Sometimes I get lucky and run across something that just feels right. For instance, I found this mid-century modern mosaic during the last 15 minutes it was for sale on eBay back in 2002. It was being sold by someone in San Diego who knew very little about it. All I knew was that my husband and I instantly fell in love with it and bought it for our second anniversary.
It's been quite a trip ever since. Turns out another bidder was writing a book and wanted to include the mosaic in it. We had it professionally photographed for him and sent the slides off to Australia. You can find it on page 68 in the 2003 book Beatsville by Martin McIntosh of Outré Gallery. Check out the gallery and Martin's other cool book Taboo: The Art of Tiki. Highly recommended reading!
Last year I happened to notice an awesome and eerily similar mosaic in the home of my buddy and Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour co-coordinator, Dane Henas.
The colors and scale were about the same as our mystery mosaic. Dane explained his mosaic was by well-known mid-century artists Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. In addition to their wonderful website, you can read more about them here and here.
Aha, I thought. A clue! I immediately contacted the Ackermans who thought our untitled mosaic was designed in the late 1950s by their associate, architect Sherrill Broudy. That's where my trail has ended to date.
Yesterday I ran across a great website -- Mid-Centuria -- and to my surprise I saw our mystery mosaic! With kind words acknowledging it came from my Flickr photostream and a plea for further information about the artist.
Sigh. Alas, the mosaic remains a mystery. If anyone out there can positively identify the piece or the artist, we'd be very thankful.
Last year I happened to notice an awesome and eerily similar mosaic in the home of my buddy and Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour co-coordinator, Dane Henas.
The colors and scale were about the same as our mystery mosaic. Dane explained his mosaic was by well-known mid-century artists Jerome and Evelyn Ackerman. In addition to their wonderful website, you can read more about them here and here.
Evelyn Ackerman, Puerta, 1959, Mosaic tile, ERA Industries
48.5”h x 13”w via Los Angeles Modern Auctions Blog
48.5”h x 13”w via Los Angeles Modern Auctions Blog
Aha, I thought. A clue! I immediately contacted the Ackermans who thought our untitled mosaic was designed in the late 1950s by their associate, architect Sherrill Broudy. That's where my trail has ended to date.
Yesterday I ran across a great website -- Mid-Centuria -- and to my surprise I saw our mystery mosaic! With kind words acknowledging it came from my Flickr photostream and a plea for further information about the artist.
Sigh. Alas, the mosaic remains a mystery. If anyone out there can positively identify the piece or the artist, we'd be very thankful.
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