY

MountainViews-News Saturday, September 25, 2010

One Of A Kind: Featuring unique homes & gardens and the people who create them Story and Photos By Chris Bertrand

Spanish Village Art Center

Balboa Park’s home to 37 Studios & 200+ Artists

Guest Columnist: Elizabeth Riggio

My first trip to San Diego’s Balboa 
Park was devoid of its most popular 
tourist attractions, however, I spent 
the afternoon at one of the park’s 
hidden gems, the Spanish Village 
Art Center (SVAC). 

Built to rival San Francisco’s World 
Fair, the buildings were constructed 
in 1935 for the second California 
Pacific International Exposition. 
The colorful courtyards and quaint 
cottages were meant to look like 
a village in Spain, and unlike 
many temporary buildings from 
the exposition; the village was 
so popular that it was allowed 
to remain after the festivities 
concluded.

In 1937 a group of local artists got 
permission to reopen the space 
as an art center. It remained as 
such until World War II when the 
United States Army used it as temporary barracks. 

Ten years later, it was reclaimed by the artists, who have 
continued to enhance the landmark with flowers, bright, 
painted walkways and entranceways and the art of over 250 
artists from the San Diego area.

This unusual community juries artists twice a year, usually 
in April and October and offers the option of enjoying their 
studio space as either a lease holder or studio partner.

What makes the Spanish Village so unique is that it isn’t just 
a place where art can be seen and bought. It’s also home to 37 
working artist studios.

Many of the studios offer demonstrations, notably Andy 
Cohn’s glass blowing studio. Here you can watch her entire 
process and even ask questions as she works. Peeking into 
potter, Elizabeth Woolrych’s studio, I saw two little girls 
covered in clay, taking part in one of the many art classes 
available for both children and adults.

Although many of the artists have been working at the SVAC 
a long time (some 30 years), Gallery 21 is available for rent to 
any artist in San Diego County. During my visit I met Yumi, a 
plein air painter and self-proclaimed “crazy artist”. I followed 
her around the gallery, listening as she floated from piece to 
piece, explaining how she paints herself into her work.

A full schedule of Gallery 21’s artist rotation can be found 
online on the SVAC website, www.
SpanishVillageArt.com, in addition 
to information on how to take 
advantage of the unique opportunity 
that this space creates for local artists. 

The wide variety of mediums found 
at SVAC is part of what makes it so 
special, including jewelry designers, 
clay artists, painters, sculptors, metal 
smiths, gourd artists, photographers, 
printmakers, fiber artists, basket 
makers, glass artists, enamel artists, 
mixed media artists and many more. 
You can see anything from a park 
bench to eggshell art all within a few 
feet of each other.

 

In addition to their studios, the 
Spanish Village is also home to 
the Sculptor’s Guild, Art Glass 
Guild of San Diego, Enamel Guild, 
Southwestern Art Association and 
the San Diego Woodcarver’s Guild, 
making it a true must see for the 
southern California art lover.

There’s always something new to 
see and hear at the village. Every day the SVAC 
becomes a stage for local musicians, creating 
a festival-like atmosphere similar to that of the 
original exposition.

If you can’t spend an afternoon, the village’s 
central location, beautiful views and plentiful free 
parking make it the perfect lunch hour retreat. 
They even have free Wi-Fi for those who must be 
constantly connected.

Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week, 362 
days a year, the village is completely free—if 
you can resist the temptation to buy some of 
their incredible art. After hours, its enchanting 
grounds are also available for weddings, banquets 
and other events. 

For more information on the Spanish Art Village, 
or help planning your next visit, go to www.
SpanishVillageArt.com. 

Have an interesting home, garden or person who 
helps create them for this column? Contact Chris 
Bertrand at C.Bertrand@MtnViewsNews.com 
today!


Chris Bertrand

 
Works created at the Spanish Village Art Center

Elizabeth Riggio


Glass blower, Andy Cohn demonstrates her specialty at her kilns.


First of a Two Part Burning Man Series by Kim Clymer-Kelley


There’s No Place Like Home – Getting There

 “Welcome HOME to 
Black Rock City!!!,” he said, 
in a manner that exuded the 
exuberant bliss of a brainwashed 
cult follower. Caught off guard 
by his painted and dusty face at 
our window and by his joyful 
enthusiasm, we both turned and 
stared at him blankly. “Don’t 
I get a hug?” he prodded as he 
reached in the open window 
give a big hug to Charlie who 
was driving and who responded 
with an awkward attempt at a 
hug. After enduring a 3 hour 
wait in line to get in along with 
thousands of other cars, strolling 
musicians, ticket moochers, 
various “mutant vehicles” 
and topless coeds dressed as 
butterflies sipping beverages 
atop their overloaded pick-up, 
our greeter was the first sign that 
our long wait was nearly over… 
we were finally at the gate. 
Another volunteer knocked on 
the window on my side of the 
motor home. “May I come in 
and inspect your vehicle?” he 
asked. “Sure.” I responded. I got 
out and allowed him to enter 
through the passenger side since 
the door to the living area was 
blocked by the pile of containers 
that held all of our costumes 
and supplies for the week. I used 
the opportunity to run ahead 
through the row of booths that 
lined the entrance to partake 
in the tradition of banging the 
gong that I had not gotten to do 
last year when I was a “virgin 
burner.” We WERE home, and 
the thrill of that knowledge had 
taken hold and I was giggly 
with excitement. Our week at 
Burning Man had begun!

 What exactly is Burning 
Man? I cannot tell you how 
many times I am asked this. As 
a Jersey girl, I had not heard of 
it until about 10 years ago, but 
ever since hearing of it I had 
wanted to go. I was thrilled to 
death last year when Charlie 
surprised me by telling me that 
he had gotten tickets and that 
we were finally going. After our 
wonderful experience there last 
year, we could not help but to go 
again this year. I have heard it 
described many ways, but each 
only captures a small essence of 
the whole picture. Much of what 
it is depends on who you are. To 
the 20-somethings that attend, it 
is about drinking, dancing and 
partying til the wee hours of the 
morning to the driving beat of 
the techno music that permeates 
the dry desert air 24 hours a 
day, adding kind of a heart beat 
to the temporary city. To the 
Woodstock generation it is a 
rebirth of the idea of freedom 
of self- expression and creating 
a temporary community 
where every one looks out for 
one another and contributes 
whatever they can to the 
experience. It is encouraging to 
see some of the younger people 
grasp this concept and embrace 
it. It is the core intention of those 
who work so hard year round 
to make this wonderful event 
happen….self expression, self 
reliance, and giving of oneself. 

The heart of the community 
(of some 50,000 people), what 
provides the very pulse of 
Burning Man experience, is 
the art and the creativity that 
it inspires. The open desert is 
freckled with art installations, 
some huge and some small. 
Most provide opportunity for 
humans or nature to interact 
with them in some way … some 
respond to human touch or 
body heat or movement, some 
are wind-driven, and many 
have fire and lights incorporated 
within them. Fire and light are 
a huge part of Burning Man. 
Fire twirlers and colorfully lit 
people and vehicles are crawling 
everywhere at night in a scene 
reminiscent of Disneyland’s 
Electric Light Parade (if it had 
been directed by someone who 
had inadvertently licked the 
wrong postage stamp). 

 The temporary city, Black 
Rock City, NV is located in the 
north-west corner of the state of 
Nevada on a vast playa (dried, 
desert, lake-bed).The weather 
can range from very hot to quite 
cool and the wind often creates 
white-out conditions off and on 
during the week of the event. 
The “city” is laid out in a circle 
nearly 3 miles in diameter. Three 
quarters of the area is populated 
with a continuous, densely-
packed sea of motor homes, cars, 
trucks, tents, geodesic domes, 
and shade structures that is 
interrupted only by the grid of 
named streets that serve as the 
skeleton for the community. The 
streets are off limits to vehicles 
other than bicycles (whose 
numbers are close to that of 
the city’s population), official 
vehicles, and “art cars” (vehicles 
that are like motorized pieces 
of art that serve as party boats, 
taxis and tour buses on the 
playa both day and night). The 
city is divided into theme camps 
and villages that each provide 
services to the community…
some serve food, some provide 
entertainment, some serve as 
educational centers (albeit some 
very unconventional subjects 
are taught), and others provide 
services to the community. One 
such community, Nectar Village, 
home of the HeeBeeGeeBee 
Healers provides massage, 
energy healing , counseling, 
and other types services and 
education that address the 
needs of the body, mind and 
spirit. I have volunteered my 
time and services as a massage 
therapist both at this camp and 
in our own.


Selling your home in anything 
other than an active market 
can seem challenging, but 
what do you do when yours 
is only one of many homes in 
your neighborhood with For 
Sale signs? Surprisingly, there 
are actually some advantages 
to marketing your home in this 
situation.

More buyers are drawn to 
neighborhoods where they 
can preview more homes at 
once. More buyers means more 
opportunities for your home to 
be seen and to attract an offer, 
so make your listing stand out 
against your competition.

Price your home aggressively 
after reviewing the comparable 
sales figures provided by your 
real estate representative. 
Don't give your neighbors 
the advantage of looking like 
a bargain compared to your 
listing - take it yourself and 
show buyers what a great 
value you're offering. If you're 
ompeting against foreclosure 
listings, having your home in 
"move in" condition helps, 

because foreclosures often 
need lots of repairs.

With this much activity in 
the neighborhood, make sure 
that your home is available 
for showing on literally a 
moment's notice. Buyers who 
come to look at other listings 
may spot yours and want 
to see it right away to make 
comparisons. Be prepared for 
"impulse" prospects with good 
housekeeping and an escape 
plan for unexpected showings.

Finally, don't worry if your 
neighbor sells first - that just 
makes for less competition in 
your market!

Luther Tsinoglou has just 
been named the top producing 
sales agent in Dickson Podley 
Realtor's Sierra Madre office for 
2009, making the top 10% at the 
company overall. Luther has 
been licensed and practicing 
real estate since 1992. He 
specializes in residential and 
income property in Southern 
California. Luther can be 
reached at his direct line 
(626) 695-8650 or at luther@
tsinoglou.com.