Public Art and Architecture from Around the World

Bruton Sisters WPA Mural at the San Francisco Zoo

Posted by Cindy on October 4, 2014

Oct 042014

Bruton Sisters WPA Mural at the San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco Zoo Mother’s Building These murals, on the Mother’s Building at the San Francisco Zoo were WPA projects. They were done by three sisters: Esther Bruton, Helen Bruton and Margaret Bruton. Helen Bruton has murals in downtown San Francisco that you can read about here. Here is an excerpt explaining the sisters work on the Zoo murals in their own voices: This Oral history interview with Helen and Margaret Bruton, 1964 Dec. 4, is from the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. Interview with Helen and Margaret Bruton Conducted by Lewis Ferbrache In Monterey, California December 4, 1964 LF: All Continue Reading

The Carved Tree of San Francisco Zoo

Posted by Cindy on September 24, 2014

Sep 242014

San Francisco Zoo In Front of the Mother’s House Lakeside This carved seat, surrounded by animals was done by Sean Eagleton, well known for his huge wood carvings on long dead trees. He prefers to call them “healing poles”. Shane feels that the huge healing poles, once planted at various points all over this earth will bring solace to Mother Earth and those that inhabit it. Shane “Tonu” Eagleton is a Polynesian master wood carver, whose work can be found in Golden Gate National Park, the San Francisco Zoo, Presidio National Park, the California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, Continue Reading

Gwynn Murrill at the San Francisco Zoo

Posted by Cindy on September 15, 2014

Sep 152014

San Francisco Zoo Sloat and The Great Highway Lakeside Cougar III by Gwynn Murrill Gwynn Murrill is a Los Angeles based artist who received her MFA from UCLA in 1972. Murrill has three sculptures at the San Francisco Zoo. Cougar III and Tiger 2 are at the front entryway and Hawk V is located at the Koret Animal Resource Center. Tiger 2 Gwynn Murrill has always worked with animals as her subject matter. Stripped of surface detail the sculptures are almost abstract in form. Hawk V The Arts Commission purchased Hawk V for $29,000. Tiger 2 was purchased for $85,000, Continue Reading

Maternite

Posted by Cindy on September 8, 2014

Sep 082014

Jewish Senior Living Group Orignally known as Jewish Home of the Aged 120 Silver Avenue Excelsior District Ursula Malbin was born on April 12, 1917, in Berlin to Jewish parents, both doctors of medicine. While in Germany she worked as a cabinet-maker. In 1939, a few weeks before World War II, but after her family had already left the country, she fled Nazi Germany, alone, penniless and without a passport. She found herself in Geneva when the war broke out, and there she met the sculptor Henri Paquet, whom she married in 1941. Since 1967, Ursula Malbin has divided her creative Continue Reading

Native Sons of the Golden West

Posted by Cindy on September 2, 2014

Sep 022014

414 Mason Street Union Square The Native Sons of the Golden West Building on Mason street is an eight story, steel frame structure, with a highly ornamented façade of granite, terra cotta and brick. Around the two main entrances to the building are placed medallions of men associated with the discovery and settlement of California. They are (starting at the bottom and moving up and to the right): Cabrillo, General John A. Sutter, Admiral John Drake Sloat, Peter Burnett, General A. M. Winn, James W. Marshall, John C. Fremont and Father Junipero Serra. These were sculpted by Jo Mora, who has Continue Reading

Hans Shiller Plaza

Posted by Cindy on August 27, 2014

Aug 272014

Corner of Peabody and Leland Visitation Valley Opening in March 2001, Hans Schiller Plaza was the first Visitacion Valley Greenway site to be completed. Construction was supervised by the Trust for Public Land with funding from the Columbia Foundation founded by the late Madeleine Haas Russell. The gift was made in memory of her friend Hans J. Schiller. Hans J. Schiller was a Bay Area architect and environmental activist. Mr. Schiller’ s career spanned more than 50 years. Schiller settled in the Bay Area in the 1940s and established the firm, Hans J. Schiller Associates, in Mill Valley. Schiller’s passion Continue Reading

Tying One on for Big Game

Posted by Cindy on August 21, 2014

Aug 212014

Michael sculpted this for his father-in-law Cecil Mark, a big Bear Backer. Cecil was a natty dresser who always dressed to the nines for football games. Though the photograph does not show it well, there are little Cal bears on the tie. Michael was also proud of the fact that he caught the very small stomach of thin and fit Cecil. The sculpture was painted by one of Michael’s dearest friends, Dennis King, a phenomenal painter. Yes the title is a double entendre, as tail gate parties were a big part of every game. Michael once commented to Cecil that he had Continue Reading

Decorator’s Showcase

Posted by Cindy on August 21, 2014

Aug 212014

Palmer Weiss commissioned Michael H. Casey to design the base for the breakfast nook table she used in the 2010 Decorator’s Showcase. Palmer was a true professional and delight to work with, sadly many designers looking for a bargain on the table afterwards were not as professional. The table was originally sculpted in clay by Michael, then Michael H. Casey Designs created a mold and cast the final piece in plaster.

Selling the Sizzle not the Steak

Posted by Cindy on August 19, 2014

Aug 192014

Palace Court Subdivision Las Vegas Nevada Around 1996 Robert Symons hired Michael H. Casey Designs to manufacture 2 guard houses for Queensridge. This was a potential housing development in the Las Vegas Desert. Michael always said they were to sell the sizzle, not the steak, as there was nothing there at the time. The guard houses were made in pieces out of GFRC so that they could be trucked to Las Vegas and put together at the job sites.

Hotel Pacific

Posted by Cindy on August 19, 2014

Aug 192014

300 Pacific Street Monterey, California Michael H. Casey sculpted these fountains for the Hotel Pacific in 1986. The joy of working on a beautiful hotel such as this is that you get to stay there while installing the fountains. It became the go to place to stay whenever we were in the Monterey area. Including when Michael H. Casey and Cecil Mark sailed the “Question Mark” a 36′ sail boat to Monterey and back.

Parget

Posted by Cindy on August 17, 2014

Aug 172014

California State Capitol Parget was common throughout the California State Capitol, but like much work throughout the ages it was lost due to remodeling for new amenities such as electricity and air-conditioning, as well as adding desks and finding more space for an ever growing government. A painted fragment was found when workers removed a duct and the decision to replace much of the parget was made. The problem was, how? There were many theories tossed about, but eventually, Michael H. Casey, a chef at the Black Pearl in Newport, Rhode Island, prior to becoming the Artist-in-Residence at the California Continue Reading

Chimney Rock Winery

Posted by Cindy on August 17, 2014

Aug 172014

Chimney Rock Winery 5350 Silverado Trail Napa Valley, California 1989 This was our first big job as Michael H. Casey Designs. The winery, at the time was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hack Wilson. The Wilson’s had been the Coca-Cola distributors in South Africa and they wanted to bring the Dutch-Cape style architecture of Mrs. Wilson’s homeland to the Napa Valley. The design was given to Michael H. Casey. The Wilson’s wanted to replicate the oldest winery in Cape Town, Groot Constantia. The tympanum sculpture was originally done on the Cloete Wine Cellar by Anton Anreth. It is titled the Continue Reading

St. Mark and St. Matthew of Grace Cathedral

Posted by Cindy on August 17, 2014

Aug 172014

St. Mark and St. Matthew of Grace Cathedral

Grace Cathedral 1100 California Street San Francisco, California Michael H. Casey was honored to have been chosen to sculpt both Saint Mark and Saint Matthew for Grace Cathedral in 2001 – 2002. He always felt he was chosen due to the fact that he mentioned seismic stability during his interview. The sculptures were life sized, originally sculpted in clay with the final product in cast stone. Michael’s Proposal for Saint Mark: Saint Mark has been described as a rebel. His gospel is terse and direct. Much has been made of the ordering of the events in his gospel, almost as if Continue Reading

Creatures in the Assembly

Posted by Cindy on August 16, 2014

Aug 162014

California State Capitol Assembly Chambers Artists that worked on the California State Capitol Restoration left little tidbits of themselves throughout the project. Michael H. Casey was no different. When installing the ornamentation that he had worked on in the Assembly he added a little creature that expressed his feelings about the goings on in the Assembly Hall. This little fellow happens to face the dais and says oodles about Michael’s sense of humor. While no one every actually has stated who was responsible, it seems silly that it remains a secret now that Michael is no longer alive. I also Continue Reading

Minerva

Posted by Cindy on August 16, 2014

Aug 162014

California State Capital Senate Chambers According to ancient Roman myth, the goddess Minerva was born fully grown. Just as Minerva was born fully grown, so California became a state without first having been a territory. Minerva’s image on the Great Seal symbolizes California’s direct rise to statehood. Minerva originally was in both chambers but sits only in the Senate today. Michael H. Casey sculpted the new minerva that resides in the present Senate Chamber. Minerva is actually cast in plaster with a bronze paint finish. Michael H. Casey was the Artist-in-Residence for the California State Capitol Project at the Continue Reading

South Hall

Posted by Cindy on August 16, 2014

Aug 162014

South Hall University of California, Berkeley South Hall is the oldest extant building on the University of California campus. The entryway, originally in wood, was completely restored in GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete) in 1996. The architect on the project was Irving Gonzales and the General Contractor was BBI. Michael H. Casey Designs was hired to completely rebuild the entryway portico in GFRC. This required making molds and casting all elements. This also required sculpture where elements were missing. True to form, as in the El Granada Building, Michael Casey sculpted a small Cal Bear, if you look very closely you will Continue Reading

1940 Packard Building Comes Back to Life

Posted by Cindy on August 16, 2014

Aug 162014

1940 Packard Building Comes Back to Life

865 The Alameda San Jose, California This photo shows the Packard Buidling in 1940. Notice the wonderful sculptural detailing over the windows and the doors. As often happened during the 1960’s and 1970’s many buildings were stripped of their ornamentation to reflect the modernism trend that was sweeping the country. In 2009 the engineering firm Biggs Cardosa, who bought the building in 2007, hired Michael H. Casey Designs to re-create all of the cast stone ornamentation that was originally over the doors and window. The projected was done in panels, originally sculpted by Michael H. Casey, to make the installation Continue Reading

Females Grace the Olympic Club

Posted by Cindy on August 11, 2014

Aug 112014

665 Sutter Street The Olympic Club Parking Garage Union Square I have showed you the figures at the front of the Olympic Club here. But at the back, the entry to the parking garage, are 9 female nudes. The sculptures are by Michelle Gregor. Michelle has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from University of California, Santa Cruz and Master of Fine Arts degree from San Francisco State University. Michelle Gregor has taught ceramics at San Jose City College since 2002. She also teaches 3-D design every spring semester. “Her style is described as emblematic of the unique Californian style seen Continue Reading

Ndebele

Posted by Cindy on August 5, 2014

Aug 052014

1601 Griffith Street BayView / Hunters Point This abstract sculpture composed of three vertical elements, is titled Ndebele and is by Fran Martin. It was installed in 1987. I have tried three times over many many months to find this piece. It is listed at the pump station but it is actually on the side in a small gated area off of Shafter Avenue. Fran Martin received her M.A. in Art in 1973. She fabricated and exhibited sculpture until 1995. Since 1994, she has been co-founder of and ardent worker at the Visitacion Valley Greenway Project (VVGP). The Griffith Continue Reading

Heron’s Head Park

Posted by Cindy on July 28, 2014

Jul 282014

Heron’s Head Park Evans and Jennings Bay View / Hunter’s Point Heron’s Head Park was “born” in the early 1970s, when the Port began filling the bay to construct what was to be the Pier 98 shipping terminal. The terminal construction never materialized, and the peninsula remained undeveloped. Over years of settlement and exposure to the tides, a salt marsh emerged, attracting shorebirds, waterfowl and aquatic wildlife. In the late 1990s, with funding from the City and County of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, the Port, the California Coastal Conservancy and the San Francisco Bay Trail Project, the Port undertook Continue Reading

SFAC Shame on You

Posted by Cindy on July 21, 2014

Jul 212014

1351 24th Avenue Outer Sunset This travesty sits in front of the San Francisco Department of Public Health Building. The only photograph I could find was through the Smithsonian Institute. The sculpture, titled Sailor and Mermaid, originally was made of copper sheets, cut, pounded, and welded, with bronze. It sits on a concrete pad. It was done in 1970 by Henry Marie-Rose. Marie-Rose, who died in 2010, has been in this blog before with work both on a fire station in the financial district and about his work as a teacher. His death makes this even more tragic as it is Continue Reading

An Ode to the Automobile

Posted by Cindy on July 7, 2014

Jul 072014

Mason and O’Farrell Streets Union Square The construction of the Downtown Center Garage, now the Mason O’Farrell Garage, harkens back to when the automobile was king. San Francisco now has a Transit First Policy which specifically gives priority to public transit and other alternatives to the private automobile as the means of meeting San Francisco’s transportation needs. Essentially this means that this garage would never have been built in today’s times. Built in 1953, and situated between Union Square and the then vital theater district, is was meant to augment the Union Square Parking Garage and contained 1,200 parking stalls. The Continue Reading

The Rialto Building

Posted by Cindy on July 2, 2014

Jul 022014

116 New Montgomery South of Market I became intrigued with this building when a friend showed me this Black and White photo in the lobby of the Rialto. (Note: the round building on the left is the Crossley building) The Rialto is an eight-story H-shaped plan with center light courts. It has a steel frame clad in brick and terra cotta. The eighth story is highly ornamented. The façade accommodated the lack of interior partition walls by providing a large space between the window mullions. This allowed partitions to be erected between the windows once floors were leased. Since the interior Continue Reading

Covering Construction

Posted by Cindy on June 23, 2014

Jun 232014

4th and Folsom South of Market This piece, sponsored by the SFAC, is by Randy Colosky. It is titled Ellipses in the Key of Blue. According to Randy’s Website: Ellipses is the Key of Blue is 140 ft. long x 8 ft. tall, digitally printed and drawing mounted on plywood. According to the sign on the wall next to the piece: Ellipsis in the Key of Blue is a temporary mural by Randy Colosky commissioned for the construction barricade at the site of the upcoming Central Subway Yerba Buena/Moscone Station. Colosky has worked in the building trades and is interested in Continue Reading

The Sundial at Ingleside Terrace

Posted by Cindy on June 17, 2014

Jun 172014

Entrada Court Ingleside Terrace What is now Ingleside Terraces was the southwestern most portion of San Miguel Rancho, bordered on the west by Rancho Laguna de la Merced. Rancho Laguna de la Merced and San Miguel Rancho were apparently the last of the Mexican “ranchos” to be incorporated in what we now know as San Francisco. The sundial was dedicated on October 10, 1913, with a rather spectacular event attended by 1500 people. According to the dedication brochure: “The ceremony attending the dedication of the sundial at Ingleside Terraces was one of rare delight. It took place at the Continue Reading

San Francisco Flower Market

Posted by Cindy on June 9, 2014

Jun 092014

San Francisco Flower Market 6th and Brannan SOMA With the face of San Francisco changing so very rapidly right now, I thought I would take a look at a block of buildings that has been a stalwart in the South of Market area serving an single industry, the San Francisco Flower Market. There are only 5 grower owned Flower Markets in the United States, and San Francisco is privileged to have one of those. A coalition of three ethnic groups founded the organizations that began the early San Francisco Flower Mart. Italian growers started the San Francisco Flower Growers Continue Reading

Thomas Houseago

Posted by Cindy on May 26, 2014

May 262014

Foundry Square 1st and Howard These two sculptures are by Thomas Houseago. The standing is titled Boy III and the one laying is Sleeping Boy. These are both white coated bronze. Photo Courtesy of the San Francisco Planning Commission This information about the artist comes from the San Francisco Planning Commission. Thomas Houseago was born in Leeds, England in 1972. In 1989 he received a grant to attend a local art school called the Jacob Kramer Foundation College, and later continued his studies at Central St. Martin’s College of Art in London. After finishing college in London, Houseago attended De Continue Reading

Sargent Johnson Tile’s the Maritime Museum

Posted by Cindy on May 11, 2014

May 112014

Sargent Johnson Tile's the Maritime Museum

Maritime Museum Aquatic Park This 14′ x 125′ glazed tile mural was created by Sargent Johnson in 1939 with the help of FAP (Federal Art Project) funds. The east end, however, is incomplete. When the project began, the building was to be a publicly-accessible bathhouse. However, shortly after it opened, the City leased a majority of the building to a group of private businessmen who operated it as the Aquatic Park Casino, limiting the public’s use of the building. Because of this, Johnson walked away from the project before he had completed this interior tile mosaic. Johnson has been in Continue Reading

Arelious Walker Stairway

Posted by Cindy on May 5, 2014

May 052014

Innes Avenue Bay View / Hunters Point This was the proposal that was written for the Call for Artists by the SFAC: The Arelious Walker Drive Stair replacement is a dynamic community project in partnership with the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency and the Department of Public Works to create ceramic tile mosaic steps on the Arelious Walker Drive extending uphill from Innes Avenue to Northridge Road in the Bay View Hunters Point neighborhood. The stairway provides a vital connection from an isolated low-income community to the India Basin Shoreline, the Bay Trail, Herons Head Park, and future development at Hunters Continue Reading

Exultadagio

Posted by Cindy on April 28, 2014

Apr 282014

San Francisco Conservatory of Music 50 Oak Street Civic Center Fulfilling the 1% for public art requirement for private development in San Francisco, this glass curtain wall of the music school includes 8” deep horizontal and vertical glass fins. A dichroic glass bevel at the front edge of each fin casts colored light across the building facade and the interior classrooms. The combination of sunlight and glass creates an ever changing composition of colored light throughout the day. The project is by Daniel Winterich. The glass was fabricated by Lenehan Architectural Glass Company. Interior Shot courtesy of Winterich Studios According Continue Reading

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