New Crop of Urban Trees Coming to San Diego's Embarcadero

Wednesday, 29 July 2009

Urban Trees 5 Going Up For Sale

The Port of San Diego’s sixth installment of Urban Trees will soon be lining the San Diego bayfront. Thirty new sculptures have been selected for Urban Trees 6 and will be “planted” for a half-mile along Harbor Drive from the Cruise Ship Terminal to Hawthorn Street during the month of August. Once in place, the artworks will call the Embarcadero home for one year.

The Port's Public Art Program conceived the temporary exhibit six years ago to add to the already postcard views of San Diego’s waterfront. Artists were invited to apply their creative talents to the design of artistic trees to add color, form, interest and fun to the waterfront.

The new grove will feature 30 new works of art, such as Linda Joanou’s “Rolling Wilbur,” a hand-cranked kinetic sculpture with chrome ball bearings that activate bells and chimes; Catherine Carlton’s “Chemis-Tree,” an aluminum double-helix intended as a tribute to the region’s bio-tech research. There’s also Cathy Ann Janes’ “Thank You,” featuring a dog-tag clad eagle that pays tribute to the service and sacrifices of our military personnel.

The current artworks that make up the Urban Trees 5 exhibit will be removed beginning August 3. The new trees will be dedicated on Saturday, September 12. All of the artworks from past exhibits are available for purchase. The trees range in price from $5,000 to $90,000.

Many Urban Trees from past exhibits have found new homes in private, corporate and community settings as well as with private collectors. Interested buyers can contact the Port of San Diego’s Public Art Department, at 619-686-7246, who will put the potential buyer in touch with the artist. The Port does not have any involvement in the sale or price negotiations, nor does it receive any percentage of the sale.

“If we can help the artist find a customer, that’s a win for everyone,” said Allan Tait, project manager in the Public Art Department. “We’re interested in seeing the artist attain some level of success through the Urban Trees program. Even though we pay them a nominal loan fee, in many cases it does not cover the price of their materials. But this is a high-visibility venue on the Embarcadero and it gives the artists a fantastic opportunity for their work to be viewed.”

Ten urban trees from the previous three exhibits have been purchased and donated to the sculpture gardens at Scripps Memorial Hospitals in La Jolla and Encinitas. Other urban trees have found new homes including the Chula Vista Library Civic Center Branch, the Chula Vista Nature Center as well as in Manhattan Beach.

Along with the Urban Trees, tourists and residents can enjoy other attractions including the Greatest Generation military heritage public art collection at the G Street Mole, the USS Midway, the San Diego Maritime Museum, San Diego Harbor Excursion, Hornblower Cruises and Events and outstanding waterfront dining, including 100 entrees under $18.

Art, culture and community accessibility to San Diego Bay are top priorities for the Port of San Diego. The Port's Public Art Program is an important element of this vision.

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