Carmel, California
October 1999
Carmel-by-the-Sea wasn’t always so quaint...or cultured. In fact, at the turn of the last century, little about the Carmel landscape rivaled its magnificent seascape. But never underestimate the aesthetic value of a “dollhouse” and a few trees. During the early 1920s, Frank Devendorf planted his vision for an artistic community by the sea in the form of 100 cypress trees along a one-mile stretch of windswept sand. Soon after, Hugh Comstock built his bride a petite, 400-square-foot cottage that defined “quaint” and changed the face and the future of Carmel. The demand for full-sized Comstock homes for under $100 made him a legend and made Carmel-by-the-Sea the renowned hamlet it is today, where addresses are cross streets and people find each other by the name on the gate.
Carmel was once, and for many still is, a bohemian sanctuary—a haven for artists and a refuge for writers and intellectuals. It is the setting that inspired Robinson Jeffers to build a tower from which to write poetry about the splendor of waves against a rugged shore; a place whose spectacular sunsets illuminate the secrets of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and provided the backdrop for the lives and times about which Jack London and George Sterling composed their novels and poetry, respectively.
Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and provided the backdrop for the lives and times about which Jack London and George Sterling composed their novels and poetry, respectively.
As the area’s cultural center, the town houses the Carmel Bach Festival, Carmel Music Society, Monterey County Symphony, Pacific Repertory Theater, Carmel Art Festival and the Open Studios Tour. Ocean Avenue is both the main entrance and the heart of the Carmel shopping district, a walkable labyrinth of art galleries, antiques shops, restaurants and boutiques.
Dolores Street, which bisects Ocean, is fast becoming the mecca for art galleries and antiques shops. You won’t find fast-food, neon lights or parking meters here, though ice-cream cones and high-heels have been reinstated.
There are no boardwalks, no bikini-clad shoppers—just fine art, fine dining and rare finds.
Among the rarest finds are the treasures at Conway of Asia on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. Unearthed by Peterson Conway’s own journeys to the once-kept secret caches of Asian antiques from Tibet, Afghanistan, Persia, Turkey, India, Cambodia and Vietnam, the antiques and artifacts give testament to the resplendence of once-grand civilizations and to those who appreciate them.
The gallery itself vanishes behind a dazzling assortment of lavish objets d’art and rich Oriental rugs presented like a fantastic bazaar. Treasures include 17th-century ornate Buddhas priced at $24,000 and a selection of Tibetan monastery furniture, jewelry, silks and brocades.
In contrast to the globe-hopping Conway, Nick Robertson and Laurette Cherry rarely leave the Monterey Peninsula to sleuth out the Victorian treasures that fill Robertson’s Antiques & Art at 7th and Dolores. “Our pieces come from all over the world, but most of them have come out of local homes,” Robertson says. “The Peninsula is a rich source of fine antiques.” Robertson’s own penchant is for antique lighting. “I took one lamp home and saw how it made all the difference in the room.” Antique fixtures include a Pairpoint lamp with hand-painted glass shade (circa 1915) for $4,500 and a Vienna-style jeweled lamp (circa 1900) priced at $3,400. Born of the ’40s, ’50s and ’60s, the lighting and accessories take on a decidedly different tone next door to Robertson’s at Decor’ations, a collection of fixtures, furniture and objets d’art from the Art Deco period and other modern eras. Owner Bill Seaward says the pieces just seem to appear in his life, including a “futuristic” moss-green Philco Predicta TV, a neon-lit Paramount Pictures clock and a 1930’s Ken Webber red vinyl couch.
The beautiful 18th-century Dutch chinoiserie at the door is merely an introduction to the unusual blend of fine 17th- to 19th-century antiques presented by Hildegunn Hawley Antiques on Dolores between Ocean and 7th. Anchored on “carved paws,” the $27,000 piece flanks an early 1800’s Chinese chest priced at $3,500, near a $15,000 fireplace mantel from the same period.
mahogany and beveled-glass floor screen at $5,275, an English Empire wrought-iron, queen-sized bed for $6,000 dressed in $1,500 of pure silk bedding and a Moorish-style 19th-century mirror for $3,200. Singer’s pride is an eclectic array of personally designed heirloom-quality lamps, such as a pair of estate candelabra beneath hand-smocked silk shades.
A bridge between art and antiques is Fourtané Estate Jewelers, in the landmark Pine Inn on Ocean at Lincoln. Owners John and Sandy Bonifas’ 35 years’ experience shows in their selection of fine estate jewelry, vintage watches and heirloom objets d’art. Prices range from $100 for a simple brooch to $50,000 for pieces in the more exquisite collections. Tucked in next door within the Pine Inn complex is Magpie Antiques, which specializes in antique hand-made lace.
Concepts on Ocean is a multimedia art gallery where owner Douglas Steakley’s signature lines set precedence for photography and jewelry as fine art. The gallery features art glass, ceramics, photography and jewelry, including the figurative bone-and-polished metal jewelry of renowned designer Carolyn Morris Bach, whose collection ranges from $400-16,000. The colorful, highly recognizable inlaid jewelry of Jeff and Susan Wise runs between $900-10,000. Arguably the best in the country, Mark Hileman’s inlaid gem-grade Australian opals are priced at $1,000-15,000. George Bucquet incorporates images into sand-cast glassware for $1,200-2,000. Glassblower David Garcia creates vivid sculptural vessels for $800-3,000. “We look for an individual presence in each item—something that identifies the artist’s creativity and uniqueness,” says wife and co-owner Jackie Steakley.
Across the street at One Ocean Avenue, the namesake gallery is Brendan Walter’s newest star in the art world. The gallery reflects signature names in high-art glass, including the inimitable works of Michael Edward Cohn, Molly Stone and premier glass artist Dan Dailey, who blends sophistication with whimsy to create understated humor in style for $75,000-150,000 per piece. The spontaneous, organic quality of Cornelia Goldsmith’s gold and silver jewelry suggests nature, ritual, symbolism and deep meaning. The painterly qualities of Winston Swift Boyer’s fine art photography exude simple beauty.
Chris Winfield runs a tight, namesake gallery at 6th and Dolores, with just enough room for the best in fine art. Jack Zajac balances between abstract and figurative sculpture in compelling bronze imagery grounded in the ancient rituals, symbolism and forms of Western and non-Western society.
Martha Alf uses graphite pencil on Arches paper to transcend the figurative in her still lifes, which emphasize shape and form through the abstraction of light and shadow. Winfield also represents Gwynn Murrill’s languid animal sculptures in bronze and Dan Corbin’s cast-stone life forms.
Dedicated to the creation and presentation of the finest in figurative art, Richard MacDonald, of his namesake galleries (San Carlos between 5th and 6th), offers the discriminating collector a dramatic experience through paintings, drawings and sculpture inspired by his regard for the power and beauty of the human spirit.
The Early American and California Impressionists hold court at William A. Karges Fine Art on Dolores at 5th. The gallery focuses on fine quality, plein-aire watercolors and oils-on-canvas by highly trained historical and contemporary artists. Prices range between $2,500-50,000 for original and rare-find paintings by Percy Gray, Armin Hansen, Granville Redmond, Edgar Payne, Maurice Braun, William Ritschel, Alfred Mitchell, John Gamble and Dennis Doheny.
Robert Pitzer has a penchant for realism, as do most of the artists he represents in Pitzer’s of Carmel, one of the largest, most diverse galleries on the Peninsula located on Dolores near 6th. Pitzer credits celebrated bronze sculptor Kent Ullberg for teaching him how to view both realism and the business of art.
In addition to Ullberg, the gallery represents some of America’s most renowned artists of traditional paintings and limited-edition prints, including William Berra, Curt Walters, Nelson Boren, Luke Frazier and Tucker Smith. Likely one of the country’s most prestigious sources of large sculpture, its bronzes occupy a significant part of the gallery, ranging from quarter-life to monumental, by George Lundeen, Jane DeDecker, Gary Alsum and Cammie Lundeen.
With a presentation of original paintings and sculpture by more than 60 artists from four continents, New Masters Gallery, on Dolores between Ocean and 7th, has been presenting outstanding contemporary art for more than 25 years. S.R. Brennan, located on Dolores Street near 5th, distinguishes itself with the representation of more than 75 nationally and internationally acclaimed American and European artists of original paintings and sculpture.
Most prominent are the international street scenes by Robert Lebron and the scenery “Americana” of Sandi Lebron. Phillips Gallery of Fine Art on 6th between Lincoln and Dolores, holds the country’s most extensive collection of original paintings by 84-year-old renowned British master, Harold Hitchcock. (Read more about Hitchcock next month in Art & Antiques.) Together with Carmel’s Mudzimu Gallery, Phillips Gallery is showcasing the original stone sculpture of internationally acclaimed artist Gedion Nyanhongo of Zimbabwe. Another represented artist, Andrew T. Jackson, is called the “most intriguing local artist of 1999” for his surrealistic work. The gallery also presents the allegorical surrealism of Jeff Faust, the landscapes in oil by Greg Cartmell, Barbera and Marcel Favreau, as well as the watercolor images of Isobel George and Ruth Basler Burr.
A tour of Carmel art wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Weston Gallery of fine-art photography on 6th between Dolores and Lincoln. Emphasizing the finest masterworks of 19th- and 20th-century photography, the inventory chronicles the photographic life of the legendary Weston generations.
The gallery is the exclusive representative of Ansel Adams Museum Sets and Yousef Karsh Modern & Vintage Works and portfolios.
FINE ART DEALERS ► Carmel Art Association
► Chapman Gallery
► Classic Art Gallery
► Concepts
► Highlands Sculpture Gallery
► Howard Lamar Studios
► Howard Portnoy Gallerie
► Jim Miller Gallery
► Lilliana Braico Gallery
► Loran Speck Art Gallery
► Lynn Lupetti Gallery
► Mudzimu Gallery
► Nancy Dodds Gallery
► New Masters Gallery
► One Ocean Avenue
► Phillips Gallery of Fine Art
► Pitzer’s of Carmel
► Richard MacDonald Galleries
► Rodrigue Studio
► Rosamond & Co.
► Savage Contemporary Fine Art
► Silver Light Gallery
► Simic New Renaissance Galleries
► SR Brennan Gallery of Fine Art
► The Hart Gallery
► Thomas Kinkade Galleries
► Weston Gallery
► William A. Karges Fine Art
► Winfield Gallery
► Winters
► Zantman Art Galleries
► Arcadia Antiques
► Conway of Asia
► Decor’ations
► Dolores Street Antiques
► Forget-Me-Nots
► Fourtané Estate Jewelers
► Great Things Antiques Ocean
► Hildegunn Hawley Antiques
► Keller & Scott Antiques
► Luciano Antiques
► Magpie Antiques
► Maxine Klaput Antiques
► Off the Wall Architectural Antiques
► Robert Cordy Antiques
► Robertson’s Antiques & Art
► Trappings
► Trésors Antiques
CARMEL, CALIFORNIA CHECKLIST
Dolores near 5th
Founded in 1927, Carmel’s oldest gallery features more than 120 local member artists.
624-6176
7th between San Carlos and Mission
Regional artists.
626-1766
6th near San Carlos
Traditional art by 60+ international artists; classical works by 19th- and 20th-century masters. 624-0464
Ocean Ave.
624-0661
Dolores between 5th and 6th
Innovative contemporary art.
624-0535
Dolores between Ocean and 7th
French modernism in the Carmel tradition.
626-6725
6th at Dolores
Fine art.
624-1155
Dolores at 6th
Namesake impressionist, realist,
naturalist, pointillist.
625-0425
6th at Dolores
Vibrant florals and Mediterranean seaside scenes on canvas.
624-2512
6th near Dolores
Realism in still lifes and oils.
624-3707
6th between Dolores and Lincoln
624-0622
between Mission and San Carlos; 5th and 6th
Original stone sculpture of internationally acclaimed artists of Zimbabwe.
626-2946
7th and San Carlos
Contemporary artists.
624-0346
Dolores between 7th and Ocean
625-1511
626-8663
► Pat Areias Sterling
Lincoln at Ocean
Contemporary designs in hand-crafted sterling silver jewelry.
626-8668
6th between Lincoln and Dolores.
626-1126
Dolores near 6th
625-2288
San Carlos between 5th and 6th
624-8200
6th near Dolores
From Cajun roots to “Blue Dog Fever,” George Rodrigue’s original paintings.
626-4444
Mission near 7th; Court of the Fountains
Only two dozen originals of the late artist’s images of women remain.
626-8801
Dolores between 5th and 6th
Wife Sylvia Savage offers David Stephen’s contemporary watercolors.
626-0800
San Carlos between Ocean and 6th
Fine art photography.
624-4589
San Carlos between 5th and 6th
Fine realism and impressionism.
624-7522
Dolores at 5th
Fine art from around the world.
625-2233
Ocean Ave.
Paintings, lithographs and bronze.
622-7110
Dolores near 7th and Ocean; also between
Dolores and Lincoln
“America’s foremost painter of light.”
626-1133
6th between Dolores and Lincoln.
624-4453
Dolores at 5th
625-4226
6th and Dolores
624-3369
San Carlos at 7th
Fine and folk art.
626-5535
6th and Mission
Fine art.
624-8314
ANTIQUE SHOPS
Mission
624-5938
Dolores between Ocean and 7th
624-3643
7th and Dolores
625-9595
Dolores between Ocean and 7th
622-9056
Dolores between 4th and 5th
624-9080
In the Pine Inn on Ocean at Lincoln
624-4684
Fine European antiques.
624-7178
Dolores between Ocean and 7th.
626-3457
Dolores between 5th and 6th
624-0465
San Carlos and 5th
Direct importers of fine European and Oriental antiques.
624-9396
In the Pine Inn on Ocean at Lincoln.
622-9341
Mission and 7th
624-8823
Lincoln between 5th and 6th
Vintage pedestal sinks, footed tubs, mantels, leaded glass.
624-6165
Lincoln and 6th
English period country furniture and accessories, English paintings, antique wine-related items. 625-5839
7th and Dolores
624-7517
between 5th and 6th on Junipero
626-4500
7th just off Dolores
624-1115