Current Projects
1. Short Plays in San Juan streets
The Alliance for San Juan Art includes the Performing Arts. TASJA is sponsoring short plays of 10 to 15 minutes by the Round About Players. These plays were mounted in Los Rios Park in the summer of 2021 twice a day for Saturdays. Round About Players was formed by Tom Scott and Beverly Blake. Your donations will be accepted here
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. We are planning the following events:
Plein Air Paint Out and Exhibit
A multiple day paint out and exhibit featuring the art of the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association is being developed to feature San Juan's scenic and iconic beauty. The exhibit is projected to be held in 2022
Equestrian Art Exhibit
An equestrian themed exhibition is under development to principally benefit the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition (SJCEC) by promoting awareness and appreciation of the Equestrian Community in San Juan. The exhibit is projected to be held in 2023
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 within the central arcade.
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
Tile panels similar to those on Stroscher Corner that visually depict the history of San Juan Capistrano may be installed on buildings in the downtown area with owner permission. Funding for tile panels will be from funds that TASJA has dedicated to this project and from expected grants.
This photo is an imagined tile depiction in the hallway of the 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.
