The Pond at Plymouth

Photo courtesy of Colleen Kochman

“If only there could be an invention that bottled up a memory, like scent. And it never faded, and it never got stale. And then, when one wanted it, the bottle could be uncorked, and it would be like living the moment all over again.” 
― Daphne du Maurier

A Reunion

On  a very hot Wednesday May 14th my dear friend from college days at UCLA, Yael and I rendezvoused at the Reginald Ingraham Gallery. *    The purpose of this meeting was  to view the latest works on display by Maren Hassinger** who besides being a nationally, well received artist working in a variety of media including sculpture, installation, performance, and video also happens to be our college classmate and friend.  I was so happy Yael was in town to be able to make this trip with me to the gallery.  

This stretch of West Washington Blvd. in Culver City is an arts district with lots of interesting galleries.

What a treat for us to be able to attend this showing of Maren's latest works utilizing paper and plastic

We were greeted by the owner Reginald Ingraham and enjoyed a very thoughtful conversation about the history of his gallery and Maren's work in this latest exhibit.  

I have known Yael and Maren for at least forty years. Both of them continue to amaze me with their creativity and their undying passion to weave art and their life together.  

It was a great "Reunion" for Yael and myself. The only thing that would have made it better would have been  to celebrate this day with the artist herself, Maren Hassinger.

 Maren, great show! We are so very proud of you!

* 6021 W. Washington Blvd. Culver City, Ca. 90232 

** Biography (http://radicalpresenceny.org/?page_id=339)

Maren Hassinger received her BA from Bennington College (1969) and her MFA fro the University of California, Los Angeles (1973). She has been the director of the Rinehart School of Sculpture at Maryland Institute College of Art since 1997. Her solo exhibitions include Maren Hassinger: Lives, Schmucker Gallery, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA (2010);Blanket of Branches and Dancing Branches, Contemporary Arts Forum and Alice Keck Park, Santa Barbara, CA (1986); Gallery Six: Maren Hassinger, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (1981); and Beach, Just Above Midtown/Downtown Gallery, New York (1980). Her group exhibitions include Cinema Remixed and Reloaded 2.0, Havana Biennial (2012);Now Dig This! Art and Black Los Angeles, 1960–1980, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles (2011, traveling); Dance/Draw, Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (2011); VideoStudio: Playback, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York (2011); Material Girls, Reginald F. Lewis Museum, Baltimore (2011); Global Africa Project, Museum of Arts and Design, New York (2010); 30 Seconds off an Inch, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York (2009); Cinema Remixed and Reloaded: Black Women Artists and the Moving Image since 1970, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta (2007–9); Riffs and Rhythms: Abstract Forms and Lived Realities, James E. Lewis Museum of Art, Morgan State University, Baltimore (2006).

 

The Great Adventure Continues Part 4- Sunset at Santa Monica Beach

After the Observatory we are headed to Santa Monica Beach for drinks at Casa Del Mar.

Time for Sangria and many funny stories about Tina the Sausage Dog and Tuna Sandwich Lies.

Cheers to you David!  Here's to happy adventures in the U.S.

A wonderful time to take a walk on the strand to the Santa Monica Pier

Mmmm Ice Cream is a brilliant idea!

Lots of people out for a warm evening stroll

The end of a wonderful day with my new Aussie friend David.  It was great to meet you and to spend a day touring Los Angeles.  Delightful in every way. Good luck on your touring days in the U.S.  Cheers!

Part 3 The Great Adventure Continues - The Griffith Park Observatory and Beyond

After David and I left UCLA we headed for the Griffith Park Observatory.

We stopped to admire the big palms which line so many of the streets in Beverly Hills.

 The mid day sun was hot as we took the tourist's route through Beverly Hills, Sunset Blvd and then through Los Feliz winding up the hills to the Observatory.  

David  with the Hollywood sign on the distant hillside.

Entering the Observatory are these beautiful doors.  We pause for lunch at the cafe inside and then onto the Planetarium show. 

Plenty of time to leisurely explore the Observatory exhibits.

Look who we bumped into at the Observatory!

Well after a wonderful day on top of the world the sun is beginning to lower in the sky.

It's a lovely view of  Los Angeles from this spot atop the Hollywood Hills.

Time to head to the beach at Santa Monica.  The Great Adventure continues in Part 4

A Great Adventure Begins Part 2: Who is Mary Blair?

"Who Is Mary Blair?" I asked.  The name was not at all familiar to me but for my friend David, a huge Disney fan it was an important name and someone whose artwork he is quite fond of.  So as a continuation of  our days adventure  together,  we were in search of a mural by Mary Blair.  David had met with some Disney Art Directors at the Disney studios in Glendale the day prior.  He was told that a mural was given to the UCLA Jules Stein Institute  long ago by Walt Disney. This mural was designed by Mary Blair.

After some walking about on campus and many directions by random passerbys we found ourselves on Westwood Blvd. Plaza in front of the Jules Stein Eye Institute.  There was no telling if this mural was still around with the constant renovations and new wings of the medical center all around us. We continued our search and found ourselves at the information lobby where a somewhat disinterested staff person dismissed our very vague question "Do you know where a mural is by Mary Blair?"  David and I kind of looked at each other with a notion that this was the end of the line for our search.  Suddenly the staff person turned and said, "Do you mean the Disney mural?" In disbelief we said "YES!"  "Oh that's just around this corner,  first door on your left."   In one minute we were at the door of the Pediatric waiting room and there before us in this tiny area was Mary Blair's mural.  What a thrill to find it for David!  Elated we busied ourselves inspecting all the delightful images which have a definite feel and similarity to "It's a Small World" at Disneyland. Clearly recognizable to David as Mary Blair's work and also recognizable to me for all the times I have been to Disneyland and been on this ride.  Here is the Mary Blair ceramic mural which you can see too if you are ever on campus at the Jules Stein Eye Institute.

So happy that we were able to find this little obscure art gem on our days adventure together.  Here is David with his "Mary Blair" mural.


The following excerpts are taken from Wikipedia which will give you a better idea of this creative and most talented woman.
"Mary Blair (October 21, 1911 – July 26, 1978),  was an American artist who was prominent in producing art and animation for The Walt Disney Company, drawing concept art for such films as Alice in Wonderland,Peter Pan, Song of the South and Cinderella.  Blair also created character designs for enduring attractions such as Disneyland's It's a Small World.  Blair was honored as a Disney Legend in 1991.
...Mary Blair worked briefly on art for Dumbo, an early version of Lady and the Tramp, and a second version of Fantasiawhich was not released until the late 1990s.
...she worked on two partially animated features — Song of the South and So Dear to My Heart. The early 1950s were a busy time for the Disney studio, with an animated feature released nearly every year. Mary Blair was credited with color styling onCinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953), and the artistic influence of her concept art is strongly felt in those films.
...At the request of Walt Disney, who regarded highly her innate sense of color styling, Blair began work on Disney's new attraction, "It's a Small World". Originally a Pepsi-Cola-sponsored pavilion benefiting UNICEF at the 1964 New York World's Fair, the attraction moved to Disneyland after the Fair closed and was later replicated at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World Resort as well as Tokyo Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland." -Wikipedia

Works which are from the hand of Mary Blair which you may be familiar with:

Cinderella early illustrations

Thanks to David who introduced me to Mary Blair someone whose art has made so many of us happy for so many years.