Tag Archives: mexican

Arts and Culture

Chicano Park: A Colorful Cultural Landmark Beneath the Freeway

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omeyocan mural photo by gail worley
All Photos By Gail

Tucked beneath the sweeping concrete ramps of the San Diego–Coronado Bridge lies one of the most vibrant and meaningful outdoor art environments in the United States: Chicano Park. When I visited San Diego last summer, I made a stop at this remarkable site in the Varrio Logan neighborhood — and quickly realized that this wasn’t just a park. It’s a living canvas, a cultural landmark, and a powerful piece of community history all rolled into one.

While the park includes cultural centers and small museums, the true stars here are the murals — bold, colorful works of art that stretch across massive freeway pillars and underpasses. The scale alone is breathtaking. Towering concrete columns become storytelling surfaces filled with imagery celebrating heritage, identity, and resilience.

varrio logan mural photo by gail worley
Continue reading Chicano Park: A Colorful Cultural Landmark Beneath the Freeway →

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Diego Rivera, Mandrake

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mandrake by diego rivera photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

Diego Rivera (1886 – 1957) created numerous portraits, capturing unnamed subjects alongside close friends and renowned figures in the arts. Mandrake (1939) depicts Maya Guarina, whose lace dress and headpiece contrast with a skull in her hands and a spiderweb in the upper left corner. A small mandrake root emerges in the upper right area of the portrait. Known for its hallucinogenic properties and magical associations, it contributes to an enigmatic portrait with surrealist qualities.

Photographed in the San Diego Museum of Art.

Arts and Culture

Yes, It Exists: Wonder Woman Day of The Dead Picture Frame

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wonder woman day of the dead picture frame photo by gail worleyPhoto By Gail 

Souvenir shopping in San Diego’s historic Old Town presents an unmatched opportunity to score treasures that perfectly blend Mexican folk art with pop culture. Case in point: an eye-popping picture frame that reimagines DC’s  Wonder Woman — with supporting appearances by Superman, and Batman — in bold, colorful Day of the Dead style, with intricate sugar skull makeup, vibrant detailing, creating a playful twist on the heroes we all know and love. Continue reading Yes, It Exists: Wonder Woman Day of The Dead Picture Frame →

Arts and Culture

Modern Art Monday Presents: Jose Clemente Orozco, Worlds Highest Structure

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worlds highest structure photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail 

Best known as one of Mexico’s great muralists, José Clemente Orozco spent much of the early 1930s working in the United States, where he absorbed the industrial dynamism and contradictions of modern life. Painted in 1930, World’s Highest Structure reflects his fascination with progress and its perils during an era when skyscrapers were reaching unprecedented heights and symbolizing the ambitions of the modern age.
Continue reading Modern Art Monday Presents: Jose Clemente Orozco, Worlds Highest Structure →

Design and Innovation

Pink Thing of The Day: Hello Kitty Poncho in Old Town San Diego

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hello kitty poncho photo by gail worley
Photo By Gail

When you think of Old Town, San Diego, chances are your mind goes to adobe buildings, rustic wooden signs, authentic Mexican food, and the kind of historical charm that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back into the 1800s. But as I discovered on my recent visit, history and pop culture sometimes collide in the most delightful ways.

Case in point: tucked inside one of the colorful shops, hanging alongside traditional woven blankets and embroidered dresses, was a bright Mexican poncho emblazoned with likenesses of Hello Kitty. Yes, Sanrio’s beloved pink-bowed feline has made her way into traditional fashion! Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Hello Kitty Poncho in Old Town San Diego →