Irène de Watteville - Joseph Bennett

Irène de Watteville: Board member Synergy Art Foundation and Tile Heritage Foundation

Irène de Watteville, as a child in Alsace France, would sit on the warm steps of a 17th century stove decorated in blue and white tiles. Indubitably, European decorative arts have influenced her sense of aesthetics. She graduated from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in 1967. For twenty years she painted majolica tiles and now she focuses on three dimensional clay constructions. She works tirelessly as a board member of Synergy Art Foundation, the Tile Heritage Foundation and the San Diego Social Venture Partners, where her desire to keep art as a vital aspect of every day life; in her own backyard it has involved her also in the Solana Beach Commission Public Arts Program were she helps make sure that public art is situated throughout that community.

What is your vision of the future of the Visual arts for San Diego?

"We need to have art be easily accessible to all, not only to artists or wealthy people; San Diego should display as many sculptures and mosaics in public places and offer free performances in parks. But also, art should become infused in our daily needs such as food, a place to sleep, friendship and recreation."