Story Behind Our Logo

You can read the story of why we started this site, but we thought it worthwhile to tell the story about how, where and why we produced our logo. As publisher, in presenting my business card, I’m compelled to explain the image on it and I say the same thing each time – with a bit of pride.

Every new company starts with a need to present itself which leads to discussions of branding – logo, name of the firm, colors – that extends the conversation about the company’s reason for being, operating policies and philosophy.

We cover San Diego’s professional performing and presenting arts. We don’t cover student and amateur performances for two primary reasons: 1) we’re already challenged to cover the wide selection of performances, presentations, exhibits and events staged by professionals; 2) we believe students and amateurs should be allowed to develop without comparison to professional standards.

But because we’re San Diego based, we wanted an image that projected San Diego…and our professionalism – hence the tux and formal dress approach – at the beach.

The setting is La Jolla Shores, selected in part for its accessibility for bringing in the seats and because La Jolla often hosts all of the forms of art we review. In refreshing or extending the logo, it might be fun to recreate the shots at various points that well represent San Diego.

The seats themselves have a history.  They were originally installed in 1985  in the Old Globe’s Lowell Davies Festival Theater after it had burned from a second arson fire in 1984. In 1995, the theater underwent a rennovation and liberated these seats.  I am a founding board member (17 years ago) and current Treasurer of Media Arts Center San Diego who received several rows of the seats to put in our outdoor theater area at the Digital Gym in North Park.  We borrowed one of the rows in worse shape and transported it down to La Jolla Shores for the day of the photoshoot.  Lisa Strickland of Brava Creative was our photographer.

I’m convinced – as a fan of the Old Globe and a season ticket holder in the 80’s and 90’s that I sat in just those particular chairs.

In the photo, in order left to right, seated first and with the cap is Ken Herman, San Diego’s premier classical music critic by general acclaim; then comes Bill Eadie, professor at San Diego State; then Kris Eitland – who at the time of this writing is the current president of the San Diego Press Club and one of if not the most accomplished dance critic in town, then there’s me, Mark Burgess; then comes the fellow who collected this team originally for me when I owned sandiego.com, Welton Jones, art critic for the Union-Tribune for 35 years.

There you have it – our toes in the surf, feet immersed in the sand, hearts and minds immersed in supporting the amazing community of artists and performers in San Diego. We take the job very seriously and enjoy every minute of it.

 – Mark Burgess
March 9, 2015