Bram and Sandra Dijkstra are barely five minutes into their interview and are already talking to each other in a way that only a couple who have been married for almost 60 years can do. For most people, a question like “how did you start collecting art?” It’s not a particularly loaded question, but for the Dijkstras, well, it’s a long story.
“It’s just something that came quite naturally to us,” said Bram.
Sandra disagrees. Well, sort of.
“I certainly was never programmed to do this,” he said. “My mum was in New York, very practical and pragmatic, and she probably would have been so upset with what we’ve done. I was not raised to collect art. No way, Jose. ”
For the Dijkstras, who have lived in the San Diego region for over 50 years, collecting art has been a lifelong passion, one bordering on obsession. They acknowledge that nearly every inch of wall space in their Julian and Del Mar homes, as well as in the office of Sandra’s literary agency, is covered with paintings, drawings and prints. Even the bathrooms are covered in art.
“It’s a small museum,” said Sandra. “In the bathroom, we left space for a toilet and sink.”
With that, they both tackle the situation that only two people already in the joke would do.
“Road Trip, Afternoon Monkey” by Carol Lindemulder (2009)
Part of the Dijkstras art collection, though a fraction of what they have collected over the years, is currently featured in “Collecting San Diego: Choices from the Dijkstra Fine Art Collection,” the first in a series of exhibitions focused on local collectors at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park. The recently launched initiative aims to showcase the collections of local art enthusiasts in the hope of highlighting San Diego’s history, as well as showcase regional artists who lived and worked in the region.
“I think what this show also shows is how the Dijkstras promoted our early art scene in San Diego but how they continued to do it,” said Claudia Leos-Banega , a local art historian who has known Bram since the 90s and helped curate. “Collecting San Diego” exhibition.
“They have continued to support and promote local artists. They bought work based on what touched them, not who its hot name was. They were sometimes bought by women, by Chicano artists – their range is varied. It’s so nice to see that continuum. ”
“Renewal # 1” by Ed Garman (1971)
The Dijkstras had always had a passion for art, but both agree that they began to seriously collect after Sandra’s mother died and left them some money. Although the couple had initially thought about investing in stocks – or what Sandra calls “very logical” – Bram suggested that they look at buying art. They both started going to local estate art exhibitions and exhibitions, and the rest was history, as they say. Their collection now spans centuries and varies in style, medium, custom and every other distinction imaginable.
“Most people invest in something in one way or another, and that makes sense, but for us, we realized that the kind of investments like the stock market are very risky, and we would have to spend our lives pursuing it, ”says Bram. “We always had the rule that we had to like the art in what it did, what it said. It had to be something that spoke to us, ”
“We bought more still,” adds Sandra. “Even when we said ‘enough, enough, enough already.’
The works on display in the Dijkstra exhibition are very diverse, with everything from landscapes and woodcut sections, to still life and surrealism. The number of regional and local artists on display is immediately apparent, with big names such as William Newport Goodell (“Boots in Barracks”), Harry Sternberg (“Hair # 9 [Hippies and Bikers in the Borrego Desert]”) ) and James Hubbell (“Clouds Rising”) are all on display. Local female artists, who were often unfairly shadowed by their male peers, are also on display and include Belle Baranceanu (“The Dancers”), Carol Lindemulder (“Imperial Valley Housing”) and Ethel Greene (“Sitting in the Shadow, Lie in the Sun” and excerpts from her series “Egg of an Unknown Bird”).
When asked if they have any particular favorites from the collection, Bram does not hesitate.
“This is as simple and honest a solution as I can give you, but I have no favorites,” he said. “I like each of these works for their own reasons and my own.”
For Leos-Banega, he says he could have easily curated a more thematic exhibition, but ultimately decided on a more comprehensive approach. She says she was most surprised by the fact that Dijkstras’s collection was not limited to regional artists or even just California artists, but also included European and 19th-century works. He worked closely with the couple to help select the pieces for the exhibition with the Dijkstras having the final say on what they were willing to share with him.
“Sometimes they would say, ‘We don’t want that hole in our wall,'” Leos-Banega said, laughing.
“Children are Cove, La Jolla” by Herbert Turner (1958)
What Leos-Banega and the Dijkstras certainly agree on is that they hope that their “Collecting San Diego” exhibit, and the series in general, will inspire others to start collecting themselves. The couple are beginning to donate many of their works to local organizations such as the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Timken Museum. And while it’s difficult to think of a scenario where a potential collector would pool such a large and extensive collection as the Dijkstras, all parties agree that the magic begins with that first purchase.
“I don’t know what hole needs to be filled to get that message across, but I know people who are doing well economically, but they don’t put original artwork in their house, and I do I think they would know. they could get nice things for a couple hundred dollars or a couple thousand if they have it, ”said Leos-Banega.
“So many people feel that art, quote-unquote, is beyond their reach,” said Bram. “Reproductions have no textures or colors or the hue you feel in the original artist’s work. That’s what really speaks to you. That dialogue does not exist between original artwork and yours. ”
“There are people who come to the show and are inspired to gather locally, I would say one of the real pleasures is getting to know the artists,” Sandra adds. “You visit their studios and not only do you support their art, but you learn about San Diego’s art history. You help them create that history. “
‘Collecting San Diego: Selections from the Dijkstra Fine Art Collection’
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Sunday. The exhibition runs through the end of the year.
Where: San Diego History Center, 1649 El Prado, Suite No. 3, Balboa Park
“In the Banner Valley” by Charles Reiffel (1926)
What is there to do for free in Old Town San Diego?
All Free Museums * & amp; Attractions in San Diego
- Casa de Aguirre. Casa de Aguirre was one of the first homes built in the Old Town. …
- Wells Fargo Museum. …
- San Diego Union Museum. …
- Mason Street School. …
- San Diego’s first court. …
- Casa de Estuillo. …
- Seeley Stable Museum.
Is Old Town San Diego worth a visit? Is Old Town worth a visit. That’s where California began. The Old Town Historic Provincial Park has some cool sites in it and the Mormon Battalion Historic Site and Heritage Village Victorian Village are also worth seeing. There are some tourist trap shops in Old Town, but some good restaurants as well and a great cigar bar.
Do you have to pay to get into natural history museum?
Admission to the Natural History Museum is free. There is an admission charge for some of the exhibitions and special events.
How much does it cost to go to the Natural History Museum? The fee is suggested at $ 23 for adults, $ 18 for students with ID, $ 18 for seniors (age 60 and up), and $ 13 for children (ages 3 to 12). Are guests of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut residents eligible for suggested pay-as-you-wish admission?
What day are museums free in San Diego?
10:00 a.m.-5: 00 p.m. The San Diego Museum of Art offers free admission to San Diego County residents (with ID) on the third Tuesday of each month. Due to the new Covid-19 guidelines, access to the Museum is limited and visitors may need to wait in line outside the Museum if the largest number of people arrive.
Are Balboa Park museums free on Tuesday? Yes, you heard it right Museums in Balboa Park offer free general admission on a rotating basis throughout each month to residents of the City and County of San Diego (with ID), as well as to active military personnel and their dependents.
Are any of the museums in Balboa Park free?
Which Balboa Park Museums Are Always Free? There are two Balboa Park museums that are always free to everyone; Timken Museum of Art and Museum of the San Diego Minerals and Gem Association.
Are museums free in Balboa Park?
Admission to the park land is free. Once inside the Park, explore the lush gardens and trails. The Timken Botanical Building and Art Museum is always free.
What day are museums free in San Diego?
10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The San Diego Museum of Art offers free admission to San Diego County residents (with ID) on the third Tuesday of each month. Due to the new Covid-19 guidelines, access to the Museum is limited and visitors may need to wait in line outside the Museum if the largest number of people arrive.
Are San Diego museums free?
Free Kids San Diego Comes Again in October 2022! Kids 12 and under get free admission to many art, cultural and science museums and historical sites in San Diego County.
What day are museums free in San Diego?
10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The San Diego Museum of Art offers free admission to San Diego County residents (with ID) on the third Tuesday of each month. Due to the new Covid-19 guidelines, access to the Museum is limited and visitors may need to wait in line outside the Museum if the largest number of people arrive.
Is it free to go to Balboa Park?
Admission to the park land is free. Once inside the Park, explore the lush gardens and trails. The Timken Botanical Building and Art Museum is always free.