La Gardo Tackett
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Tackett / Thursday
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C. Carl Jennings / Mingei
C. CARL JENNINGS, CALIFORNIA ARTIST-BLACKSMITH Guest-curated by Dave Hampton. Opens today.
The Mingei and Hampton really outdid themselves on this one.
I'm just throwing out a couple teaser shots. The exhibition has a ton of insane work by Jennings.
Darren Bradley took the photos of the Jennings house that are on display in the exhibition.
I bet you never realized blacksmithing could be so cool.
The exhibition catalog, Struck by Modernism C.Carl Jennings California Artist-Blacksmith,
was written by Dave Hampton
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Opdahl House / Killingsworth
I was out stalking architecture in Long Beach again.
Opdahl House by Edward Killingsworth, 1957
A quote from Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California,
"Mr. Opdahl had bought a lot in the city, 30 by 80 feet, flanked by ugly buildings, a lot with strong overtones of claustrophobia"
The house being flanked by ugly buildings still very true.
I usually like the cars in the vintage shots better. In this case, I'd take the Defender.
Photo: Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Lots o' Scandinavian design..zzzz
Photo: Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Photo: Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Photo: Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
Tacket!!
Photo: Beautiful Homes and Gardens in California
By the early 2000s, the Opdahl house was in bad shape. The restoration is documented at Unique California Property
The "after"
Photo: Dwell
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Boomerang / 28
Boomerang for Modern is celebrating its 28th anniversary this year.
In honor of the occasion, owner David Skelley and his partner Kurt opened up their home for a little anniversary party. They have a collection that few can top. I have the sneaking suspicion David has been skimming off the top at Boomerang for the whole 28 years! I could probably do a month or two of posts on all the insane design David and Kurt get to live with, but roaming around taking pictures of it all probably would have been poor party etiquette. Not to mention I didn't want to be the guy who looked like he was casing the place.
Needless to say, David has been a central figure in the San Diego mid century modern scene before there was actually a scene to speak of. The guests at the party were an indication of this long history. I'm not sure how I got in with this crew but there were museum folks, owners of a Killingsworth case study house and a Neutra house, major collectors and just all around nice people who happen to be into good design. Also included in this list of people David has befriended over the years is Malcolm Leland. Although he wasn't at the party in person (he lives in Arizona now), his work is well represented at David and Kurt's house. The tile piece above, installed in the path leading to the rooftop garden, is one of many examples.
Here is a Leland maquette for a sculpture proposal for the American Cement Building.
It was never built. Too bad, because it would have been a nice complement to the building's legendary facade
which was also designed by Malcolm. Not that the Natzler bowls aren't already an indication of this, but when someone
has a copy of Objects:USA on their shelf, they know what the good stuff is. It's an pretty accurate test. Try it out
at the next party you go to.
Then there are the Leland Space Banks. They have all three designs in all three colors--pink, green and white. They also have a
Leland fruit bowl, AP lantern, candlesticks and a great sculpture that was exhibited in Santa Barbara. It's obvious their friend Malcolm
holds a special place in their collection. I'm pretty sure there is at least one of his designs in every room of the house.
It all began in this 11' x 9' shop in 1985.
The 30th anniversary is just around the corner and Boomerang is still coming up with great stuff.
I also know firsthand that David doesn't keep it all for himself. I've been able to buy some great things at
Boomerang over the years and I'm sure there's more to come.
Image: Boomerang
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Weekend / Stuff
Sometimes the findings are slim, so this weekend my big score was a
Srtuck by Modernism C.Carl Jennings California Artist-Blacksmith T-shirt from the Mingei exhibition.
On a related note, this Friday exhibition curator Dave Hampton will be giving a lunchtime lecture on Jennings.
Details can be found, here.
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Hutchinson / Studio
This is where Mabel and Milon Hutchinson used to crank out all their great works in wood.
It's good to see the window guys left some of Mabel's work up.
Mabel working on a an assemblage at what is most likely the same building.
Source: Creating Modern Furniture by Dona Z. Meilach
Window panel detail
Wooden Door by Mabel Hutchinson, at “The Door,” Museum of Contemporary Crafts in cooperation with U.S. Plywood,
September 28 - November 3, 1968, photo courtesy Shirley J. Adams
Milon Hutchinson working on one of his turned wood objects. His wife Mabel used excess pieces from his
work to create her assemblages.
Source: Creating Small Wood Objects as Functional Sculpture by Dona Z. Meilach
Wood objects by Milon
Source: Creating Small Wood Objects as Functional Sculpture by Dona Z. Meilach
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Tackett / Thursday
LA/GARDO TACKETT
GOOD BROWN
ROCKINGHAM
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Weekend / Stuff
Eugene Weston, Abel Sorenson and some smalls.
Finding the Weston stool is the kind of thing that keeps me going to the flea.
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Stan Bitters / Duncan Ceramic Products
The large panel is 20' X 7'
This lady must be pretty short.
Source: Stan Bitters Brochure, Undated
Craft Geek
After and Before
Source: Stan Bitters Brochure, Undated
Source: Stan Bitters Brochure, Undated
According to the price sheet below these were $8K a pop. That seems like a good deal.
Source: Stan Bitters Brochure, Undated
Source: Stan Bitters Brochure, Undated
Stan Bitters, 1969
Stan Bitters is still cranking out great work.
If you need him to make your building the coolest place in town, the nice people at Ten10 can help you out.
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Tackett / Thursday
• Mace
From the La Gardo Tackett self defense line
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Alexander Girard / table SettingS
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Weekend / Stuff
Van Keppel-Green ottoman with original black cord.
Black seemed to be the theme this weekend.
Kenji Fujita
Eames DTM
Ok, the top is white, but the bottom is the most interesting part of this table anyway.
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Killingsworth / CSH 25
Long Beach and Killingsworth, again.
This time it's the Frank House / Case Study House #25, by Edward Killingsworth, 1962.
The house was designed for Edward Frank, one of the owners of Frank Bros.-- the legendary Long Beach furniture store.
Some work is being done on the house so the reflecting pond is currently empty.
The door is 17ft high.
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
The living and dining rooms are on the ground floor, and the bedroom and study are on the second level.
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
Source: Arts & Architecture, 1962 - Photo: Julius Shulman
Yes, all the furniture for the house was supplied by Edward Frank's shop. Frank Bros. had a long history of furnishing
other Case Study Houses as well.- Eames, Martine, VKG, Grossman and all the other good names. When the 60's rolled
around, the Scandinavian influence was even invading the Case Study Houses.
Source: Arts & Architecture, 1962
Bernard "Tony" Rosenthal "Walls of Jericho" sculpture and there's an Ackerman tapestry hiding back there too.
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
This is what the back looked like.
Source: Arts & Architecture, 1962 - Photo: Julius Shulman
Someone really jacked the back of this place up.
It's located along a canal in the Naples section of Long Beach.
Source: Arts & Architecture, 1962 - Photo: Julius Shulman
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
The Frank Bros. store in Long Beach was also designed by Killingsworth.
Sadly, it was burnt down in the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. I'm all for civil disobedience but burning down good architecture
is not cool. Next time, just those corporate big boxes and fast food chains!
Image: Shot through the window of the Killingsworth / Kelly Sutherlin McLeod Architects office window
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Craig Ellwood / South Bay Bank
Fidelity South Bay Bank in Manhattan Beach, CA by Craig Ellwood, 1958
Very "Californian-Mies"
Source: MidCentArc
Source: California Modern: The Architecture of Craig Ellwood
Source: California Modern: The Architecture of Craig Ellwood
Source: MidCentArc
Craig Ellwood was a sports car kinda guy, so it was fitting that my friend drove us to the bank in his Lamborghini.
Even though I think Ellwood was actually more of a Ferrari enthusiast.
Good times
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Tackett / Thursday
La Gardo Tackett for Schmid
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Alexander Girard / Group
The Girard Group, 1967
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
Source: Herman Miller Co.
JF Chen has the Girard settee that was designed by Girard for Braniff Airlines. This predates The Girard Group, which
included a three seat version of this design.
This former Braniff airport lounge seat is the exact one that was pictured in
Braniff International airport lounge, 1965
Braniff International airport lounge, 1965
Brannif,1965
The chairs were used in the Girard designed L'Etoile Restaurant in New York, 1966
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Eudorah Moore / The Gentle Revolution
September 7 - October 26, 2013
Craft in America Center, curated by Jo Lauria
Eudorah Moore (1918-2003)
Eudorah Moore was the curator and director of the California Design exhibitions at the Pasadena Art Museum from 1962 to 1976. She took over the program with CA Design 8. Not only did she expand the exhibitions to include some mind blowing craft but the production of the program was also taken to a whole new level with those amazing art-directed hardcover catalogs. Her impact on the craft movement was not limited to California Design. She also lead exhibitions on topics such as Appalachian crafts, worked at the NEA and was an all around leader in her field. The exhibition, curated by Jo Lauria, uses objects, ephemera, videos and photos to document Moore's lifelong legacy and commitment to the world of craft--California and beyond.
At the opening, Ren Moore shared some great stories about his mother.
Photo shoot of Kay Whitcomb's enameled doors from California Design 11
The goods showing up for California Design 11
Check out that baby in the Maloof cradle - California Design 10
Arline Fisch
June Schwarcz, 1975
Signed by Sam Maloof, so it has total craft cred.
Sam Maloof double music stand
The Craft in America Center is located at 8415 West Third Street in Los Angeles
Sorry for the bad cell phone images.
Harrison McIntosh and Eudorah Moore at the opening of "Golden State of Craft" at the Craft and Folk Art Museum.
Photograph courtesy of Craft and Folk Art Musem. Via American Crafts Council
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Richard Allen Morris / Quick Draw
Opening for Richard Allen Morris "Quick Draw" Drawings
at RB Stevenson Gallery
There are 240 drawings in the exhibition.
Some older paintings by Richard in the back.
The exhibition runs through October 19th.
The Union Tribune reviewed the exhibition. The article can be found here.
Richard said he wasn't very happy about having his picture in the paper. He complained that it should have
been the drawings, but that's Richard for you.
Photo: Eduardo Contreras / U-T San Diego
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Weekend / Stuff
Marg Loring bird, Pond Farm pot and miscellaneous.
The Loring bird is pretty cute.
Oy yeah, and Doyle Lane.
Nice glaze drips on this one.
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Neutra / Bond House
The Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) hosted a summer architecture tour in San Diego a
couple weeks ago. It included a cocktail party at the Bond House, by Richard Neutra.
The under awning lighting feature is pretty great.
The house has been fortunate. All the previous owners have taken great care of it. This includes the current owner, Tammy.
It helps to have the original instruction book.
This piece of history is incredible. It details all the hardware, finishes and options, with costs that were offered in 1960, when
Neutra was designed the house. Flagstone was available, but the Bonds opted not to get it for something like $400.
Original Neutra rendering that the owner Tammy had restored and framed.
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
These photos were taken before the guest house and pool were built.
Dion Neutra implemented those two elements based off his father's original plans.
Photo: Julius Shulman, Getty Research Institute
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