Pop-Up Art: A New Experience
Spring Kaleidoscope
March 23rd - April 21st
To most, a Kaleidoscope is a toy in the shape of a tube that you look through to see different patterns of light. It is mesmerizing. But did you also know that the word Kaleidoscope is derived from an Ancient Greek word that means “beautiful, beauty" and “that which is seen; the observation of beautiful forms."
Spring is considered an awakening or rebirth. Many fun things happen during the spring season. Springtime flowers begin to bloom, days start to get longer, the temperatures start to rise.
CVA has chosen 10 local and regional artists, from Carlsbad, Vista, Oceanside, Escondido, and San Diego, who submitted design sketches in a Call to Artists, to help springtime come alive in Carlsbad Village with images that evoke the change in season. They are collaborating with over a dozen downtown businesses on this unique temporary art installation.
Our ten talented artists, listed below, will bring Spring Kaleidoscope to life with fields of poppies to ranunculus to colorful window installations. You’ll definitely want to see them all.
Spring Kaleidoscope will be on display from March 23-April 21. Additional locations and interactive map below will be updated prior to the launch of the exhibit March 23rd to guide you to each participating business.
This program is managed by the Carlsbad Village Association and is supported by the City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts. Carlsbad realizes an inclusive vision of the arts and culture in everyday life, while stimulating an expanding creative sector economy. Original and unique artistic creations, as temporary public art, spur dialogue and enhance the Village as a destination, while connecting to major city initiatives as outlined in the Village and Barrio and the Arts & Culture Master Plans.
Anna Pearson
Anna Pearson is a mural artist, based in San Diego. She’s an immigrant from Ukraine who reinvented herself as a full-time artist and a muralist after coming to the U.S. six years ago. Anna finds inspiration in nature and her signature is floral and botanical designs with flowing clean lines, specializing in large wall murals and decorative paintings for commercial, public, and residential clients, some of which are Flower Hill Promenade (Del Mar), Seaport Village (downtown San Diego), Nectarine Grove (Del Mar location), North City complex (San Marcos), North County Mall (Escondido) and Carlsbad Village (Art Wall project) and many more.
“Art helped me to adjust in a new country, find new friends and speak with the language anyone can understand - the language of beauty and nature.” Anna Pearson.
Artist's Inspiration:
The Goods - The Bloom
"The Bloom is a very modern and fun donut shop that took a traditional treat to a completely new level, so I wanted to create something that would match that vibe. So I painted contemporary, almost abstract flowers for them in traditional monochrome white technique. It was a perfect fit and both: customers and business owners love their new windows."
Village Florist Co. - Dancing Poppies
"Poppies have always represented spring for me with their vibrant colors and resilient nature. As they are entangled in a whimsical dance on the flower shop’s window, they’re inviting us to peek inside to hopefully see more. I painted them in a traditional, nostalgic manner to look like a vintage postcard with a warm Hello on it."
Artwork on Display at:
- The Goods - 2965 State St
- Village Florist Co. - 2815 Roosevelt St
Carly Jo Reeves
Carly Jo Reeves is a California-based designer and illustrator who grew up in the mountains of Southern California. She moved to New York City where she graduated from Hunter College with a degree in Studio Art and then had a short stint in Hawaii making jewelry and farming lavender. After that, she headed to Chicago to pursue design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She now lives in Carlsbad and works as an illustrator, designer, and mural artist.
Carly helps brands stand out through colorful branding, fun illustrations, and clean design. Her work aims to express the values of beauty, spirit, and fun.
Artist's Inspiration:
"I chose to paint bright pink flowers because nothing represents springtime more to me! I studied painting in college so it's a medium I'm confident working in. I worked in a water-based paint because I wanted an easy removal, but I regretted that due to all the rain we have had this spring. But learning how to improve for the next time is one of the greatest joys of doing art."
Artwork on Display at:
- Ooh La La - 2972 State St
- Blues and Shoes - 457 Carlsbad Village Dr
Dawn Edwards
Dawn Edwards is a contemporary artist based out of San Diego. She holds a degree in Visual Design and Communications and is a juried member of the Southwestern Artist Association. Dawn’s most recent collection of abstract paintings is currently on display at Studio 23 in the Spanish Village Arts Center in Balboa Park, San Diego.
As a child of the 70’s, Dawn’s work is influenced by mid-century modern design, as well as her love of the two-dimensional design found in the cartoons and comic strips from her youth.
Artist's Inspiration:
"As an avid gardener, when I see flowers emerge from the bulbs that have been planted in Fall, it signifies the start of the Spring planting season to me. I chose Tempura for two reasons: it’s water-based and cleans up easily; the pigment tends to be bright. Since I was painting a set of corner windows on a Main Street, I wanted them to make a strong visual impact to people in cars as well as the people walking by on the street."
Artwork on Display at:
- Dea Hurston New Village Arts Center - 2787 State St
Eden Stambaugh
Eden Stambaugh is a multi-disciplinary artist based in Southern California whose ever-evolving practice includes both traditional and digital mediums. She has won awards in illustration, sculpture, and animation. Her provocative work is based in strong storytelling, with anthropomorphized characters, and realized and fantastical plots often relying on elements of satire.
Currently, Eden is eagerly awaiting college decisions while also making the most of her senior year in high school.
Artist's Inspiration:
Carlsbad Village Association - In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb
"Based on metaphors from old Farmers' Almanac proverbs. Winter releases to Spring like a stormy, brooding lion - in Southern California we experience large surf, rain, and early sunsets. Spring transitions out to Summer like a hopeful, playful lamb - fresh growth that comes directly from the promise of sunlight."
Moradi MD - Unfurling
"Fiddlehead ferns extending spring green fronds. The reaching of ferns in early spring reminds me of other plants and animals awaking from dormancy or hibernation. It is even like myself unfurling when I wake up on a clear-skied spring morning."
Artwork on Display at:
- Carlsbad Village Association - 2695 State St
- Moradi MD Medspa - 300 Carlsbad Village Dr
Ira Cosmos
Ukrainian-born artist Ira Cosmos was born with a paintbrush in her hand and boundless imagination in her head. “Every day I create and learn something new. Like our universe art, imagination and creativity have no limits.”Contact her for commissioned and commercial artwork.
Artist's Inspiration:
“Every time I see whales in the ocean, I get very excited and inspired to paint them. Spring Kaleidoscope was a perfect fit for the idea of happy, jumping whales as a sign of Spring. Colorful wildflowers and monarch butterflies make the idea complete.”
Artwork on Display at:
- Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort - 3075 Carlsbad Blvd
- GelatoLove - 300 Carlsbad Village Dr
JoJo Wang
JoJo Wang creates lettering art and illustrations to make the world a more beautiful place. She uses lettering to positively remind people to be kind, to take care of themselves, and to embrace life’s journey. Her background has been in both Fine Arts and Graphic Design. JoJo has had the privilege of working at various agencies in San Diego that has given her the opportunity to work on big brands. She now uses her craft to focus particularly on lettering and illustration, with an emphasis on branding and mural work. Jojo also freelances and license custom lettering and illustration work as well.
Artwork on Display at:
- Carlsbad Village Music - 505 Carlsbad Village Dr
Molly Alexander
Molly Alexander’s fantastical landscapes and bold abstracts come from her voracious appetite for adventure and travel. She was heavily influenced by her grandmother, a watercolor artist, who kept meticulous sketchbooks about her travels and was the family archivist for many years, as well as her first art teacher. Molly not only paints the places she has been but strives to show how she feels about each location. Because she grew up in a creative family who valued fun and adventure above all else, there is an element of fantasy mixed with nostalgic daydreams, along with a nod to her family roots. Molly’s joyful color palettes and playful compositions reveal that she is happiest immersed in nature and is always inspired by landscapes, tropical paradises and anywhere that is beyond imagination.
Artist's Inspiration:
"Every spring I look forward to the first bright orange poppy blooms that seem to appear out of nowhere—in road medians, along freeways or even sticking out of the sidewalk. They remind me that warmer weather is right around the corner! I used bright house paint and acrylic paint to render the poppies on the glass window. This type of paint varies in transparency so that the colors of the flowers shine through, even on the inside!"
Artwork on Display at:
- Jayden Presleigh Salon and Spa - 2946 State St
Nancy Wilder
Designing and making has always been on Nancy’s radar. Her first attempt (at the tender age of five) was making kimonos and dresses for her dolls . . . they were quite rustic! Eventually she discovered design, pattern making and sewing properly through fashion design school. After getting her college degree, Nancy started experimenting with fabric dyeing.
Several years later, after many trials and more than a few errors, Nancy developed her own style of dyeing and painting. Dyes are freely applied to silk to create bold colors and intricate patterns, key to the vibrant look of Nancy Wilder Wearable Art.
Each hand dyed or painted garment is made in Nancy’s studio using professional dyes and high quality silks and are sewn by her to create a collectible garment that will last for years.
Artist's Inspiration:
"Extra large, colorful flowers reflect the happiness that spring brings to me. Using repurposed, natural materials as much as possible was my goal. Eucalyptus branches were collected from a local grove for the stems; after trying out a few different materials, painted kraft paper made the most interesting petal shapes."
Artwork on Display at:
- Dancin Soul Boutique - 540 Carlsbad Village Dr
Orysya Barua
Originally from Ukraine, Orysya has lived in San Diego for twenty years. She is mostly a self-taught artist and her art is influenced by Art Nouveau and traditional Ukrainian decorative designs. Orysya considers herself as a beginner artist, although she has participated in several art exhibitions and I has her works in private collections. Orysya enjoys to do Realism as well as decorative work. Over the past few years she has developed her own style.
Artist's Inspiration:
"My inspiration comes from Art Nouveau, traditional Ukrainian decorative styles, and nature as well. For this composition I used Tree of Life elements, colorful ornamental flowers, all embellished with contour lines and a few touches of glitter. My color choice was inspired by the blooming flower fields of Carlsbad, and spring flowers from our local landscapes. It's a Spring Kaleidoscope of colors."
Artwork on Display at:
- Bella Glo Medical Aesthetics & Wellness - 2808 Roosevelt St
Rebecca Payne
Rebecca considers herself mostly a landscape painter. Her landscapes are inspired by nature, pop culture and the machines that surround us. Her preferred media is acrylic and graphite on wood. Rebecca sometimes adds collage elements from old books, personal photographs as well as copies of her own drawings and watercolors. Spring Kaleidoscope artistic elements include pages from the Secret Garden, the dictionary, and even maps!
Rebecca is happiest when she is making something. She works in a variety of mediums including acrylic on wood, ballpoint pen and watercolors, relief printmaking and sometimes ceramics.
Artist's Inspiration:
"Colorful birds singing on their branches makes me think of Springtime. I created window decals by painting birds and leaves on the pages of books and then attaching the cut out images to clear contact paper. The branches of the trees were drawn with a white acrylic marker very simply so the colorful birds could stand out. I used pages from an old dictionary with small drawings of botanicals or birds as well as pages from the children's novel A Secret Garden so that there would be little surprises for the viewer to see up close."
Artwork on Display at:
- Handel's Ice Cream - 2825 State St
- Carlsbad Bakery - 2805 Roosevelt St.