James Hubbell Open House

James Hubbell is a San Diego County artist of many talents.  He and his wife Anne are in their eighties, and each year open their home for one day.  This year, it was yesterday, June 21.  James is a sculptor, metal worker, stained glass artist, painter, poet, and all around free thinker.  They bought ten acres in 1958 in the mountains outside of Julian, about an hour and a half drive to the east of us, and started building their home and studios.  They acquired more property later.  Half of the 8 buildings burned in the Cedar Fire of 2003, and were slowly rebuilt over the past 12 years.

 The structures are flowing, organic shapes, designed to blend into the rocks and terrain.  The following pictures are of just some of the structures we saw.

 The Hubbells have formed a foundation so that the property and their projects can continue on as art and learning studios after they are gone.

 James' mosaic touches in the kitchen.

 Anne graciously answered questions and told us about their living room.  The beams are from native cedar trees that were killed in the fire of 2003.

 Stained glass and metal sculpture is apparent everywhere.

 The furniture was designed by James and handcrafted by a friend.

 A rooftop sitting area above Ann's room.

 Their four sons were given the choice of having a bedroom or a pool.  They chose the pool.

 Another side of Ann's room.

 The living spaces and studios are all separate by design.  It allowed the Hubbell's to feel and see nature as they passed between living and working areas.

 The temperature was in the 90's and it was very tempting to "accidentally" fall in the pool.

 This is the boys' room which was built after the pool - well worth the wait!.  The roof is quite fantastic, as is the inside.

 Inside the boys' room.

 Looking up in the boys' room.

 This is the boys' bathroom.

 Another side of the boys' room.

 We loved all the little touches!

 This is the entrance to the largest work studio.

 Gail was a volunteer for a few days back in the nineties helping to build this school in Tijuana - just one of James' projects.

 That is James in the blue shirt, greeting visitors.

We left the studio through these awesome doors, inspired and awed by what we saw.  James and Anne Hubbell are famous internationally, but seem humble and down to earth in many respects.  We felt fortunate to have seen the place they call Ilan-Lael.