Best Sculptor Escondido Near Me

4worldlovers: THE EXHIBIT IS NOT OPEN WHEN IT IS RAINING OR IF IT HAS RAINED WITHIN THE LAST 24-48 HOURS.


2nd & 4th Saturdays of each month - 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.


Information, including hours and directions, can be obtained by calling 760-839-4000.


Queen Califia's Magical Circle is located in the Iris Sankey Arboretum in Escondido's Kit

Carson Park. The park's entrance is five minutes from the Via Rancho Parkway exit of I-15 at

The intersection of Bear Valley Parkway and Mary Lane; then follow signs to parking.

Donations to the Foundation - Click here to donate online or scan QR code below

Queen Califia's Magical Circle is the only American sculpture garden and the last major international project created by Niki de Saint Phalle (born France, 1930-2002). Inspired by California's mythic, historic and cultural roots, the garden consists of nine large-scale sculptures, a circular "snake wall" and maze entryway, sculpturally integrated bench seating, and native shrubs and trees planted within the interior plaza and along the outer perimeter. The garden bears the brilliant, unique mosaic ornamentation that is an unmistakable part of Saint Phalle's later work.

Queen Califia's Magical Circle is situated within a 12-acre natural habitat in the Iris Sankey Arboretum in Kit Carson Park on a parcel of land donated by the City of Escondido. The park's entrance is located five minutes from I-15 (Via Rancho Parkway Exit) at the corner of Bear Valley Parkway and Mary Lane.

The sculpture garden's key architectural features are an undulating circular wall measuring 400 feet in length (with varying heights from 4 to 9 feet) that surrounds the garden. Monumental playful serpents, decorated in colorfully patterned mosaics, slither along the top of the wall, their curved bodies forming a pattern of solids and voids that allows visitors to see landscape vistas beyond the garden. The "snake wall" opens into a maze whose walls and floors are covered with black, white, and mirrored tiles. Once through the maze, visitors enter into the central courtyard.

There are nine freestanding sculptures in the garden. The imposing mosaic sculpture of Queen Califia standing on the back of a five-legged eagle commands the center of the garden. Eight large totemic sculptures surround Queen Califia. They are covered with symbols and forms freely drawn from Native American, Pre-Columbian, and Mexican art as well as the artist's own fantastic imagery.

Press Release: Niki de Saint Phalle's Queen Califia's Magical Circle Opens in Escondido, California, October 26, 2003.

4worldlovers: Divergence Artist Collective is pleased to present our debut show, ?Love Letters? hosted by Distinction Gallery. Our artists have interpreted the theme of love in myriad ways, using materials such as oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media. Some have examined love as a subject, exploring attachments filial, romantic and platonic. Others have extrapolated an approach to workmanship, glorying in the subjective lens of romanticism. Whatever your experience of love may be, we hope you find something to relate to in the works on show. Divergence Artist Collective was formed in 2022 with the aim of conducting themed group shows for collectors and artists. In a landscape of sameness and disposability, we value craftsmanship and the outr?. Our artists have a wide variety of inspirations, from pop culture to literature, folklore and the natural world. While we are all from different backgrounds, we share the idiom of visual art and believe in executing it to a standard worthy of the form. The fact that our artists hail from all over the world means viewers are provided with an experience of techniques, aesthetics and subjects as varied as ourselves. As a collective, we are focused on presenting themed shows with an atmosphere both unique and unified. The shows feature original artworks and limited edition prints, carefully curated by the artists themselves.

Distinction Gallery and ArtHatch is pleased to announce our 12th Annual Art-A-Thon, a marathon of artistic creation to benefit the non-profit art center's teen program. 16 artists from San Diego County will join together to create artwork for 24 straight hours. Completed artworks will be auctioned off starting at $100. Proceeds from art sales will be divided between the artists and ArtHatch to help support the centers free art education program for local teens. Participating artists this year are Kelly Vivanco and Peter Hillier, Victor Roman, Brady Willmott, Dinah Martin, Eusebio Travis Sevilla, Evgola, Jennifer Anichowski, Lindy Ivey, Martita, Megan Darrough, Nicole Mendez Waszak, Olga Tenyakova, and SonyArletta. Auction ends 1/28 at 2pm pst. Special thanks to our sponsors Christine Altmiller, Fusspot Charity Foundation, Joanne Brey & Ron Fitzgerald, Joanne Volpe, John Purlia, Lindy Ivey, Linda Walker, Martita and Robert Barry.

Distinction is pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition by uniquely talented artist Valency Genis with her solo show "Feral Friends". The opening reception with live music, open studios, and drinks for sale by Last Spot by Hidden Hive will be held on Sat December 10th from 6-10pm. Genis is an artist with a head full of never ending creatures, who displays her ability to bring these vivid imaginations to life with her amazing sculptures of fanciful hybrid animals. A whimsical menagerie of imaginary taxidermy creatures, her work continues to catch the eyes and hearts of fans across the globe and of all age groups. In her youth, she was utterly obsessed with television and video games, so it is ironic that a summer spent on Flathead Lake, Montana, in an electronics-free log cabin when she was 10 years old would change her life forever. Searching for diversions to alleviate her interminable boredom, she happened upon an old taxidermy shop. A dusty pair of "unborn beavers" caught her eye in the window display, and it forever imprinted on her naive adolescent mind. The stunning array of animals presented in the rustic store drew her in with their beauty, but she was bereaved by their demise. While studying for her BFA at the University of New Mexico, Valency discovered that she had the power to create creatures and control their aesthetics, while minimizing the tragedy associated with taxidermied animals. She takes an almost Dr. Frankenstein-like glee in crafting her unique animals, drawing on influences such as Tim Burton, Jim Henson, and Dr. Seuss. With close attention to detail, her bizarre creations are adorned with bright colors and bows, striking the perfect balance between humorous and grotesque. The exhibition will run from December 10 - January 2