Current Projects
1. Short Playlets in San Juan streets
The Alliance for San Juan Art includes the Performing Arts. We have a discussed a plan with The Camino Playhouse to mount short plays of 10 to 15 minutes. Potential locations assuming permissions can be obtained are the Historic Center Patio or the area around the Depot.
2. Painted Utility Boxes
A modest expense approach expresses Art in the Public Square by painting our Utility Boxes. Many other cities have created such art objects. San Clemente for one, has done a commendable job using a car theme. Costa Mesa, LA Glendale and Santa Ana also have City sanctioned painted utility boxes. Often, they provide an honorarium to artists who want to participate. Dana Point has recently approved an additional 14 boxes to be wrapped
Image shown here is a fishing theme in Dana Point
Another method is "wrapping" the boxes with a wrap which may have some advantages. The theme of these images, whichever media is selected, would be of historic San Juan Capistrano.
Image shows a wrapped box location unknown.
3. Major Art Exhibitions
The Alliance for San Juan Art (TASJA), believes that San Juan Capistrano is worthy of major art exhibitions due to both its rich history of artistic expression and inherent beauty. TASJA seeks a business to perform non-venue functions for a prospective equestrian-themed exhibition to principally benefit San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition (SJCEC). A venue or venues have yet to be determined.
History
The last meaningful indoor San Juan Capistrano exhibits, featuring either living or historic artists, were held in the late 1990s through the early 2000s at Mission San Juan Capistrano. The most notable was Romance of the Bells, organized as a partnership between the Irvine Museum and the Mission. Later exhibits were based on paint-outs featuring California Art Club members, plus other exhibits featuring other associations and individual artists with diverse subject matter. The Mission hosted its exhibits - other than Romance of the Bells - in its historic Soldier's Barracks, and another exhibit room, now displaying a small part of its permanent collection of original paintings.
In addition, the predecessor of Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park at San Juan Capistrano hosted unique outdoor exhibits, the first being held in August 1992, with sponsorship by Joan Irvine Smith. They featured early California (e.g. 1900-1920) impressionist art for sale by leading Southern California dealers.
4. Tile Panel Depiction Project
The Alliance intends to propose tile panels similar to those on Stroscher Corner that would visually depict the history of San Juan Capistrano. These panels would be installed on buildings in the downtown area with owner permission and the appropriate City approvals. Potential Funding for tile panels will be from a payment in lieu of a depiction made by Chick Fil A.
This photo is an imagined tile depiction in hallway of Almquist Bldg.
5. The Gateway Corners at Ortega and Del Obispo
The Stroscher Grove on the hotel corner of the Gateway has already been landscaped, and adorned with tile panels designed by the Stroschein Family. The City has recently contracted to re-landscape two of the other corners similar to Stroscher Grove, and has committed to leaving a footprint for future artwork at the corner focal points.
These corners would be magnificently enhanced with sculptures, sized like Binding Contract but themed with other San Juan Capistrano attributes.
