At her mother’s suggestion, Margaret Noble chose to study philosophy at UC San Diego. Before that, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, she was just mostly sure about focusing on her current creative obsession — her turntables and DJing. Her mom figured philosophy would help her learn to think critically and break down ideas.
“I’m so glad I followed her advice because philosophy has deeply influenced my art and my life,” she says. “Studying philosophy taught me to approach problems from multiple angles, to question assumptions, and to think more abstractly — skills that I now apply to my creative process. It has helped me break down complex ideas and reassemble them in new ways, which is a key part of how I approach creating art, especially when working with mixed media and immersive experiences.”
Noble is a visual artist and educator who uses both physical and digital media to create works that involve the use of sound, sculpture, and performance. From her time as an electronic music DJ in underground clubs, to earning a fine arts degree in sound art, her work explores the benefits and downsides in our use of technology through interactive sculptures and installations. One of those works is “Horizon,” a live-feed video installation from 2024 that is included in “Land and Sea: Selections from the Collection” at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, which opened earlier this week. This collection features new pieces and previously created works by more than 20 artists that “use the visual vocabulary of landscape to explore local and global concerns,” according to the museum.
Noble, 52, is also an art teacher at High Tech High in Clairemont Mesa and lives in North Park with her husband, Adrian, and their cats, Leeloo and Ziggy. She took some time to talk about her work, the questions she looks for answers to in her creativity, and some of her favorite places to go to enjoy nature.
Q: Can you describe your live-feed video installation, “Horizon”? What will people see when they visit and view this piece?
A: At first glance, audiences will see a vibrant, naturalistic video projection of the sun setting over a deep ocean horizon. In front of the projection wall is a layered, tech-inspired installation featuring a fish tank filled with water and rocks, moving in waves, along with a small camera and two lights focused on the tank. Although the projection and the sunset video may initially seem disconnected, they are actually part of an optical illusion. The realistic-looking sunset is, in fact, artificially created using the fish tank, with light play through the live camera showing, in real-time, the artificially generated sunset.
Q: What was your process for creating this piece? Would you walk us through the steps you took-from first fleshing out the concept for it, to the final execution, and the steps in between-to complete Horizon?
A: “Horizon” was part of a larger show called “Dark Loops,” which I worked on for about two years. The show consisted of several live-feed illusions, ecological sculptures, and installations using organic materials, lighting, and sound. It was developed as an immersive experience, and creating it involved a lot of experimentation. For “Horizon,” I was specifically interested in working with water and a fish tank, something I had wanted to do for years. I started by experimenting in my art studio with different materials in the tank, such as fabric, rocks, paper, and various lighting setups. I also tested different camera angles to capture the effect I was hoping for. Through a lot of trial and error, I discovered that with the right angle and lighting, I could create a realistic-looking sunset. This was a breakthrough moment for me-I was elated to finally achieve what I had been envisioning. Once I found the perfect setup, I moved forward with refining the lighting and camera positioning to capture the illusion I wanted, ultimately resulting in the final piece.
What I love about North Park…
I love living in one of the neighborhoods surrounding Balboa Park. I’m close to where I grew up in City Heights, but now I also have quick access to the cool spots in South Park, Logan Heights, downtown (San Diego), and Bankers Hill. I’ve been walking around University Avenue since 1984, and it’s amazing to see how North Park has become such a trendy hub. I enjoy seeing the entrepreneurial creatives along 30th Street, with art shows, specialty coffee shops, bookstores, and other quirky businesses that, along with the farmers’ market, create a vibrant, daily infusion of energy.
Q: What did you want to say about the ways that technology can participate in how we see the world around us?
A: For me, we are living in an “infinity mirror” of representations—images and ideas within images and ideas, constantly modulated through the internet and the devices we use. In this context, “Horizon” can be seen as a commentary on the way technology shapes our perception of the world. The piece critiques how we have lost a sense of fidelity to what is “real,” as digital tools like filters and editing allow us to create idealized, often artificial, versions of reality. At the same time, it could also be seen as a seduction—a lure toward the perfection we can access through these tools. I wanted to explore this tension: the way technology simultaneously distorts and enhances our understanding of the world around us, making us question what is authentic versus what is constructed.
Q: Can you talk about how you got your start as an artist?
A: I got my start as an artist through a blend of music, dance, and immersive experiences in my hometown of City Heights, San Diego. Growing up, I was deeply inspired by the neighborhood’s vibrant music, dance culture, and even arcade games. I was on the dance team at Hoover High and had the opportunity to perform at the 1988 Super Bowl pre-game show in San Diego. Later, I became involved in the 1990s rave culture, where I bought turntables and learned to DJ for clubs and parties. While these experiences were primarily rooted in music and performance, they sparked an interest in immersive art that led me to explore video and sculptural installations. I began to see how the physical and digital worlds could intersect, which eventually paved the way for me to evolve into the multimedia artist I am today.
Q: Alongside your career as an artist, you’re also a teacher and you’ve said that your “dual roles as a teacher and an artist inspire me to examine how technology shapes our understanding of ourselves and the natural world.” In what ways would you say that you’ve noticed technology shaping the way you understand yourself and understand nature?
A: I find myself bound by technology, constantly consuming the world through various media-driven streams. On one hand, technology opens my eyes to the incredible images and videos of the natural world-things I might never have known existed without advances like cameras and the internet. These technological tools allow me to experience nature in ways I otherwise couldn’t, but I am also acutely aware of my growing dependence on technology for nearly every aspect of my life, from completing everyday tasks to staying connected. As both a teacher and an artist, I see this dual relationship with technology reflected in my students, as well. On one level, technology helps us connect with the world and understand nature from perspectives that were previously unimaginable. On the other hand, I observe how it can sometimes create a sense of distance from the natural world and from ourselves. This dual role has led me to reflect on how technology shapes our self-awareness and our connection to the environment, pushing me to explore both the positive and negative impacts in my work and teaching.
Q: Where does your concern for the relationship between living things and their environments, come from?
A: My concern for the relationship between living things and their environments stems from a deep sense of connection to the animals I live with. Observing their spirit and behavior has made me reflect on how I can be more empathetic toward the natural world, more responsible as a steward, and more attuned to my own happiness. The truth about my consumption and the impact of urban life on nature became especially clear to me during the quarantined days of COVID-19. While urban life had always been my first choice, the time spent reflecting on the environment during those months made me realize how much I had changed as I’ve matured.
Q: “Land and Sea” recognizes the ancestral land of the Kumeyaay that the museum is situated on, and the history of it that is told via the land and the sea there—from the native peoples to colonization to the claiming and renaming of it by the United States. How would you describe the way “Horizon” fits into this narrative of paying tribute to this physical location and its stories?
A: The Kumeyaay people have lived on this land for thousands of years, and their deep relationship with the land and sea is something that modern technologies, like the camera and digital media, often distill or even obscure. In my work, I wanted to explore the tension between the natural and the artificial, something that feels relevant when reflecting on how colonization and the renaming of the land have shifted the way we view and interact with it. By using a technological medium to create a simulated sunset, “Horizon” evokes the idea of perception—how we see, how we filter, and how our understanding of the natural world can be altered through technology. It speaks to both the beauty and the distortion of the land’s story as it has been shaped over time, paying tribute to both its ancestral roots and the current technological era we now live in.
Q: What inspires you in your artwork, in the creative process?
A: My creative process is often driven by a problem or a question I want to explore-whether it’s a technical challenge or a philosophical inquiry, or usually a combination of both. I become deeply obsessed with experimentation, trying to figure out how to express or solve that particular issue. This approach is also reflected in the art classroom where I teach, where the experimental method plays a big role in inspiring both me and my students. Experimentation is at the heart of my work, as it allows me to discover new ways of creating and thinking.
Q: Do you have favorite local spots that you like to visit when you want to be in nature?
A: I am lucky to live next to a canyon in North Park, where I hear the birds singing every morning and frequently see possums, raccoons, coyotes, rodents, bunnies, and squirrels. I feel so fortunate to have so many wild critters outside my door. If only I could see a mountain lion, I would be in heaven. I think the sea lions at La Jolla Cove are wondrous, and Sunset Cliffs never disappoints. Additionally, I am in love with the desert landscapes of Joshua Tree and the White Sands of New Mexico.
Q: What has your work as an artist taught you about yourself?
A: I’ve learned that I need the freedom to try new things and break out of routines. I’m hardwired to create, whether the results are successes or failures. I’m happiest in the creative process, and I believe I can help my students experience that same joy when they create their own work. To me, the act of creation is one of the greatest human experiences, whether it’s through formal artmaking, cooking, gardening, or even modifying a car.
Q: What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
A: I’ve always appreciated the advice from my husband Adrian (who is also an artist) that the best lesson in communication is to honestly “manage expectations.” He taught me to never overpromise and to always discuss all possibilities in collaborations, so no one is caught off guard by surprises, if possible.
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to find out about you?
A: I’m an introvert living in an extrovert’s lifestyle. My work requires constant social interaction, and I probably have at least 100 conversations a day between teaching and artmaking. I’m grateful for these opportunities, as I know these interactions are essential to my professional life and happiness, but at the end of the day, you’ll likely find me at home, decompressing with my kitties.
Q: Please describe your ideal San Diego weekend.
A: My ideal San Diego weekend is sunny with comfortable temperatures and a laid-back, summery vibe. I’m stress-free, spending the day working on creative projects in my studio with my kitties nearby. In the evening, I love heading to a lovely restaurant with my husband, enjoying a craft cocktail, sharing a few plates of fresh, delicious food, and talking about our lives and plans.
