Water and Words

WATER & WORDS ART INSTALLATION

This project is a sculptural installation inspired by water, writing, and light. The best time to view this piece is in the morning between 9am-11am. This installation is composed of ribbon-like structures that span over 150’ and seemingly weave through the archways of the corridor between Barracks 3 and 4.

Words relating to associations with and memories of water were collected from community members. The plexiglass forms are suspended within the existing archways, allowing for light and reflected color to be cast upon the floor of the hallways during the early parts of the day. Silhouette of the simple etched text sourced from the community is also cast upon the floor. Similar to the tide, this cast light and shadow will ebb and flow within the space, revealing and concealing the messages on the floor during different times of day.

Conceptually, I view water as a life force that holds seemingly contradictory qualities. Formally, it can be both still and flowing and express many different colors depending on the sky it reflects and mineral composition. Whether it brings things into existence or takes them away, it is always a part of the journey of life caring with it the memories of our planet’s happenings. It is a compound that resides within each of us and connects us all regardless of how we got here and helps in spreading people, information, and goods globally.

The intention with this project is to invite viewers to contemplate their connection with the waters within San Diego and reflect upon the complexities and phenomenal aspects of water. Additionally, this installation invites viewers to notice the subtle aspects of the architecture, the natural features that permeate the space, and direct attentions to the subtle aspects of the space that tap into a deeper history. The installation will on view through 2024.

Image of Art Installation at NTC Liberty Station in area between Barracks 3 and 4.

Image of Art Installation at NTC Liberty Station by Barracks 3

Screen Shot 2023-08-05 at 2.28.46 AM.png

Treeline - Park Social

TreeLine is a temporary art installation among the trees within John P. Baca park in Linda Vista that included a one day community engagement art event. Through this project, the intention was to foster a sense of play, connection, and awareness of place through the formal and metaphorical qualities of line within this neighborhood park.

"Park Social is a citywide initiative introducing social-specific public art into San Diego's vast and varied park system. Held for six months in 2022, Park Social engages with a broad and constantly shifting audience of park goers, intervening and interacting in the social spheres of public parks and exploring topics ranging from environmental justice to belonging and social cohesion through responsive artistic projects". - City of San Diego Arts Commission

COLLABORATOR: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary

Click here for more information about the Park Social initative.

A one day event was held which included inclusive activities that connected participants through three different series of line explorations and engagements. These events were a free-parts play activity, community weaving reflection activity, and dance activity (as shown in photos below) that were designed to reflect and honor the resident populations based on conversation with community partners.

We took inspiration from the people who live and play in Linda Vista and the lines and connections created during the summer time community event.

Participants were asked to bring a piece of fabric to the event which was woven and quilted together into a final installation on view in the park.

Screen Shot 2022-08-11 at 4.00.20 PM.png

Screen Shot 2022-08-11 at 4.00.40 PM.png

Memories We Held

Memories We Held

Community sourced rocks cast in Kozo paper and muslin, 2024

Many of us form intimate connections with our environments. Some landscapes we return to often, while others may be experienced once and emotionally and mentally transform us.

Rocks serve as anchor points within our landscape and are small capsules of earth and minerals that have been formed over time, affected by surroundings. Historically, they have been used as markers, molded into tools, and collected as souvenirs. This project is an installation that will be composed of translucent cast rocks, that reference the memories of the landscape from which they came. This piece invites viewers to reflect on how their environments have affected them over time, and reciprocally their effects on the environment.

As part of the development of this piece, participants were invited to bring rocks from their local landscapes. A one-day workshop was held in which visitors to the La Jolla Historical Society were invited to make paper casts of their rocks using a paper mâché technique. The casts of the rocks were collected and used as part of the installation. Participants and viewers are invited to reflect on and share how the natural environments have affected them over time, and reciprocally their effects on different environments.

Screenshot 2025-08-09 at 10.19.21 PM.png

La Jolla Caves - Fragmented Stories

This piece is an exploration of the caves along the La Jolla coastline, the in-between place where land and water meet. Caves are ever-changing formations that provide an entry point into the unknown. I approached this project as a process in exploring the unknown through the collection of fragments that represent different stories and happenings surrounding the La Jolla caves.

La Jolla Shores - Fragmented Stores, Found fragments from area around La Jolla caves, handmade mixed-media objects, and images and text from La Jolla Historical Society archives, 2024 (Photo credit: Pablo Mason)

I am interested in the notion of fragmentation and how fragments from seemingly diverse times and sources may come together to form a broader non-linear story of place. In making this piece, I was curious about how the caves formed, who and what lived around the caves, and what stories and associations developed with these caves in mind. I view this piece as a collection of small poetic gestures and small notes as if shared by another with whom I am developing a deeper relationship with. (Photo credit: Pablo Mason)

Images and text included in the piece are sourced from the La Jolla Historical Society archives. Some objects were collected, while others small sculptures were inspired by Kumeyaay stories and stories of other people who immigrated to or visited La Jolla thereafter. I have deep gratitude for the shared knowledge and stories of Kumeyaay Elder, Dr. Stanley Rodriquez, and La Jolla Historical Society Historian, Carol Colten, as they relate to the people and events that took place within the caves and surrounding La Jolla coastline. (Photo from the La Jolla Historical Society Archives)

Landscape Labyrinth

Rocks serve as anchor points within our landscape and are small capsules of earth and minerals that have been formed over time, affected by surroundings. Historically, they have been used as land markers to guide travelers, tools, and collected as souvenirs. Cyanotypes are an eco-friendly alternative to the photo development process. Additionally in contrast to rocks, cyanotypes use a solution that is reactive with sunlight, used to capture an image or object that is temporarily put in place. These two elements were chosen to use as part of the conversation about our planet as something that is both solid and potentially ephemeral.

Six community workshops were held along Paradise Creek in which participants were invited to create cyanotypes on rocks from plant material collected from the local landscapes around National City. These rocks will reference the memories of the landscape from which they came. This piece invites viewers to reflect on effects on the environment and reflect on how they can better live in harmony with our planet. Participants were asked to write a short statement that answers the questions: “How can I help my community to be in harmony with our planet?”

At the very end, rocks were collected and used to make a larger labyrinth that was showcased at the Fleet Science Center during a culminating event. Visitors to the museum were invited to walk through the labyrinth reflecting on how they too can help to live in harmony with our planet and bring awareness to environmental issues.

Welcome to Wells Park, City of El Cajon

Welcome to Wells Park, acrylic latex paint, 35’ x 11’

This public mural was commissioned by the City of El Cajon (City) Parks and Recreation Department. The mural was designed to provide a cross-generational welcoming feeling to all Wells Park users. The mural welcomes visitors in English, Spanish, and Arabic. Stylized mountains of El Cajon are depicted, as well as the well known local parrots that nest each night in front of El Cajon’s City Hall. City residents, and well as City staff, started this mural off as part of the 92020 community day.

Re: Border Binational Conference Art - The Water We Share

The Water We Share, 6’ x 6’, Acrylic Paint Collaborators: Arts Alive SDSU and SDSU MFA Graduate Students Juan Cabrera, Meredith Habermann, Kitty Nix, Zac Keane, and Sage Serrano.

This painting was commissioned by Arts Alive SDSU and San Diego State University’s (SDSU) president, Adela de La Torre, for the November 2019 Re:Border binational conference between SDSU and UABC in Tijuana, Mexico. SDSU students of the Chicano/a Studies and Engineering departments were asked to attend a community input session. During this meeting held within the Arts Alive SDSU headquarters, student shared thoughts and ideas pertaining to the Re:Border conference theme “the water we share”. Based on the input received, a design was developed to be used for the conference main art and photo backdrop. The painting portion of this project was completed with the help of a team of SDSU MFA graduate candidates. The painting currently resides in the president’s art collection at SDSU.

El Cajon Mural - Alley Cat Arts & Sophie's Center

Grander Junior High/ A Reason To Survive Design Challenge

This design challenge was co-taught with Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary. Over the course of 16 weeks, students were taught tools and techniques to identify site issues and develop creative design solutions to address these issues. This project resulted in two murals with mosaics - The Ocean Mural was conceptualized to increase awareness of oceanic health. The Graduation mural was painted as an interactive mural to engage students and provide a colorful backdrop to honor those students going through commencement.

Collaborator: Studio Nectary

SDSU Identity Centers Unity Mural

This mural was designed and facilitated by Kline Swonger as part of an Arts Alive SDSU collaborative project with the San Diego State University identity centers. This project was envisioned by Nenechi Nenachi from the SDSU Retroact Club, as a way to create a mural that provided a sense of unity and empowerment between the SDSU identity centers . The event was sponsored by Arts Alive SDSU. Students from the identity centers as well as he larger student body, were invited to assist in painting the mural. Upon completion, the mural

was divided into four sections which now live in SDSU’s Black Resource Center, Pride Center, Women’s Resource Center, and the Center for Intercultural Relations. The students of the identity centers on campus provided imagery, historical figures, and text that they felt was representative of them and empowered the communities they served. Click here for more information about this project.

Collaborators: Nenechi Nenachi with SDSU Retroact Club and Arts Alive SDSU

West African Caribbean Food Market

This was a collaborative placekeeping project that was a part of the healthy food and neighborhoods initiative. After a series of community input sessions and design iterations by SDSU Graphic Design Students, community members were invited to participate in a build day to repaint and construct planters for this African Caribbean Food Market. This project focus was to promote community, sense of place, and healthy food options within the City Heights neighborhood.

My role was to prepare and facilitate the mural and painting portions of the interior and exterior spaces for this project.

Collaborators: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary, UC San Diego Center for Community Health, Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting, Brennan Hubbell, and San Diego State Graphic Design students.

Screenshot 2025-08-20 at 10.15.43 AM.png

Old Town Academy School

This mural was commissioned by the Old Town Academy in concert with it’s butterfly way station. It shows the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, as well as other butterflies.

Collaborators: Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting and Studio Nectary

Loma Portal Elementary School

This mural was commissioned by The Parents Foundation of Loma Portal Elementary School in Point Loma as a way to thank all the school donors. Each of the school’s students, ranging from Pre-Kindergarten to Third grade, participated by putting their hand prints as part of the colorful leaves and roots of the tree.

Rema Halal Food Market - El Cajon

This was a collaborative placekeeping project that was a part of the healthy food and neighborhoods initiative. After a series of community input sessions and design iterations by SDSU Graphic Design Students, community members were invited to participate in a build day to repaint and construct planters for this market. This project focus was to promote community, sense of place, and healthy food options within the City of El Cajon. My role was to lead the painting portion of the placemaking activity.

Collaborators: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary, UC San Diego Center for Community Health, Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting, and San Diego State Graphic Design students.

CDA Preschool - The Parks Child Development Center, National City

This was a collaborative project to enhance the education center for The Child Development Association Child Development Center Parks. My role in this projects was to paint 5 murals of varying sizes around the educational campus.

COLLABORATORS: Kasi Munoz with Studio Nectary and Ilisa Goldman with Rooted In Place Landscape Architecture and Consulting.

The Art Space mural design was developed by Nate Schnell.