pillars of the community for south escondido boulevard
a sense of history

the design of the art elements for the south escondido boulevard street improvement project is influenced by the california arts and crafts movement. the arts and crafts movement achieved architectural excellence in california between 1906 and 1914—years bracketed by noteworthy early experimentation and memorable modern design. the state’s geography and climate distinguished the western region from the country at large. its seeming isolation, exotic terrain and extremely mild seasons caused california to develop a distinct arts and crafts imagery without losing elements that were essentially midwestern in motivation, spirit and often in form.

california offered the quintessential place for mature experimentation with the arts and crafts ideas of utopian idealism and of a simple life tied to the land. in california, this meant that artists were challenged by the wealth of natural subjects as close as their windows. whether depicting the golden poppy, the torrey pine, the redwood or the arroyo seco, california artists extolled the state’s natural beauty and bounty.

the art along the boulevard follows the aesthetic traditions consistent with the california arts and crafts movement. the intention of the public art is to create a flow in the ebb of escondido boulevard by linking the past to the present and maintaining escondido’s unique feeling of city and country. one of the art elements is entitled pillars of the community. the pillars reflect the personality of the neighborhoods, each one unique. the obelisk shape can be seen along the boulevard as columns in craftsman-style houses. the pillars create a strong vertical landmark and a visible accent to both automobile and pedestrian traffic.