Niki de Saint Phall was an Franco American woman who did many things in her life, including modeling, writing, and sculpting. She is best known as an artist. She was at one time married to the French artist, Jean Tinguely. She was born in France in 1930, and died in 2002 in La Jolla, California. She was a self taught artist, who delighted people worldwide with her colorful, monumental, cartoonlike sculptures and environments. Early in her career, she created what was called target painting, where she threw darts at balloons set up on a canvas, and the dripping paint created the painting.
She created sculptures for gardens around the world. One of her nanas (bulbous, maternal like figures} can be seen in Balboa Park, another in the La Jolla restaurant, Barbarella. Before she died she created Queen Califia's Magic Circle, in Kit Carson park in Escondido.
She did not live to see the completion of the installation, but she was involved in every phase of it's execution. It was completed shortly after her death, and remains one of the beautiful sculpture gardens around. Queen Califia was an Amazon goddess, and she is depicted in mosaic in the park. Niki de Saint Phall depicts snakes, totem poles, and astrological symbols throughout her work. The sculptures are massive. I was overwhelmed by the size and beauty of these sculptures.
If you enjoy art, please make a point of visiting Kit Carson Park when Queen Califia's Magic Circle is open. (Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the 2nd and 4th Saturday). Check the website to be sure you are there at the right time. It's an little known San Diego treasure.
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