Esoteric Survey

Lot 107 Kay Whitcomb, Enamel Sculpture San Diego Enamel Scene by Dave Hampton During the mid to late 1950s, the Art Center in La Jolla was becoming an important hub for area artists and designer-craftsmen, including those working with enamels. When Ellamarie and Jackson Woolley began to focus on the medium in 1948-49 they lived in a unit at Rudolf Schindler's El Pueblo Ribera (above), (along with other Allied Craftsmen group member Harry Bertoia) and their important groundwork helped inspire a whole community of San Diego artists, including Barney Reid, Phyllis Wallen, Joann Tanzer, James Parker, Margaret Price and even the young sculptor Jack Boyd , all of whom eventually did significant work with enamel on copper.  Jackson and  Ellamarie  Woolley Certainly, the Woolleys defined and propelled this wave of enameling by San Diego artists, however, within just a couple of years of each other (1955 and 1957 respectively), Kay Whitcomb and June Schwarcz arrived in La Jolla t...

Crafting Opportunity: Mid-Century Work from the Collection of Mingei International Museum May 11 – July 28, 2019 | San Diego Central Library Gallery Crafting Opportunity , an exhibition of ceramics, furniture, fashion, fiber art, jewelry, and metalwork, explores the robust artistic output that followed World War II. Many of the works, selected from Mingei International Museum’s permanent collection, are on view for the first time. Mingei is closed for a huge renovation, so this exhibition will be on view at the SAN DIEGO CENTRAL LIBRARY ART GALLERY , located at 330 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101. Here is a sneaky shot of the exhibition being installed, from  Mingei's Instagram .   Wayne Chapman weed pots! More information, here .

The annual Objects USA show in San Diego was a great success. Thank you to all who made it over.  The Kay Whitcomb wall A collection of Lynn Fayman photographs James Hubbell The next event is Mod Swap (December 9) and then Palm Springs Modernism (February 16-19)

Print Culture: Midcentury Modern Graphic Design Curated by Dave Hampton Art Gallery - 9th Floor,   San Diego Central Library Barney Reid and Kay Whitcomb silkscreened textiles    At least the war machine used to have good graphics The defense industry was a huge client for the creatives at the time.  War machine architecture Convair Astronautics by  Pereira & Luckman Convair Astronautics by  Pereira & Luckman. It's long gone.   Photo: Julius Shulman © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles Armin Richter was a great 1950s interiors shop in La Jolla Bob Matheny was commissioned to do a sculpture for Psychology Today. Definitely not a sleeper.  Bob Matheny is smart A wall of exhibition posters by and for some of San Diego's greatest artists. Gary Imhoff, a student of Richard Allen Morris, had his first art s...

Archive 20th Century  stacked it high with great stuff Reform Gallery  with California's finest J.B. Blunk at  Reform Gallery Sputnik does not mess around. Get it, they're from Texas. Sputnik   Funkis Billings Red had these great Allen Ditson chairs √ Red Atomic Home Modern Dharam Damama Design One Lisa Cliff Collection Objects USA Objects USA Dave Hampton of Objects USA showed work by Kay Whitcomb The Museum Of California Design  Plastics from Paradise: California Modernizes the American Lifestyle Exhibition    The Viejas box on the right was loaned by Keith York of Modern San Diego . The 17th annual  Palm Springs Modernism Show  did not disappoint this year. Dealers brought some great pieces and the crowds showed up in full force to scoop it up. The show is over, but  Modernism Week  events are still going on....