painting box

12.11.2016

LIKE STONES ON THE BEACH: NATURAL FORMS

Walking along the ocean I am always struck by the beauty of stones...worn by millennia of waves. The imperfect curved edges are so human, edges drawn without geometry or right angles.

The photos of the beach rocks and rock pools are ones I've taken.

Stones, and some of what they bring to mind...

Above and below: Carpinteria beach, just north of Rincon. The long runs of rock remind me of spines, or dinosaur backs, like a prehistoric creature rising out of the sand.

Above: Edward Weston nude

Above: Beach rock

Above: Adaline Kent pool sculpture plaster maquette, 1947, from the book "The Donnell and Eckbo Gardens", Marc Treib.

Above: The finished sculpture set in place, center of the pool, on the cover of House Beautiful, April 1951. The location is the Donnell Ranch garden, designed by Thomas Church.

Above: Dame Barbara Hepworth, Image II, 1960, collection Tate Museum

Above: Dame Barbara Hepworth, 1961, photo by Rosemary Mathews

Above: A scene from a short film about Hepworth, shown here working in Cornwall.

Above: Beach rock

Above: Large Ikebana arrangement by Sofu Teshigahara

Above: Milton Avery (1885-1965), Beach Blankets, 1960

Above: This is a view of the guest suite I designed with Annica Howard for Wattles Mansion Design Show House this spring. It was a tiny room, only 8-1/2 feet wide, so we made it easier to move through by rounding all the edges. Charlotte Perriand inspired the custom table desk in the foreground, and the side table next to the Martin Eisler lounge chair. We had them made in limed oak.

Above: Interior by Charlotte Perriand

Above: Apartment of Emmanuel de Bayser, Berlin. Jean Royere "Ours Polaire" white seating, 1949.

Above: "Bord Uto" pine side table by Alex Einar Hjorth (1888-1959), designed 1932

Above and below: Bora Bora Chair designed by Terry Dwan, 2008

Above and below: Striated rocks, Rincon beach, California. The pattern looks just like wood grain.

Above: De Sede Terazza sofa set designed by Ubald Klug in 1973.

Above: Raoul Hague (1904-1993) wood carving, 1962

Above: Raoul Hague, a piece seen in his workshop in Woodstock, NY. This is the back cover of a catalog for an exhibit at The Washington Gallery of Modern Art, 1964.

Above: Jean Arp, Human Concretion, 1935

Above: Finn Juhl Poet Settee, 1940s

Above: Beach rock

Above: Ken Price, "Wide Load", 2004

Above: Ken Price, "Oh Gee", 1998-2004

Above: Chair by J.B. Blunk, from a show of his work at Blum and Poe, organized by Gerard O'Brien from Reform Gallery in 2010.

Above: Mario Dal Fabbro Chair, 1970-1984

Above: Jose Zanine Caldas, lounge chair, solid wood, 1970s

Above: Isamu Noguchi "The Mountain" 1964, Noguchi Museum

Above: Ceramic by Jean and Jacqueline Lerat, 1950. The ceramicists were part of the La Borne ceramics group, shown in NY by the Magen H Gallery.

Above: From the book "Ellen DeGeneres Home"

Above: Ceramic pot by Kazunori Hamana

Above: Cover of Miro book, published 1974

Above: Wall sconce by Serge Mouille, 1950

Above: "Trine" scorched oak chairs designed by John Makepeace

Above: "Harvey", by Mary Chase, Drawing by R.O. Blechman, 1953

Above: Joan Miro figure, 1956

Above and below: Jene Highstein (1942-2013) installations

Above: Isamu Noguchi "Childhood", 1970, Noguchi Museum

Above: Rock path in a Japanese garden

Above and below: Rock pool formations, Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts

Above and below: Kate Newby, from her installation at Poor Farm, in Manawa, Wisconsin. Her work is on exhibit there till June 2017. The glass and ceramic work was made during her residence at Poor Farm and was inspired by the surroundings.

Above: Ben Nicholson, Relief, 1934, collection of Kettles Yard, University of Cambridge

Above: William Scott

Above: Amalia Pica, a detail from (un)heard, 2016, in her current show "Blow The Whistle, Beat The Drum" at Marc Foxx Gallery. Pica has covered a variety of noise making objects in white plaster, muting them, in reference to the Provos, a non violent counter cultural movement in 1960s Amsterdam who found playful ways of protesting.

Above; Handmade iron frying pans by Narita Takayoshi

Above: Bowl (with rocks) by Uplifters Ceramic Studio on Luther Conover table.

Above: Bowl at Galerie Half

Above: Prototype for a chair, Isamu Noguchi

Above: Pair of PK9 chairs by Poul Kjaerholm, 1960s

Above: William Scott

Above: Tile top table by Uplifters Ceramic Studio, 2015

Above: Beach rocks

Above: Actor William Boyd

Above: Martin Puryear Untitled, 1997, painted cedar and pine, 68" x 57"x 51".

Above: Painting by Myron Stout (1910-1987)

Above: Ellsworth Kelly (1923-2015), Study for Rebound, 1955, collection MOMA

Above: My friend's Boston Terrier has great markings! Photo by Randi Malkin Steinberger

Above: Andre Borderie Lamp, enameled ceramic

Above: Nautilus Study Table Lamp, designed by Christopher Kreilling, available at Blackman Cruz

Above: Paul Feeley, Untitled (January 12), 1962

Above: Paul Feeley, Untitled, 1960, from a show at 57W57 Arts, NYC

Above: Leon Polk Smith (1906-1996)

Above: Milton Avery Interlude, 1960

Above: Piccola Papilio Small Armchair, B&B Italia, designed by Naoto Fukusawa

Above: Sori Yanagi (1915-2011), Elephant Stool, 1954. Yanagi's father was a philosopher who founded both the Mingei folk arts movement, and The Japan Folk Crafts Museum in Tokyo. Sori Yanagi was responsible for an incredible diversity of design, from children's toys to magazine covers to superhighways.

Above and below: Leon Polk Smith (1906-1996). Smith came from a family who settled in the west in the late 19th century. They landed in an area that was still called "Indian Territory", which became part of Oklahoma a year after his birth. Smith grew up working the fields, and living in shacks with his large family, as one of 9. After leaving home he worked at odd jobs to help out during the depression. Smith wasn't exposed to art till he was about 28, discovering the art department while in college for a teaching degree. He continued teaching as well as painting throughout his life, eventually settling in New York City in 1945. His work was shown at Betty Parsons, Stable Gallery, and several others. He was included in shows at the Whitney and MOMA, with a retrospective of his work at the Brooklyn Museum in 1996.

Above: Gallery poster, Arp Exhibit, 1944

Above: Jean Arp in his studio, 1950s, photo by Ida Kar

Above: Ceramic by Peter Callas, 2014

Above: Dubuffet, 1963

Above: Ellsworth Kelly, East River, 1959, Collection Art Institute of Chicago

Above and below: J. B. Blunk (1926-2002) residence, Inverness, California. Blunk was a sculptor working in wood, and his rustic cabin, which has been preserved, is full of his work. These photos are included in the book Handcrafted Modern, by Leslie Williamson, which has more views of his home.

Above: Exterior of J.B. Blunk's Inverness home, with his work in the foreground. Photo from T Magazine by Lisa Eisner.

Above: A corner of our living room, showing an Allen Ditson prototype chair.

Above: Walnut armchair by Finn Juhl model 48.

Above: A chair at Galerie Half

Above: Stairway made by Wharton Esherick in his home, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. The stairs were exhibited at the 1939 World's Fair. From the book "Artist's Handmade Houses", photo by Don Freeman.

Above and below: Book covers designed by Roy Kuhlman

Above: Cy Twombly, Untitled, Gaeta 2003, bronze

Above and below: Beach formations

Below: Jean Dubuffet (1901-1985), Jardin D'Hiver, 1968-1970

9.29.2016

LAST DAYS OF THE BARRY BUILDING?

I've worked here at the Barry Building for almost 23 years, and have loved the open courtyard, the abundant light, and the exuberant mid-century design. The photos in this post were taken by me, unless noted.

The Barry Building, on San Vicente Boulevard in Brentwood, was commissioned by David Barry, designed by architect Milton Caughey, and built in 1951. You can see the influence of Le Corbusier and in particular the Villa Savoye in the design. In 2007 it was declared Historic Cultural Monument # 887 by the Cultural Heritage Commission. Landmark status doesn't protect a building from demolition, though it does create a higher bar to receive permission to demolish.

photo by Ty Miller

Above: The view from the street side into the courtyard.

In the spring of 2016 the tenants of the Barry Building were told we had to vacate by December 31st. Earthquake retrofitting is needed, but it's not likely to happen as the building's owners would prefer to tear it down. They'd like to put up a 73,000 square foot shopping center here. It would be built in the space this building occupies, as well as adjacent lots and a large parking lot in the back. Nothing's been resolved, and until it is this building will be boarded up. I'm hoping a solution will be found to restore the building as part of whatever else is planned here.

Above: The view from the 2nd floor balcony across the courtyard.

Above: The view from the back balcony towards the street side, showing the cantilevered 2nd floor.

Above: Lettering is still etched on the upper windows from an old watchmaker's shop. Windows on both sides of the space make for a light filled interior.

Above and below: The shapes of the planters and the curving stairs enliven the courtyard.

Above and below: The stairs are cantilevered from a central concrete spine.

Above: Louvers block glare from the offices on the east side of the building.

Above: The railing on the left is a graphic element in the design.

Above and below: Dutton's Brentwood Books occupied almost all of the ground floor from 1984 to 2008. There were wonderful book readings here, and an incredible selection with great breadth. It was a great loss to the community when they closed in 2008. Most people still think of this building as the Dutton's location.

Above: This is a scene from the movie "Sylvia" shot here in 1965. George Maharis, seen here, plays a detective hired by Frederic Summers (Peter Lawford) looking for information about his fiancee Sylvia, (Carroll Baker). The bookstore had a different name then. You can see a sign in the back that says there was a soda fountain here. I wonder which space it was in.

Above: The view from our office, which I've enjoyed for almost 23 years.

Caffe Luxxe is here till December 31st. Come enjoy a cup of coffee in this memorable courtyard while you can!

6.19.2016

WATTLES MANSION DESIGNERS SHOW HOUSE: UPLIFTERS GUEST SUITE

Wattles Mansion, a historic house in Hollywood owned by the city of LA was selected as the location for a designer show house (each room done by a different designer) that was on view this spring. Angeleno magazine sponsored the event, and will publish the interiors in an upcoming issue.

Wattles Mansion was designed by Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey, the architectural team responsible for the Huntington Mansion and Library in Pasadena. It was completed in 1907. The theme chosen for the show house house was "100 Years of Hollywood". As part of this event, Annica Howard and I designed a guest suite, and we chose Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" as our inspiration. We found many ways in which this movie allowed us to pursue an interior in a style that we gravitate to in our work. The birds themselves would become a sweet element in the room in contrast with their frightening role in the film.

Above and below: Various views of Tippi Hedren in The Birds. The green tone of Hedren's suit was the inspiration for the paperbacked silk wall-covering we selected. Hitchcock chose the color green as he felt it evoked a "cool chaste quality". Edith Head was the costume designer, and she designed with classic lines so that the wardrobe would stand the test of time.

The concept for our room was contrasting the rustic nature of the setting, a northern California beach town, Bodega Bay, with Tippi Hedren's glamorous style. Hedren arrives from San Francisco to Bodega Bay in a mink coat, pearls, and a silk scarf covering her coiffed hair, perfectly in place, despite the journey in a motor boat and a convertible!

photo by Carolyn Reyes

Above: The guest suite we designed was formerly a staff bedroom. It's a small room, only 8-1/2 feet wide, yet we thought it could be a rewarding space to work with. The room offered the perfect spot for a daybed window seat at the far end. The watery blue silk taffeta drapery treatment surrounding the daybed brings in a glamorous feel, and creates a focused sense of place. The soft colors are energized by the bright yellow of the velvet ottoman. The tiny landscape, left of the window, is Bend in the River, 2008, by Poogy Bjerklie. It's intimately close to the viewer lying on the daybed.

Above: At the near end of the room, we included an angled writing table I designed. The angled front allowed for easy movement into the room. The curved corners made it easy to slip into the narrow space between the closet and the table. The brass table lamp echoes the curves of the table. The satin brass legs are a reference to Hedren's platinum hair and silk scarf. The mixed media painting is by Eugene Brodsky.

Above and below: This is the way the room looked before we started.

Above and below: The rustic character of Bodega Bay is seen in the driftwood finish of the writing table, the rough ceramics, and the textured wool and jute carpet. The brass evokes Hedren's sophisticated style and her coloring. The netting of the blinds is reminiscent of her silk scarf, as well as fishnet, a combination of the themes in one material.

Above and below: Birds make an appearance inside the closet, in the pattern of an old fashioned English wallpaper.

Above and below: The view into the room, with the closet door open, showing the inset wallpaper panels on the back of the door. You can see a bird perched on top of a panel we built out from the wall. We installed the panel to cover an exposed wiring channel, set off the photograph, and level the wall to the depth of an outlet box, so that the bookshelf would sit flush to the wall.

Above: Birds congregate on a bookshelf, as though they've wandered out of the photo. The rough ceramic pots and the pendant light are by Uplifters Ceramics. They have the rustic character of the film's setting.

Below: This C-print photo, 2014, by Jason Frank Rothenberg, is taken in Point Reyes, not far from Bodega Bay. The tiny quail are in keeping with the peaceful nature of the birds in the room. The photo brought a sense of depth to the small room...like a view into a far horizon. It's also personal, a favorite place to walk.

Above: More birds can be discovered on the pillows.

Above: Blue Bottles, 1951, by Swedish artist, Philip Von Schants, anchors the sitting area. It's hung low on the wall, meant to be appreciated from a seated point of view. Also, hanging art low creates a dynamic interaction with the furniture...a set piece.

Above and below: The ceramic pendant lamps are from Uplifters Ceramics, and fitted with a bronze cap, and a silk twisted cord. Hanging the pendant low over the side table makes a focused pool of light. The lounge chair is Brazilian, designed by Martin Eisler in the 1960s. The small room is made easier to move through by the use of rounded furnishings...the desk, the lounge chair, the ottoman, and the side table.

Above and below: The view towards the hall, where we installed a metal wall decoration that fits perfectly on the angled wall over the stair. To the right is the guest suite bath we designed.

Above and below: We selected the shimmery metallic wallpaper, like an antique mirror, and the brass fittings, as the glamorous elements. We used a cork table, a vintage rusted planter, seagrass planting in the window box, the sand toned drapery, and the seascape, to bring to mind the seaside town.