Debra Prinzing

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Landscape and Life

Friday, December 13th, 2013

Renowned Yakima Valley artist Leo Adams reflects on more than 50 years of painting 

December 2013-January 2014 issue

December 2013-January 2014 issue

Artist Leo Adams’s worldview is simultaneously intimate and universal, a blend of his upbringing on Yakama tribal land and, later as a young man, studying art and architecture in Europe. Working in a rich, earth-hued palette, his canvasses depict rugged landscapes, cherished objects, and wild botanicals, all shot through with hints of mysticism and lore.

Today, at age 71, he works out of the home and studio he designed for himself on a knoll above Ahtanum Creek, at the very edge of the reservation in Yakima Valley. Oft photographed and widely published, the home reflects Adams’s genius as an artist and designer: It’s grand and elegant, and yet everything is fashioned from humble and foraged materials. The artist’s residence and paintings are the subject of a new book, Leo Adams: Art, Home, published in September by Marquand Books. Shortly after the book was released, Adams sat down with Gray to talk about his paintings and process. “I’ve never had a job of any kind other than being a painter,” he says. “It has been a wonderful experience to see the works I’ve done over the years collected together.”

ONLINE BONUS: Tour Leo Adams’s amazing home on the Yakama Nation tribal land

"I have always painted on the floor; I usually paint on my knees," Leo Adams explains. He thinks this photograph was "posed" to promote a new show, which is one reason why he is also surrounded by many completed canvases. "This was my living room before it was finished, so it was probably in 1972."

“I have always painted on the floor; I usually paint on my knees,” Leo Adams explains. He thinks this photograph was “posed” to promote a new show, which is one reason why he is also surrounded by many completed canvases. “This was my living room before it was finished, so it was probably in 1972.”

 

Arrangement in Anasazi Bowl, 331/2 × 331/2 in., 1985 "I've always admired the dried plants and flowers that I live with. I'm interested in painting the character of the plant, not the real plant," Adams says. The bowl's design was influenced by the Southwest art of the Anasazi. "There is a sense of energy to those patterns that I've always admired."

Arrangement in Anasazi Bowl, 331/2 × 331/2 in., 1985
“I’ve always admired the dried plants and flowers that I live with. I’m interested in painting the character of the plant, not the real plant,” Adams says. The bowl’s design was influenced by the Southwest art of the Anasazi. “There is a sense of energy to those patterns that I’ve always admired.”

 

Sagebrush Society (detail), 711/2 × 521/2 in., n.d. Based on mythology of the Yakama Indians, this painting depicts "Shamanism, witch doctors, and healing people," Adams explains. "Some become deer-, rabbit- or insect-like. It's very spiritual, but it also reveals a sense of friendship. There can be magic in the character of friendship, as well."

Sagebrush Society (detail), 711/2 × 521/2 in., n.d.
Based on mythology of the Yakama Indians, this painting depicts “Shamanism, witch doctors, and healing people,” Adams explains. “Some become deer-, rabbit- or insect-like. It’s very spiritual, but it also reveals a sense of friendship. There can be magic in the character of friendship, as well.”

 

Caged Heart, 84 × 60 in., 2008 "This painting deals with a friendship I had with a man who had caged-in his heart. I worried about him," Adams explains of the poetically titled piece. "It was my way of telling a young person to let go; my way of saying, 'I don't want you to be a lonely person. You just have to open up.'"

Caged Heart, 84 × 60 in., 2008
“This painting deals with a friendship I had with a man who had caged-in his heart. I worried about him,” Adams explains of the poetically titled piece. “It was my way of telling a young person to let go; my way of saying, ‘I don’t want you to be a lonely person. You just have to open up.'”

 

Landscape Hill (detail), 47 × 46 in., 2006  "I wanted to show the fields and hills around here, the cultivation of things," Adams says. "It shows how man has come in and changed the land, from wild hills to farmland." He suggested a row of trees and a field of wheat by pulling the eraser end of a pencil through wet paint. "It's like finger painting," he adds. "I throw paint at the canvas and I watch it dry. Then I sometimes remove paint before it dries."

Landscape Hill (detail), 47 × 46 in., 2006
“I wanted to show the fields and hills around here, the cultivation of things,” Adams says. “It shows how man has come in and changed the land, from wild hills to farmland.” He suggested a row of trees and a field of wheat by pulling the eraser end of a pencil through wet paint. “It’s like finger painting,” he adds. “I throw paint at the canvas and I watch it dry. Then I sometimes remove paint before it dries.”

 

Landscape, 41 × 31 in., 1971 "Landscape expresses the essence of the hills and their texture rather than a hill itself. It could even be a field,” says Adams. “I used very muted colors, all the taupes and browns, with many layers of wash."

Landscape, 41 × 31 in., 1971
“Landscape expresses the essence of the hills and their texture rather than a hill itself. It could even be a field,” says Adams. “I used very muted colors, all the taupes and browns, with many layers of wash.”

 Author’s footnote: 

Debra Prinzing cherishes her Leo Adams painting, “Faded Bag,” painted in 2005.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life on the Deck

Friday, November 29th, 2013
One area of the new deck accommodates a seating area that overlooks the distant canyon. Multiple posts support a beautiful pergola with corbels that echo the home's detailed millwork and enclose the deck, giving it a room-like feeling of scale.

One area of the new deck accommodates a seating area that overlooks the distant canyon. Multiple posts support a beautiful pergola with corbels that echo the home’s detailed millwork and enclose the deck, giving it a room-like feeling of scale.

In 1909, when the original owners of a Craftsman bungalow in San Diego’s Mission Hills neighborhood moved in, they probably didn’t grill chicken on the barbecue or gather under an umbrella to have cocktails and enjoy views of the distant canyon.

But the activities of today’s families inevitably spill outdoors, especially in a region known for its beneficent year-round climate. Kelle and Robert Wright, who have lived in the historic home since 1993 (and have been restoring it ever since), wanted to capture as much bonus space from the outdoors as possible. While working with builder Fritz Madlé of FTM Construction to enlarge the interior living space, it made sense to extend outward. They replaced a small redwood balcony with a new, 500-square-foot deck that wraps around two sides of the house and connects with the garden below.

Because the backyard slopes away from the house, the new deck is level with the upper canopy of a mature Jacaranda mimosifolia tree. Keeping the specimen was a must-have design issue, Kelle says. “We really built the deck around the tree,” she says. The months of May and June, when the Jacaranda explodes in lavish, lavender-blue flowers, are her favorite times to entertain. “When people come through our house and enter the deck, they always refer to it as a tree house because of all the vegetation in the back.”

Formerly an overgrown and unstable area, there's a new back lawn for kids' activities, a small brick patio for the adults, and access to the downstairs bonus room and storage (beneath the deck). A generously-proportioned staircase connects the lower garden with the upper deck.

Formerly an overgrown and unstable area, there’s a new back lawn for kids’ activities, a small brick patio for the adults, and access to the downstairs bonus room and storage (beneath the deck). A generously-proportioned staircase connects the lower garden with the upper deck.

Thanks to smart design decisions, the deck addition is an important connecting element that links the residence with the rest of the landscape.

A “baby deck,” as Kelle calls it, serves as a landing pad that contains the outdoor grill and leads to a broad staircase that descend to a lower brick patio.

Many of the project’s finishing touches were borrowed directly from the home’s turn-of-the-century architecture, including the white accent trim and other detailed woodwork. Eight upright posts line the deck’s perimeter, supporting corbels and a long pergola, as well as beautiful Craftsman-inspired lighting. Two pendant lights hang from each post, illuminating the deck and the garden after dusk. “When the lights are on at night we don’t need any extra garden lighting,” Kelle says. “The same fixtures are also mounted to the exterior of the house.”

The Wrights and their contractor knew that a sustainable hardwood like Malaysian Ipé was a suitable decking choice. While it may have been easier to use a composite wood product for modern comfort, “we wanted the deck to reflect the character of this historic home,” Kelle explains. The Wrights treat the wood deck two or three times a year to maintain its rich, warm hue.

Dramatic, oversized containers planted with succulents and seasonal annuals are displayed on wheeled stands, protecting the deck from dripping water and allowing Kelle to move the large pots when there’s a party.

Large signature ceramic pots in contemporary shapes are filled with succulents and other sculptural, drought-tolerant plants. Platform-style wood stands support the pots and protect the decking from any standing water or excess soil; the wheels allow the Wrights to move things around when needed.

Large signature ceramic pots in contemporary shapes are filled with succulents and other sculptural, drought-tolerant plants. Platform-style wood stands support the pots and protect the decking from any standing water or excess soil; the wheels allow the Wrights to move things around when needed.

A patterned area rug and comfortable teak and all-weather wicker furniture complement the wood and give the deck a cozy, family-friendly feeling. “We sit out here all the time,” she says. “If we hadn’t done this remodel, we probably would have moved to a larger home.”

Wood or Composite?

Considerations for your deck

The Wright family completed their home renovation and deck addition in the early 2000s, when admittedly, the selection of composite decking material was limited. “There were not so many choices then and we knew that Ipé was a renewable resource,” Fritz Madlé explains. “Now there are many colors and styles to choose from.” Madlé recommends using natural hardwood when adding a deck to a historic home, in order to reflect its architectural heritage.

Here are some of the pros and cons of today’s decking choices:

Cost: Expect to pay about twice as much for cedar and redwood decking ($2 to $3 per square foot uninstalled) than you will for pressure-treated lumber ($1.20-$2 per square foot uninstalled). Wood-and-plastic composite decking varies in cost ($1.75-$4.75 per square foot uninstalled).

Even if he has to squeeze in a few hours of work on the weekends, Robert can do it outdoors, while enjoying the relaxed setting.

Even if he has to squeeze in a few hours of work on the weekends, Robert can do it outdoors, while enjoying the relaxed setting.

Durability: Cedar, cypress and redwood are classic decking choices that are also naturally rot-resistant. Pressure-treated lumber such as pine or fir has been chemically treated to make it rot-resistant. With proper care, pressure treated wood may last up to 30 years; redwood and cedar decking should last 20 to 30 years; and composite wood or plastic decking will have a manufacturer’s warrantee ranging from 10 years or more. Exotic hardwood like Ipé is highly durable, but still the most expensive option.

Installation: Exotic hardwoods are not for the DIY builder and you should consult with a licensed contractor to do the installation. Special tools and skills are needed to work with composite decking and may also require professional installation.

Maintenance: Untreated wood decking weathers to brown, then gray, over time. Expect to treat your wood deck with regular applications of a clear sealer every year; older decks may require a tinted stain to bring back their luster. Synthetic composite, plastic and vinyl decking is designed to look like wood and requires little maintenance other than an occasional power washing.

Environmental issues: Synthetic wood does not require stains or paint, but it is plastic-based. Pressure-treated lumber manufactured after 2004 does not contain arsenic and considered non-hazardous. Natural wood requires ongoing application of sealers or stains. Some natural wood is sustainably harvested.

For more details, follow these links:

A Haven for Homebodies

Friday, November 29th, 2013
The marine-blue exposed-aggregate pool surface is echoed in glass tile beneath the cast-stone coping in the McConnaughey backyard.

The marine-blue exposed-aggregate pool surface is echoed in glass tile beneath the cast-stone coping in the McConnaughey backyard.

Start with one ordinary backyard, a concrete patio, a patch of lawn and a swing set. Include one mom and one dad, both with busy medical careers, plus three active kids. Add one rambunctious dog named Mackie and an undemanding cat named Ginger.

For Gigi Kroll McConnaughey, an OB-GYN physician in private practice, and Doug McConnaughey, an internist, this equation didn’t add up. Three years ago, the couple realized that their Newport Beach, Calif., property wasn’t reaching its potential.

“We’d been toying with a big garden project, but the idea of tackling it was overwhelming for two working parents,” Gigi says of their average-sized suburban lot.

Gigi and Doug had admired a friend’s high-functioning backyard and learned that it was designed and built by Newport Beach-based Chris Fenmore of Garden Studio Design. “We loved what we saw,” Gigi says.

Soon thereafter, she bid on a landscape design from Chris Fenmore at a school auction (and won). In 2011, the McConnaughey family — adults, kids and pets included — gained their dream backyard. The design utilizes every inch of the sun-loving, suburban property in USDA Zone 10b.

Landscape designer Chris Fenmore replaced and enlarged Gigi and Doug McConnaughey's original patio to provide more covered outdoor living space.

Landscape designer Chris Fenmore replaced and enlarged Gigi and Doug McConnaughey’s original patio to provide more covered outdoor living space.

Chris Fenmore’s space-planning approach, similar to that of an interior designer, divided the outdoor areas into function-specific rooms with clean architectural lines and simple planting schemes. The existing covered patio was too small and was weakened by dry rot, so it was rebuilt and enlarged to accommodate an al fresco dining area and a compact outdoor kitchen, plus a lounging-TV zone in front of a gas fireplace.

The new structure integrates nicely with the McConnaugheys’ Cape Cod-style residence, complete with a cottage-inspired, board-and-batten ceiling, four recessed electric heaters, recessed lighting, speakers and a fan. It is substantial enough to accommodate the master bedroom’s second-level balcony overhead, Gigi and Doug’s private spot that overlooks the new landscape.

There’s a comfy, great-room vibe to the space, which Gigi attributes to the many thoughtful design details, such as flagstone flooring with cobblestone accents, “that makes it feel like an area rug,” she says. Bench seating on both sides of the fireplace is topped with taupe, pale blue and sand-patterned cushions and pillows, a textile palette repeated on furniture throughout the garden.

A pair of teak chaise lounges flank an Asian garden stool to accommodate sunbathers.

A pair of teak chaise lounges flank an Asian garden stool to accommodate sunbathers.

Water is the centerpiece of two main gathering spaces. First, the pool is aligned with the property’s perimeter wall, which encloses a generous patio for chaises and an umbrella-covered table. Second, an in-ground spa is defined by an L-shaped bench and a casual grouping of furniture. Constructed surfaces around the pool and spa are knit together with soft vegetation, including Dymondia margaretae used as a lush groundcover and a tapestry of succulents and creeping plants at the base of the benches. 

While their residence and garden are tucked into a development with other homes close by, the McConnaughey family enjoys quite a bit of privacy, thanks to screening from the neighbors’ mature trees.

There’s another bonus: a community park and ball field that backs onto their property. To maximize her clients’ use of all this green space, the designer added a secret path and steps (located behind the spa), which lead to an access gate. The kids love to climb the steps and enter the park, Gigi says. “It gives them space to roam and play catch with the dog. It’s the coolest bonus yard.”

” . . . I know when I look back on this time, I’ll say that having this garden was the best thing we ever did.”

 

Foliage in various colors and textures fills the planting gaps at the base of the fireplace benches.

Foliage in various colors and textures fills the planting gaps at the base of the fireplace benches.

But more often than not, Gigi, Doug, James (12), Jenna (10) and Kyle (7) gather in their own backyard for “Five Time.” That’s what the family calls their ritual of hanging out together at the end of the day. “We spend quality time as a result of this yard,” says mom. “As a family, we love to eat outside and hop in the pool or Jacuzzi afterwards. It’s where the best conversations take place. And I know when I look back on this time, I’ll say that having this garden was the best thing we ever did.”

Low Water and Lush: The mostly green plant palette relies on drought-tolerant varieties that add lots of luxe to the landscape. Plantings include alternating clusters of dead nettle (Lamium maculatum) and baby’s tears (Soleirolia soleirolii); a stunning stand of yellow kangaroo paws (Anigozanthos sp.); glossy purple-green carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans); and dinner-plate-sized Aeonium.

Creating a sense of seclusion in urban Venice

Thursday, April 25th, 2013
Before: A "spanish-ized" stucco box from the 1930s, with little to recommend it.

Before: A “spanish-ized” stucco box from the 1930s, with little to recommend it.

Architect John Frane saw plenty of promise in the Venice Beach shoe box, a 1930s bungalow Spanish-ized with interior doorway arches, a tiled parapet and swirled metalwork on the windows and fence.

“Ugly duckling is a good way to describe it,” Frane said of the house, painted beige with maroon trim when he bought it in 2011 and, more important, hemmed in by apartments on all four sides.

“The house has an urban side, and the big backyard had been paved over, but I saw it as potentially being a great private space.”

Love the shadowbox effect created by a simple "frame" around the original doorway.

Love the shadowbox effect created by a simple “frame” around the original doorway.

The stucco box has since become the architect’s experiment in creating seclusion where none seems possible, invoking design devices that trick the eye into thinking the space is larger and that minimize the presence of neighboring buildings. The recently completed transformation will be among 30 projects open May 4 for the annual Venice Garden & Home Tour.

Frane, co-founder of Predock Frane Architects, had been house-hunting for a few years and was familiar with the inventory around Rose and 4th avenues. “I had drawn up lots of scenarios for other parcels, so I knew how I could work with this one,” he said of the 5,200-square-foot lot. Another bonus: The house was about twice the size of the 575-square-foot Santa Monica apartment where he and his two black Labs had lived for 14 years.

Today, step through the house’s entry gate along 4th Avenue, ascend a few steps to the elevated patio and you’ll see two giant pop-out windows. Inside, one window ledge serves as a full-size daybed in the library, allowing Frane to use the room for guests. The other window ledge is a seat looking out to a mirror mounted on the front garden wall.

“When you’re in the living room, the reflection doubles the size of the space you’re seeing, and it blocks the view of the 40-unit building across the street,” Frane said.

An inward-facing mirror tricks the eye into imagining Frane's home and entry garden are much larger than reality.

An inward-facing mirror tricks the eye into imagining Frane’s home and entry garden are much larger than reality.

So it doesn’t turn a cold shoulder to the sidewalk, the garden mirror is backed with rustic fence slats, the edges of which are painted in colors that echo a totem pole across the street.

Inside, what had been a dark interior is now luminous white. All the chopped-up rooms have disappeared. Two 8-by-8-foot skylights are aligned above the central through-way, topped with the kind of clear acrylic domes typically used in industrial projects. The height of the domes — they rise about 10 feet above the flat roof — captures morning light while preventing neighboring apartment-dwellers from peering into Frane’s domestic environment. The effect is transformative, Frane said, creating twin spots in the center of the house where the ceiling soars to 16 feet.

Reed Kroloff, director of the Cranbrook Academy of Art and former editor of Architecture magazine, recently visited Frane for a few days, settling into that library daybed.

“John has condensed so many layers of information and ideas into one package that feels open and generous and casual and cleverly formal all at once,” Kroloff said. “He’s managed to get this amazing evocation of a perfect beach house, using a masterful control of light. There’s nothing about being in that house that feels small.”

The glow of light overhead comes from one of two 8-by-8 foot skylights aligned with the center of the small house.

The glow of light overhead comes from one of two 8-by-8 foot skylights aligned with the center of the small house.

Among Frane’s smart space-planning solutions: A free-standing wet bar is hidden beneath a hinged lid, so it opens and screens the kitchen from view when he entertains. Extra-large doors connect the dining area with a raised patio, allowing Frane to double party seating — half indoors, half outdoors.

Once paved-over and occupied by cars and a clothesline, the courtyard is now an important living space for Frane, his pets and his friends. A raised platform contains a soaking tub, a fountain and a fire pit, sheltered by a triangular sunshade overhead. Because the platform is elevated, it serves as a promontory that orients views away from the tall apartment building just to the south.

On the opposite side of the garden, a boccie ball court runs the length of the yard and provides a serene scene through bedroom windows. The central gravel area accommodates a collection of textural agaves, aloes and other succulents, grown from cuttings that Frane collected over 15 years. He added eight olive trees, placing them as screening in front of windows.

“I’m kind of a closet landscape designer,” he said. “It’s my favorite thing to do if I’m not being an architect.”

Looking from the house into the backyard, you see one last trick of the eye: your image reflected in another mirror, this one mounted on the garage, creating the illusion that the pleasant transformation never ends.

The elevated lounging platform faces away from the tall apartment complex next door. Love the triangular sailcloth awning.

The elevated lounging platform faces away from the tall apartment complex next door. Love the triangular sailcloth awning.

Venice Garden & Home Tour 

What: The 20th installment of the Venice Garden & Home Tour, a self-guided walking tour with 30 stops, this year all near Abbot Kinney Boulevard

When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 4

Tickets: $60 in advance, $70 day of tour (advance purchase recommended to avoid lines on tour day). Proceeds benefit the Neighborhood Youth Assn.

Where: Starting point is the Neighborhood Youth Assn., 1016 Pleasant View Ave., Venice

Information: (310) 821-1857, www.venicegardentour.org