Finding inspiration in the Friendly Village

Being an artist can be difficult if there is no surrounding inspirational energy and material, but for Alber and Luna De Matteis, their inspiration is drawn from the influence of their project’s commissioners and their hometown, Fallbrook.

For Alber, a fourth generation artist, becoming an artist was not an overnight process.

“Before I could dedicate myself to the arts I had to discover myself,” said Alber. “When I was 18, I left Paris, where I grew up, to explore the world. Ten years and a few trips around the world later, I landed in San Diego. It was 1986.”

In San Diego, Alber had the opportunity to work with James Hubbell in Julian, and in 1989 he created his first public art in Point Loma elementary school.

“To this day I perceive [this first sculpture] as an honor and a responsibility to add beauty and meaning to daily surroundings,” said Alber.

For Luna, Alber’s wife and partner, the calling to be an artist was apparent at an early age.

“I was always drawing on anything I could get my hands onto… walls, you name it,” she said. “Before committing to being a full-time artist, I had a variety of day jobs that were mostly art-related; the last one as a photographer about 10 years ago. Then, Alber introduced to me to the field of public art, and I realized it required full-time dedication.”

Luna has had years of formal training and informal apprenticeships in the Fine Arts crossing a variety of art forms, from experimental photography to painting, to sculpture, to public art. Now, Luna continues to explore her favorite materials to find the best ways to express what she calls her “poetry-ridden vision.”

When creating a commissioned piece, Alber finds himself working as if he were solving a puzzle.

“Location, use of the building or space, the [commissioning] community’s or organization’s identity and many other factors are the pieces that have to come together to create a complete picture,” said Alber, whose work can be found in the lobby of San Diego State University, at the Barrio Logan police station, Humphrey’s by the Bay, the Linda Vista Animal Shelter and National City Pier 32.

For Luna, the inspiration and motivation to create art is varied.

“In the case of public art, there is a complex process usually involving an open call, where professionals apply and compete with hundreds of other artists,” said Luna. “A few are selected to develop a proposal, and finally from those few (usually three) the winner is chosen, and that particular public location can enjoy a custom artwork.”

Luna said that working on a privately commissioned piece tends to be simpler and quicker.

Together, the couple has various work throughout the United States and abroad, with some of their San Diego collaborations including:

- “Renewal,” architectural mosaics for the Libby Lake Community Center, Oceanside.

- “Timeless Wave,” a sculpture in stainless steel and mosaics at Half Moon Bay Inn and Marina, Shelter Island.

Currently the pair is working on two collaborations for the city of Long Beach, called “Urban Totems” and “Concert for the Wind.”

Alber and Luna have recently expanded their San Diego County studios to include a facility in downtown San Diego to serve as a studio and gallery. After living and working in Fallbrook for approximately nine years, Alber and Luna have had good experiences with the Friendly Village’s artistic community.

“Fallbrook has an extended artist community that is slowly, but surely, crystallizing into an important part of the town’s identity,” said Alber.

“I think there’s a fair amount of acceptance and interest within the community, and with some effort, the artistic venues have good possibilities to reach a broader audience and Fallbrook could grow into a serious art destination in the future,” said Luna. “Eventually people realize that art is not just for the elites, a luxury, but something inherent to human nature, and necessary for the proper development of children. Art and Culture brings prosperity in every other area.”

To see Alber De Matteis’ artwork, visit

http://www.alberdematteis.com. To see Luna De Matteis’ artwork, go to http://www.lunadematteis.com.

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