The Power of Place: Artists Find Inspiration at Ilan-Lael
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 James and Anne Hubbell at Ilan-Lael can be imaged as a particular type of well-spring of inspiration for visitors and artists alike. James’ approach to daily living is inspired – uniting art and function at every possible turn. After all, why shouldn’t every room – even the bathroom– transport you into a world of imagination?
In 2024, Ilan-Lael invited its first round of Visiting Artists – local artists: painters, photographers, and poets to experience the beauty of Ilan-Lael and create artworks inspired by The Power of Place. Our community was unanimously impressed by the work they created. The Visiting Artist program continued into 2025 this time with fellows that offer a unique blend of Ilan-Lael artisans, many who practiced their craft with James, and new creative eyes, some who had never been to the property and others which rekindled a relationship with James’ genius.
Serving as 2025’s Visiting Artist Liaison, I witnessed firsthand the meaningful experience of being invited to create art in a place as extraordinary as Ilan-Lael. A consistent theme emerged from my conversations with the artists: they felt inspired to push the boundaries of their craft and to play. Be it experimenting with a new technique or creating their own paints from harvested Ilan-Lael flora, the artists were inspired. Plein Air Painter Toni Williams reflects on the impact of her experience “the living legacy of James and Anne Hubbell has opened creative channels of interpretation for my two dimensional world of Plein air painting of San Diego County. The experience of painting at Ilan-Lael was one of experiencing freedom in my paint strokes, imagination and creativity”.
Since James’ passing, Ilan-Lael has been like a plant growing towards the light with James’ philosophy and spirit as the fertilizer. When I imagine what the Visiting Artist Program can look like in the future I imagine the program creating a web of relationships sharing a common thread of a place, a memory of James. This year I saw artists enthusiastically share their processes, offer critiques on one another’s work, push their creative boundaries, and experiment playfully. The spirit of James – to unite new friends and old friends, beauty acting as the glue. “This time spent in deep observation and reverence has been a gift, one that I will carry with me in my own ceaseless pursuit to better understand the beauty of this world”, reflects Mati Moon, Ilan-Lael Arts Program Coordinator and Visiting Artist Fellow. The take away: Being a visiting artist at Ilan-Lael offers a unique opportunity to participate in a dialogue about intersection heart and art.
Thank you to each artist who participated in this year’s Visiting Artist Program and for your generous artworks donated to our Harvest Moon Dinner Fundraiser. I’m grateful to have experienced a window into your hearts through the creativity you share with the San Diego community.
Power of Place: Inspirations from Ilan-Lael will be on display at Sparks Gallery, 530 Sixth Avenue, San Diego from November 9th through December 31st. A portion of all artworks sold will support future art programs at Ilan-Lael Foundation.
