History tells is written by the visions we have of ourselves, or do not have, as much as by technology. We are about the search for such visions.
The Ilan-Lael Foundation was founded by James and Anne Hubbell in 1982. Initially, the Foundation served as a clearinghouse for James Hubbell’s public art projects, lectures, seminars and exhibitions in San Diego and Tijuana. It also published Hidden Leaves, an awarding winning newsletter about San Diego’s built environment.
In 2003, four of the eight buildings on the Ilan-Lael site were destroyed by wildfire. Over a period of three years, donations from friends and members of the Foundation helped restore the damaged buildings. With so much of the community’s heart and soul a part of the rebuilt structures, the Ilan-Lael Foundation broadened its focus yet again. The Hubbell family donated the land and buildings to The Ilan-Lael Foundation to be operated as a non-profit art education center. It currently remains primarily a residence and working art studio, but over time it will increasingly serve the community as a meeting place, an artist-in-residence workshop, and a quiet place for the public to appreciate how art, nature, and beauty connect to our lives and our actions in the wider world.
To ensure the long-term viability of the Ilan-Lael Foundation, the James T. Hubbell Endowment Campaign was established in 2006 with a goal of raising $5 million dollars to provide resources for staff, building and maintenance, and programs to achieve the goals of the Foundation.
Hidden Leaves magazine
Hidden Leaves was an original publication edited by Kay Kaiser and James Hubbell and featured many great artists, architects and commentators of its day. It was one of the Foundation’s first projects and helped grow our membership base to 1,500.