Oak Tree Display Recognizing the Historical Role of Native Americans in Southern California

A new art display recognizing the oak trees sacred to Southern California's Native American tribes has recently been installed in the Student Success Center at UC Riverside (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA).  The display was made from oak trees that were felled for the construction of the building.  The art display has been the focus of a recent Inside UCR News article and contains several elements.  One is a map made from oak planks with acrylic panels that illustrates the historic territory of Native American tribes in Southern California. There is also a large screen display which shows a short video providing background on the display and Native American contributions. Also as described in the article, along the top of the display is UCR’s Native American Land Acknowledgement, in which the campus recognizes its responsibility to the Cahuilla, Tongva, Luiseño, and Serrano peoples as the original and current caretakers of the land, water, and air.  Along the bottom is an apology to the oak trees that once stood there, promising that UCR will “continue to remember and honor the oak trees through the beauty they provide in this art installation.” The display was a joint effort of multiple groups within and outside of UCR. Joaquin Torango, a coordinator with Native American Student Programs, sketched out the idea for the map display, and Chagrin Valley Custom Furniture, an Ohio-based company that specializes in handcrafted furniture constructed the display. The company’s creative director, Sky Ironhorse, also worked with UCR on the display.  

#UCRiverside #NativeAmerican #Indigenouspeoples #oak #SouthernCalifornia #InlandEmpireArt

Butterfly Wings in the Highlander Student Union Building on the UC Riverside Campus

A painting of two butterfly wings is located in one of the entrances of the Highlander Student Union Building on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA). The artist is unknown. 

#butterfly wings #UC Riverside #Highlander Union Building 

Robert Sproul Sculpture at UC Riverside

On the way to see a new mural, I came across a new bust of Robert Gordon Sproul that has recently been placed outside of Sproul Hall on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA).  Sproul was the President of the University of California system when UC Riverside was established as a UC campus.  The bust was sculpted by Emil Seletz M.D. and was apparently installed about one week ago.  

A close-up

#Robert Gordon Sproul #Emil Seletz #UC Riverside #University of California 

Walk with Her Mural in the UCR School of Education Conference Room

Two new murals have been painted within the School of Education conference room (1212 Sproul Hall) on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA).  The most notable is a colorful reimagining of the Norman Rockwell painting of the first time Ruby Bridges entered a desegregated school in New Orleans in 1960.  The original painting is entitled, "The Problem We All Live With".  The reimagined version is entitled, "Walk with Her" and is by Maurice "Pops" Peterson.  The School of Education received his permission to use his painting in its new conference room.  More information can be found in a recent Inside UCR news article.  The second mural is School of Education logo.  Both are shown below. 

#Norman Rockwell #UC Riverside #The Problem Persists #Integration #The Problem We All Live With #Walk with Her #Maurice Pops Peterson

Altura Credit Union University Avenue Branch Mural

Inside the University Branch of the Altura Credit Union (1616 University Ave, Riverside, CA), there is a beautiful new mural showing views of the University of California, Riverside (UCR) with orange trees in the foreground and mountains in the background.  It was painted by Juan Navarro @luvmonsterz.  Below is one complete photo and several of sections.

Additional Metal Sculptures in the UC Riverside Botanic Gardens

I recently learned of two other iron sculptures in the UCR Botanic Gardens (1 Botanic Gardens Dr, Riverside, CA).  The first is by prominent local artist and sculptor Paulden Evans (pauldenevans.com) and is located on the left, just off the road, shortly after one enters the garden.  The second is in a private area near the house where the staff park their cars in the upper area of the Gardens. It is behind a closed gate and one has to get permission to see it. The sculptor for the second sculpture is unknown.  

Altura Credit Union University Avenue Branch ATM

In the parking lot of the University Branch of the Altura Credit Union (1616 University Ave, Riverside, CA) is a drive-through ATM which has been painted with a roaring bear head, UCR's mascot and the UC Riverside name.  It is unsigned and the artist is unknown.  

Fine Vine Sculpture in UC Riverside Botanic Gardens

An attractive new sculpture by local artist and UCR alumnus Frank Heyming has been installed in the UCR Botanic Gardens (1 Botanic Gardens Dr, Riverside, CA).  It is entitled "Fine Vine" and is located between the Herbal Garden and the Native American Garden on the upper developed portion of the Botanic Gardens.  An article about the sculpture and the artist can be found on the Inside UCR website. 

UCR School of Medicine Education Building 2 Sunscreens and Interior Art

 The sun screens and stairway screens on the new UC Riverside School of Medicine Education Building 2 (E Campus Dr, Riverside, CA) bear a striking resemblance to DNA and protein sequencing gels.  I am not sure if it was intentional or just fortuitous, but I find it noteworthy given the important role of genetics in modern medicine.  The screens were made by BŌK Modern.  Below are some examples of the solar and stairway screens, DNA and protein sequencing gels, and some citrus-themed artwork in the interior of the building.  

DNA sequencing gel image (from a UC Berkeley Biocomputing webpage)

Protein gel image (from a Millipore-Sigma webpage)

Orange-themed interior art along central stairway

Another photo of the orange-themed interior art along central stairway

Native American Garden Mural at UC Riverside

A new mural-like painting has been placed within the new Native American Garden at UC Riverside (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA).  The garden is in the mall close to the bookstore and Highlander Union Building and was the site of a recent grand opening celebration.  The painting was done by River Garza, a Los Angeles-based Native American artist.  An article on the Garden can be found in the Inside UCR online news magazine. 

The mural-like painting by River Garza

The west part of the garden

The east part of the garden as viewed from the south

Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society Sculpture at UC Riverside

A sculpture in recognition of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society has been erected between the engineering buildings Bourns Hall and Chung Hall, at UC Riverside (900 University Ave, Riverside, CA).  The sculpture shows the symbol or key of the honor society which was established at UCR "to recognize students of exemplary character and distinguished scholarship." More information on the UCR chapter of the society can be found here.  The artist who made the sculpture is unknown.  

Pat Morton Painting in Duran Eastside Library

A floral still life painting by artist Pat Morton is currently on display at the SPC Jesus S. Duran Eastside Library (4033 Chicago Ave Suite C, Riverside, CA 92507).  Patricia Morton is a professor of Art History at UC Riverside and she may be the artist. 

New Sustainability Mural at UC Riverside

An attractive and colorful new mural has recently been completed in the R'Garden area of UC Riverside's campus, located on the north-west corner of Parking Lot 30 (900 Martin Luther King Blvd, Riverside). As described in an Inside UCR article, "In honor of California Clean Air Day, UCR’s R'Garden, Metrolink, and the City of Riverside hosted a daylong painting event on Tuesday, Oct. 3, alongside Riverside muralist Ekaterina Orlovie (@orlovie), who guided participants in creating a colorful scene promoting the outdoors and sustainable ways to get around campus...The mural’s smog-eating paint includes Photio, a paint additive that helps transform surfaces into air purifying agents." 

Early in the process on Oct. 3, 2023.

Poetic Pathway at UC Riverside

Diana Balmori, a renowned landscape architect, assisted her husband, César Pelli, a distinguished architect, who was designing the Humanities and Social Sciences Building on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside). She created a pathway with thoughtful poetry from a Native American poet and a Roman poet, which winds through an orange tree-containing courtyard between the building and its wings.

On one side of the pathway is the poem Motheroot by Marilou Awiakta from her book Selu: Creation often needs two hearts • one to root and one to flower • One to sustain in time of drouth • and hold fast against winds of pain • the fragile bloom that in the glory of its hour • affirms a heart unsung, unseen.  

On the other side is a poem by Virgil from the Georgics: Take time to find out the nature of the place, its quiet of wind and weather, its well tried ways, since each spot differs in what it bears or rejects. So nature shifts for herself and trees of all species flourish in woodland, orchard, sacred grove. 

I might note that the pathway is my wife's favorite work of art on the UC Riverside campus.  

 

Grapevine Medallion Sculpture at UC Riverside

To the east of the Humanities and Social Sciences Building on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside) sits a medallion-type of sculpture of a mature vine with clusters of grapes. On the base that holds the medallion is a plate and leaves on which the names of various people, families or organizations are inscribed. These appear to be donors that helped establish an Endowed Community Chair in Religious Studies about 30 years ago.  The sculptor is unknown.  

 

"Obscure Orange" at UC Riverside

A painted giant orange with a small black glass opening entitled, Obscure Orange, is sited in a small grove of orange trees in a courtyard near the Humanities and Social Sciences Building on the UC Riverside campus (900 University Ave, Riverside).  The orange was an entry in the 2006 Giant Orange Artventure hosted by the Riverside Art Alliance.  The name and design of the orange appears to be related to Camera Obscura, simple type of camera that can be created within a room or other large space.  The orange, which has faded some with time, was the creation of Georg Burwick.