Art beat: January gallery and exhibit openings

Gallery and exhibit openings in San Diego during the month of January include art from acclaimed Spanish artists, the West Coast Drawing Group Show and sculptures at Kit Carson Park in Escondido.

1.1-31: Spanish Masters — Picasso, Dali, Miro

This exhibition highlights the depth and genius of three Spanish art masters: Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Joan Miro.

Martin Lawrence Galleries La Jolla, 1111 Prospect St., La Jolla. 858.551.1122, martinlawrence.com

1.5-28: 3-UP: Artwork by Chairo, Jester, McLeish

Three local artists have their figurative artwork on literal display through January.

The Studio Door, 3750 30th St., North Park. 619.255.4920, thestudiodoor.com

1.6-4.8: Exhibition: Seeing is Believing / A Group Show

Nearly 20 artists use photography, sculpture, painting and illustrations to transform the mundane into explorations of the body, relationships and emotions.

Sparks Gallery, 530 Sixth Ave., downtown. 619.696.1416, sparksgallery.com

1.9-2.10: West Coast Drawing Group Show

“The Boundless Line” is the theme to ring in 2018 during this annual show at Ashton Gallery to kick off the new year.

Ashton Gallery, 4434 30th St., North Park. 619.894.9009, ashtonartgallery.com

1.10: Wildlife Protection with Big Life Foundation

This lecture explores the current state of animals threatened by poaching and illegal ivory trade, and artist Wendy Maruyama’s work to promote wildlife preservation in her exhibition The wildLIFE Project.

Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside. 760.435.3721, oma-online.org

1.13-3.4: Niki de Saint Phalle: Mythical California

With a focus on the myths and legends of California, the late artist Niki de Saint Phalle created several large works of art, including a series she developed while living in San Diego.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido,
340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido. 760.839.4138, artcenter.org

1.18: Panel Discussion on Border Art Today

The curator of the unDocumenta exhibit, which focuses on the struggles of undocumented people, will moderate this discussion on art that takes place where a part of Latin America and Southern California meet.

Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside
760.435.3721, oma-online.org

1.26-2.25: 43rd Annual Small Image Show

An annual show open to all San Diego artists, challenging them to use a small image concept for a wide range of visual expression.

Gallery 21 at Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Place, Balboa Park. 619.233.9050, spanishvillageart.com

1.30: The Ecology of Sound: A Collective Exploration of ‘The Language of Things’

A collaboration tied to the sound installation work of Roberto Romero Molina and Art of Elan’s annual Young Artists in Harmony program, which publicly premieres the musical compositions of the students in the program.

San Diego Art Institute, 1439 El Prado, Balboa Park. 619.236.0011, sandiego-art.org

Through 1.21: instrinsic. matter.

Artists Sammy Seung-min Lee and Kazu Oba fuse their native traditions with contemporary forms of art through Lee’s practice of Korean Joomchi and Oba’s practice of traditional Japanese ceramic patterns.

Japanese Friendship Garden, 2215 Pan American Rd. East, Balboa Park. 619.232.2784, niwa.org

Through 1.28: Creativity and Joy: The Dance of the Brush

Master Chinese brush painter Jean Shen and her students express concepts of nature and emotion through the dance of ink and a bamboo brush on rice paper.

Japanese Friendship Garden,2215 Pan American Rd. East, Balboa Park. 619.232.2784, niwa.org

Through 2.24: New Hope Project

Students from High Tech High Chula Vista participate in this oral history project to celebrate diversity and history by telling the stories of their own lives and those of their families.

New Americans Museum, 2825 Dewey Rd., Ste. 102, Liberty Station.
619.756.7707, newamericansmuseum.org