Los Peñasquitos Watershed Display Project
The San Diego County Parks Society (SDCPS) is kicking off the Los Peñasquitos Watershed Display Project Summer 2022! The project seeks to raise funds to install an interactive, bronze, to-scale model of the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve (PQ) watershed. The model will be used for educational programs and will be displayed in a central, highly trafficked location within PQ.
It is estimated that PQ serves around 34,000 visitors annually. In addition, the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation’s highly successful Discovery Kit Program partners with local schools to bring nearly 1,000 children from District 3 to the park every year. This program educates children on what a watershed is, how it functions, its human impacts, historical aspects of the park, and how native flora and fauna depend on the watershed.
Ultimately, the SDCPS hopes to inspire all ages of visitors to PQ with ideas on how they can protect, conserve, and advocate for the PQ watershed!
The SDCPS is seeking to raise $60,000 by December 2022. To donate please use the following link!
To learn more about SDCPS or to become a member, click here!
Artist Biography
We are excited to announce the SDCPS hired local artist Brian Gibson to create and cast the bronze model!
When he turned 21, Brian rented an art studio in downtown Fresno. For 11 years he
created imaginative sculptures, drawings, and paintings, which he exhibited and sold whenever
possible. To pay the bills between sales, he worked seasonally for the U.S. Forest Service as a
wildlife researcher, specializing in climbing trees to study the breeding birds of Sierra National
Forest.
This dual interest in art and field biology was accompanied by interests in play production and
education. Going to college helped to meld all of these interests together and he received a BA
degree with an emphasis in Natural History in the year 2000. It is no wonder Brian now works
behind the scenes in educational institutions like museums and nature centers. He feels lucky
to be living in San Diego where there are so many venues to feature his abilities.
Brian has held various museum jobs, including Preparator for the Fresno Art Museum, Museum
Educator for the Escondido Children’s Museum, Arts Education Manager for the California
Center for the Arts, Exhibit Artist for the San Diego Natural History Museum and Artist-in-
Residence for Birch Aquarium.
Since 2016, Brian has worked freelance as an exhibit developer, designer and fabricator,
creating for various organizations around the county, including: Mission Trails, San Diego Zoo,
San Diego History Center, Torrey Pines Reserve, San Elijo Lagoon, Tecolote Canyon Nature
Center, Buena Vista Audubon, San Dieguito River Conservancy and the Bonita Museum and
Cultural Center.
Brian’s future goals are to once again operate an art studio where he can continue to create for
educational purposes and work on his own imaginative art. He also hopes to focus more on
teaching others about what he does and about the tools and techniques he uses to reflect our
interesting world.