Maybe you’ve seen public artist Sandy Snakenberg blowing giant bubbles near Seaport Village or other public places around town. It’s also possible you heard about San Diego’s “Bubble Pirate” in the news.
On August 24 in a park near La Jolla Cove, the Bubble Pirate was ticketed by a Parks & Recreation Ranger for “littering prohibited fluid.”
Snakenberg was ticketed for violating a San Diego Municipal Code that covers “Littering…boxes, waste paper,” but makes no mention of water and soap. His case is currently pending in San Diego Traffic Court; an October hearing was postponed and has not been rescheduled.
The story made local and national headlines. So, who is San Diego’s Bubble Pirate?
The nomadic Snakenberg, 63, has been a “bubbler” for more than a decade. His early life journey included athletic endeavors. He was an inline skating pro, a skateboarder and a conditioning coach. He’s also been a cook, served in the Navy and lived for a spell in Singapore.
His award-winning skating career included a victory in 1991’s world’s longest roller race (138 miles in just over nine hours), held in Central California. That accomplishment led to him being featured in a Sports Illustrated story written by award-winning journalist Shelley Smith.
“I don’t wear my medals around my neck,” Snakenberg says. “I know the accomplishments I made and I used them as part of my ability to do what I do in the present.”
He’s upfront about how his skating career was mired in drug use and arrests.
Snakenberg’s past has culminated in who he is today: he calls himself a “Bubble-ologist,” a profession at the intersection of bubble science, art and magic.
Bubble-ology lends itself to more theoretical applications, what Snakenberg calls “Bubble-osophy,” or the philosophy of bubbling.
“When I do that really big bubble and everyone says ‘Wow’ together, they don’t realize [they’re connected in doing that] until I tell them,” he says.
People become mesmerized by the unique visual of seeing large bubbles, and on those occasions, “I’m so into the moment that time slows down,” Snakenberg says.
He dresses as a pirate when working in front of crowds. A member of the Association of International Bubble Artists, he’s worked with other larger-than-life personas such as T-Spoon, the Bubble Fairy; his mentor CJ, the Bubble Girl; and his idol, world-famous bubble artist Tom Noddy.
Today, Snakenberg lives and works in a recreational vehicle named Vesta (after his mother’s middle name). He survives on tips and sales, periodically staying in the driveway of friends, living no larger than his means.
His RV is retrofitted to support his needs. Medicine for his restless leg and heart conditions span a countertop. Across from his bed, in-between the shower and performance wear, is an old spoke from the bike he initially planned to ride around the world. Devices from colleagues and art from loved ones cover the remaining interior.
As part of his weekly activities, Snakenberg collects potable water for his solutions and any other materials he may need. Powders and solutions in marked containers are neatly stored underneath a guest bed. Snakenberg makes his bubble solutions and devices himself. He claims to have tested the solution’s safety and says no grass is harmed during his shows.
“There’s a lot of experimentation that goes into [my solutions], to the tenth of a gram,” he says.
He recently debuted the Foaminator 2.0, which uses helium to create large amounts of floating, cloud-like foam. He has also been promoting his Bubbles After Dark event, which he frequently hosts at Kate Sessions Memorial Park.
Greg and Goldie Fleming, two longtime friends of Snakenberg, have supported him through times of uncertainty.
Greg says Snakenberg’s bubbling can help to soften the perception of people in “survival mode.”
Before Snakenberg was ticketed, there was a year of uncertainty when he was often in danger of violating the Vehicle Habitation Ordinance (VHO). Back then, he relied on both the Safe Parking Program and the Flemings, staying in their driveway for up to three months at a time.
“It was really bad,” Snakenberg says.
But with support from folks like the Flemings, his bubble hasn’t burst.
His littering citation is being defended pro bono by McKenzie Scott Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Under San Diego Municipal Code, criminal violations can either be charged as a misdemeanor or infraction at the discretion of the City Attorney. The former allows for a guaranteed public defender, the latter does not.
Michele McKenzie, the lawyer representing Snakenberg, says the Municipal Code is inequitable to those who are charged with infractions. People like Snakenberg, who are unable to pay for legal help, are most susceptible to being mired down by infractions.
“Understandably, the concern of a lot of artists in traditional public forums [is that community engagement] is not only being discouraged, but being criminalized,” McKenzie says.
Some of Snakenberg’s peers believe his First Amendment rights are being violated. Plein air artist and poet Brian Meyer says San Diego’s vending laws conflate vendors and artists.
Nonetheless, both Meyer and Snakenberg vow to continue with their public art.
In a 2016 TEDx talk, Snakenberg spoke about the relevance of bubbles.
“Bubbles are created to be shared,” he says. “Don’t kill the bubble. Doing so denies people of its magic. Enjoy it, and let others enjoy it as you do.”
Even with a legal issue pending, Snakenberg says his passion as a Bubble-ologist isn’t shaken.
“You do art for yourself first, and then when it’s being appreciated, you share it,” he says. “We all have the capacity and want to share.” SDSun
