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Story and Photography by Visiting Artist Fellow, Marshall Williams I’m standing in the kitchen with my camera set on a tripod. Luis Garcia and I have scouted out the shots we hope to make. A car pulls up, and before long I am being introduced to Anne Hubbell, her kind blue eyes set off by…
A short visit to the home and studio of James Hubbell reveals the true nature of this historic site; amidst the rhythmic strike of metal, the roar of the forge, and the sharp whine of the table saw, it is unmistakably a living art space. For four consecutive years the Ilan-Lael Foundation has invited San…
Gold Will Always Shine: A Journey to the Pacific Rim Park By Catherine Wang, Edited by Rhi Burmeister From June 28 to July 28, 2018, a group of young student volunteers gathered in Yantai, Shandong Province, China. Recommended by the architecture departments of their respective universities, these students hailed from the United States, Russia, South…
By Marianne Gerdes On a bright winter afternoon, sunlight animates an exposed adobe brick wall on Ilan-Lael’s Living Room/Kitchen building. Across the way at Jim’s Studio, another patch of adobe is open to the elements. It’s captivating to see these historic materials partially exposed to reveal Jim Hubbell’s organic building ideas. But what’s actually happening…
By Rhiannon Burmeister, Visiting Artist Liaison and Communications Coordinator If you’ve spent time in San Diego, you’ve become well acquainted with James Hubbell’s significant touch on the region. His work provides elegance and beauty to houses of worship, whimsy to nature trails and parks, and a touch of magic to private homes. The home of…
This summer, amid the sunbaked stillness of the Anza-Borrego Desert, something quietly beautiful took root. A team from the Ilan-Lael Foundation, founded by the late artist and visionary James Hubbell, journeyed each week to the remote Butterfield Community to bring art — and with it, connection, creativity, and healing — to local youth. What started…
The Ilan-Lael Foundation is proud to announce its 2025 Visiting Artist Program, which builds upon the success of the inaugural 2024 program and honors the visionary spirit of founder James Hubbell.Eight immensely talented and prominent artists have agreed to be Ilan-Lael’s Visiting Artists for 2025. This program is designed to welcome artists to the property…
The Hubbell/Ilan-Lael/Colegio ConnectionArt, music, movement, and architecture have changed the way a community sees itself. Christine Brady, James Hubbell, and a merry band of volunteers prove it so! By Marianne Gerdes The Colegio La Esperanza campus in Tijuana buzzes with activity on a sunny Saturday morning. Brassy trumpets, vibrant violins, and strumming guitars fill the…
Ilan-Lael Studios has been restoring a large and impressive Triton Mermaid/Albatross window, a James Hubbell original that was a feature at the Triton Restaurant in Cardiff for more than 40 years. Left: The Triton window with diners in 1974. Photo by Bill Porter. Right: Shortly before Ilan-Lael studio artists removed the window before the building…
Introducing Saturday Socials at Ilan-Lael Tour, Sip &Mingle Included in our traditional Saturday afternoon tour, guests are invited to stick around afterwards, mingle with friends and enjoy a selection of delicious local wines. Each Saturday Social one of our favorite creative experts will be joining the group to give a special presentation. Topics will range…
Then: “Hidden Leaves” was the first publication of the newly formed Ilan-Lael Foundation The first issue printed in 1984 was a forum for voices in architecture, design, art, and the preservation community who challenged San Diego to create livable cities filled with walkable streets, playgrounds, inspiring architecture, and colorful art. The magazine drew 3,000 new…
The Ilan Lael Foundation welcomed seven talented and established San Diego County artists to be featured in its 2024 Visiting Artist Program. Artist Fellows were invited to immerse themselves in Ilan-Lael’s unique environment and create works inspired by the beauty of the property and the Santa Ysabel landscape. Following James Hubbell’s philosophy of connecting people…
Bert Hubbell sent letters to my grandfather James and my uncles Drew, Torrey, Brennan, and Lauren for many years (Drew is my father). Not too long ago my brother Connor wrote to our great uncle that he wanted to visit someday. Bert took that to heart and held Connor to it. “When are you coming,…
Harvest Moon was an amazing success! The evening was alive with celebration as we gathered with friends for Ilan-Lael’s annual Harvest Moon Dinner—sipping local wines and beers, experiencing art created by some of the areas most acomplished artists, listing to poetry and live music, and feasting on a delicious pallea dinner. Low clouds obsured the…
We have been given a special gift, to live beside the magnificent Pacific Ocean, to be citizens of not only one city, but of an emerging Pacific Rim community. Born out of endless eons, the great water looked up and smiled into a blue sky. At night, it held the stars in its ever-moving arm….
James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation will be showing concurrently at four library locations until August 4. 2024, as part of World Capital San Diego Tijuana, 2024 When news arrived that San Diego and Tijuana would be the first binational designation in World Design Capital program history, Ilan-Lael jumped at the opportunity “to help discuss and…
While she realizes it might sound a bit clichéd, Kim Emerson is convinced that mosaic art chose her. “It wasn’t something that I had planned to do or study, but now I know that it was always there waiting for me,” she explains. A pivotal moment came in the early 1990s while working for a…
We’ve lost one of the great visionaries of organic architecture, and longtime friend of the Hubbell family, Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, architect. James and Anne Hubbell and the Kellogg families have fond memories of spending leisurely days together on the sands at Mission Beach, site of Kellogg’s first residential project. In one highlight of their long…
The James Hubbell: Architecture of Jubilation opening reception at the downtown Central Library Gallery was a resounding success! We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible turnout. Hubbell enthusiasts enjoyed lively conversation, delicious refreshments, and the vibrant sounds of DJ Pablo Dodero, all while basking in the beauty of a San Diego sunset. James Hubbell: Architecture…
“Seeking Beauty: Selected Works from the Archive” will feature never-before-seen private artworks and ephemera that focus on the pivotal experiences in Hubbell’s youth. Discover how they shaped his unique philosophy and lifelong dedication to seeking and creating beauty. Select artworks will be available for purchase. Join us for a reception for the artist on Saturday…
Ilan-Lael’s 40th anniversary this year coincides with 40 years since the passing of San Diego’s famed mid-century modern architect, Sim Bruce Richards. “Bruce,” as most addressed him, was the close friend, benefactor, and colleague of James Hubbell from the 1950s to the early 1980s. James contributed architectural elements, sculptures, carvings, lamp fixtures, and art glass…