Carlsbad Art and Culture

A stagnant lagoon separates Carlsbad from Oceanside under the low gloom of a sleepy late Spring day. An artist, with supplies in hand, sets out for her subject. She wanders the streets of Carlsbad while scanning for her hidden muse. Like a hound in pursuit of a sly fox or a hobo in search of a empty can, she scopes, knowing that her jewel waits quietly. Her senses intensify as she scouts for balanced compositions and harmonious colors. Like a wide eyed street performer, she juggles the blues of the sea, the greens of the high palms, grays of the sagging sky and the endless palette of storefront paint jobs. She weaves through buzzing cafes and finger tapping coffee shops. Her toes shuffle in the cool sand and her boots trample through dry thorns. She watches tourists mope as June plays havoc and chats with locals in Hawaiian tshirts. She laughs at local bar drama and pays respect to guitar strumming hobos. She snacks a burrito con todo and sips a pint. Her search carries her through long lulls and colorful bursts of creativity. She hones skills of a tiger, willing to crawl for extended periods of time, but able to prance at a moment’s notice. Her search stretches as she battles the impatience of her brushes. She weaves through salt soaked apartment complexes and battles pesky mosquitoes as she picks up the scent of a luring muse. With her eyes eager to examine and her fingers frothing, she arrives at a bluff overlooking a tranquil gray lagoon. Green plants line the coastline, stiff and precise like the a black stroke around your favorite cartoon character. A strip of blue sits with arms wide open in the distance. Birds glide and butterflies flutter. The artist sits after a long journey and tells her epic through each stroke of her loaded brush.

A final piece of art not only is a visual painting hung in a bright gallery or a song on a shiny CD…art is a description of a journey, a portrayal of heroic deeds and adventures over a long period of time. It is a story of one’s life and an analysis of their thoughts.

Next time you experience art, ponder the adventure which led to the piece you interact with. Imagine the highs and lows, the perils and rewards. Imagine the epic of an artist.

click HERE for the pictured artist’s interview and HERE for her recent work!