10 minute read
MADE IN CORONADO
Art on a pedestal
Janie Beck’s modernist sculptures enhanced by colorful platforms
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By CATHERINE GAUGH
Right now, the only way to see the fabulous works of art by Janie Beck is by going to her house. Or join Instagram online and find her page, instagram.com/janiebkitten.
On that page are unexpected treasures: intriguingly carved porcelain figures, both organic and cubist in style, by themselves or displayed on pedestals. But far from the plain, ordinary surfaces one might see in an art museum, Beck’s pedestals are works of art, in vivid colors, 3-D textures and a variety of fascinating scenes, shapes and sizes.
There is one that suggests an elaborate birdbath, complete with a life-sized bird on the fountain rim. Some are shaped like Christmas trees, others in whimsical topiary trim. And still others suggest a mountain, a flowing creek or a springtime meadow. Most are completely covered by a feast of hand-formed flowers made of silk,
« Janie Beck creates pedestals for her sculptures using a variety of fabric and ribbons, which she dyes. She finds a lot of material during her alley walks through Coronado.
LESLIE CRAWFORD PHOTOS
JANIE BECK
cotton and velvet, in dazzling shades of red, purple, blue and yellow.
Stop reading for a moment and look at the photos. Words cannot do justice to these remarkable creations. Beck, a resident of Coronado since 1993, took some time to talk about her art.
Q: When I look at these pieces, what comes to mind is how much detail work and time you put into these structures.
A: I repaired watches for 20 years, specializing in Rolexes. Watch repair is done with detail and small, slight movements. That taught me focus and patience.
Q: Where did you work?
A: In Phoenix. I grew up in Glendale, Arizona. We had horses and there were crop fields around. It was a good childhood. I went to trade school, but I always wanted to be an artist.
Q: How did you get started?
A: I took all kinds of night classes. I learned woodworking and welding and built a dining table and chairs. Then I took the ceramic classes at the high school for eight years.
Q: Tell me about your ceramics.
A: Clay materials arrive in 50-pound blocks, and it is wet like mud, squishy. You put it on a shelf for a few months, and the outside starts to dry, but the inside is still wet so that you can shape it.
I like to sculpt porcelain when it has the consistency of damp chalk. I use X-acto knives to do the carving. If I want it to have color, I use shoe polish. I don’t use any glaze. The piece is fired twice, at different temperatures, to prevent cracking. It must age and dry correctly.
A porcelain sculpture takes about three months to finish and up to a couple of years to cure.
Q: How much time is needed for the pedestals?
A: They take about four months each. One took me two years. Every flower is made and placed by me. I can make 200 to 300 fabric flowers a day.
Q: What do you use to create the structure of the pedestal?
A: They are made from mini components. A few of them are Styrofoam. Mostly I use stacks of wooden cigar boxes. I first decide the shape I want, then wrap it, strip by strip, with grosgrain ribbon and a lot of glue. Sometimes I will use
LESLIE CRAWFORD
Beck works on a pedestal using different materials and textures and a broad mix of colors. The intricate work often requires wearing a magnifying-glass visor (not shown), and each pedestal takes an average of four months to complete.
LESLIE CRAWFORD The flowery pedestals, which sometimes look like decorated cakes, come in a variety of color schemes. To date, Beck has made 70 pieces.
heavy-duty cardboard tubes, and for the tall structures, I’ll add rocks to the base for weight and balance.
Some of my pedestals have leaves, insects and lots of moss. The majority have flowers made from velvet, silk — only the best fabrics and ribbons. My largest pedestal does not have a sculpture at all; I laid real gold chains on it.
Q: Isn’t it unusual to have a complex platform for a work of art? Wouldn’t it be competing for attention?
A: Most people pay attention to the sculpture but looking at its pedestal is different; it’s a unique experience. You can’t just glance at it. You need to stop and really look. Once you start looking at some of the details, you notice more details. Q: Do you sell your work anywhere?
A: No. Art is so personal. I have 70 pieces and have kept all of them. I did display one of my pedestals at an art show about four years ago, but only to see what people thought about it or if they liked it. Someone offered me $2,000, but I told her it was not for sale.
Q: Is it hard to put a price on something you have invested so much time in?
A: Money is not my motivation. Ninety-nine percent of this is the joy I get doing it. My goal is to get better and try new things. I want to make the world a more beautiful place, so I make these beautiful pedestals. ■
Catherine Gaugh is a freelance writer.
To protect and present
Three organizations collaborate to share and preserve Coronado’s history
By LESLIE CRAWFORD
Ken Kramer, creator and host of the long-running KPBS series “About San Diego,” reportedly once said, “Coronado has more history per square inch than any other place in San Diego County.” If you’re looking to find out more about your own piece of Coronado history or just want to learn more about the city, you have three great resources at your fingertips for historical information.
The Coronado Historical Association, Coronado Public Library and Hotel del Coronado all have extensive collections of city history.
Interestingly, they all operate in historical buildings.
“We are excited to have all three repositories share cataloging systems to make searching for information easier and more accessible across all three organizations,” said Vickie Stone, curator of collections at Coronado
Historical Association.
« Paper collections at the Coronado Public Library and the Hotel del Coronado include yearbooks at the library and guest registers and building plans at The Del. The Del's private archive also has artifacts, such as this key.
PHOTOS BY LESLIE CRAWFORD AND COURTESY OF HOTEL DEL CORONADO
If something from the past has piqued your interest, your first stop will most likely be online. The Coronado Historical Association and the library both have websites where you can start your research.
The Coronado Historical Association’s website (coronadohistory.org) allows access to 22,000 images in its collection. Digitized Coronado newspapers dating back to 1887 as well as historical photos are available on the library website
The Coronado Historical Association's staff includes Vickie Stone, curator of collections (left), and Christine Stokes, director.
COURTESY OF CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
(coronado.ca.us/library). The historical association recently released a walking tour app with information on a multitude of significant sites around town.
Need more specific information or want to look at some artifacts? Here’s what you can find where.
CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
Coronado Historical Association, which has its home in the 1911 Bank of Commerce building on Orange Avenue, is dedicated to preserving local history. The organization holds city building permits, biography files and photos as well as an archival vault full of textiles,
Coronado Historical Association Christine Stokes, director Vickie Stone, curator of collections 1100 Orange Ave. (619) 435-7242 coronadohistory.org Coronado Public Library Sean Briley, director Candace Hooper, archivist 640 Orange Ave. (619) 522-7390 coronado.ca.us/library Hotel del Coronado Heritage Collection Gina Petrone, heritage manager 1500 Orange Ave. gina.petrone@hoteldel.com hoteldel.com/history
CANDACE HOOPER, ARCHIVIST AT CORONADO PUBLIC LIBRARY
scrapbooks, uniforms, Hotel del Coronado memorabilia, ceramics and bottles found in archaeological digs, trophies and buttons, to name just some of the thousands of items stored and cataloged in the collection.
Stone deals with paper, ephemera and 3D objects. As a registrar, she is responsible for tracking objects, making sure that proper protocol is followed and provides a paper trail for each piece in the collection.
Stone’s job is to ensure that the physical and intangible aspects of the artifacts are cared for and preserved. She also holds meetings with an acquisitions committee to assess donations (any CHA member can be a member of the committee) and assists with the development of the museum’s exhibits. Providing access to collections material for the public is also part of her job.
CORONADO PUBLIC LIBRARY
At the Coronado Public Library, reference librarians will help you access old phone directories and yearbooks. They will also show you how to use ancestry.com, which is free. The non-circulating office reference collection — those items can’t be checked out — also includes local magazines and a comprehensive collection of books relating to Coronado and San Diego history. For access to these materials, speak with the librarian at the Reference Desk or call (619) 522-2484 for more information.
The library, which dates to 1908, also has special collections, which can be seen by appointment only. The history collection consists of more 20,000 items including maps, photographs, postcards and printed ephemera. Included are rare California state maps dating from 1849 to 1968 and hundreds of rare and limited-edition books on California history.
The library’s photographs include images of Coronado and other areas of San Diego County from the late 1800s to 2005, early aviation at North Island and the Navy, and the San Diego and Coronado Ferry Co., as well as scenes from Tent City, Glorietta Bay and the tea gardens of George T. Marsh. Also included is an extensive postcard collection.
The library has exhibits throughout the year, and not just on Coronado history. Candice Hooper’s job as exhibit curator includes researching, collecting artifacts and creating displays. Hooper also acts as registrar, handling donated items as well as incoming and outgoing loans from the special collections. The preservation specialist has worked at the library for 34 years and is an expert at assisting researchers of Coronado history with extensive knowledge of where to send people to find additional resources for research.
“We serve the public, and we want to
LESLIE CRAWFORD The original library, designed in 1908 by architect Harrison Albright, has been incorporated into expansions over the years and is now the Spreckels Reading Room.
answer your questions,” Hooper said. “There’s an amazing strength of resources in Coronado with three professional historical organizations. If you contact one and they can’t help you, they will send you in the right direction for better resources.”
HOTEL DEL CORONADO
Hotel del Coronado has a private archive that includes 89 volumes of letters of Elisha Babcock Jr., a businessman who co-founded the Hotel Del in 1888, 195 guest registers dating from 1888 to 1915, more than 5,000 photos, original building plans, paper ephemera, dishes, clothing, artifacts, construction tools and such architectural items as railing, moldings and hardware.
Gina Petrone, heritage manager for Hotel del Coronado, maintains the historical archives. While the archives are not open to the public, Petrone is happy to assist with research and direction upon request.
“We each bring something unique to researching Coronado history,” said Petrone, referring to the Coronado Historical Association, the library and The Del). “We’re all trying to define our individual collections better so we can send researchers to the best source.”
The three organizations collaborate regularly, sharing artifacts, information and ideas, as well as coordinate methods for searching collections and caring for the archives.
With the wealth of research material and artifacts available, piecing together Coronado history is easier and more accessible than ever. ■
