Meandering In Wine Country Under The Clouds!

A few weeks back I took a quick jaunt up to Wine Country, which is always a welcome diversion! I managed to fit a lot of sights into my short trip. Although the weather was less than ideal (it was pouring rain when we left), it made for an extra dose of natural beauty.

Come with me while I share my wine country amble with you...

Lunch at Bouchon!


A stop in at Ma(i)sonry with it’s highly curated mix of curiosities…

Time at the Indian Springs pool spent below moody skies….

A trip to the Solage resort in Calistoga for an early dinner…

Seeing the sights of St. Helena including a trip to the Martin showroom by Erin Martin and Woodhouse Chocolates…

Dinner at Terra in St. Helena...Excellent!...

On the way back a little shopping for a client at one of my favorite places Artifact Design & Salvage…

It wasn’t nearly enough time, so I’m already planning my visit. This time I’m planning for sunshine!

David J. Hansen

Photo at Top: A Bocce ball court at Solage

All Photos by David J. Hansen for Ashfield Hansen Design Inc.

Copyright 2011

Create(d) Equal

There is currently an exhibition at the Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive which is near and dear to my heart. The exhibition entitled “Create” features artworks from three pioneering art programs in the San Francisco Bay area: Creativity Explored in San Francisco, Creative Growth in Oakland and NIAD in Richmond.

All three programs were founded by the amazing couple Florence Ludins-Katz and Elias Katz, who shared an unorthodox vision of what an art program could be. Each center facilitates the making, displaying and selling of art by people with developmental disabilities.

The exhibition, which is curated by BAM’s Larry Ridner, along with Matthew Higgs takes art from this oeuvre and elevates it from “outsider” art to significant museum work.

My connection, of course is with Creativity Explored. I wrote a post about CE as part of our “Local Treasure” series when I had started volunteering in earnest back in 2009. Since then, I have joined CE’s Board of Directors, and now have the privilege of actively advocating for these amazing artists and this crucial program.

The nine studio artists from Creativity Explored whose work is featured in “Create” are Mary Belknap, Daniel Green, Michael Bernard Loggins, John Patrick McKenzie, James Miles, James Montgomery, Berta Otoya, Evelyn Reyes and Lance Rivers. Information on all of CE’s artists can be found here. The work of these artists, as well as the others participating in the show may just change the way you look at art!

The exhibition runs through September 25, 2011 at the Berkeley Art Museum / Pacific Film Archive at 2626 Bancroft Way Berkeley, CA 94720. More information on the show can be found here. A national tour of the show is currently being organized.

David J. Hansen

Images from top:

1) “Watches On Orange” by James Montgomery © 2007 Creativity Explored

2) Image of Berkeley Art Museum via dailycal.org

3) “Port of Oakland Landscape” by Lance Rivers © 2010 Creativity Explored

4) “Garbage Cans” by Evelyn Reyes © Creativity Explored

5) “Bitter, Butter, Batter” by John Patrick McKenzie © 2011 Creativity Explored

6) “Untitled” by Mary Belknap © 2010 Creativity Eplored

Aaaaah, Madrid

That alone says it all. Just there in April for a few days, Madrid simply took my breath away. Filled with history, Madrid teems with old world charm and chic, with its beautiful 18^th century architecture and classic gardens. Walking through the City I found myself constantly in awe of Madrid’s elegance. There were flowers everywhere, the streets were immaculately clean and the people beautifully dressed.

The Plaza Oriental

A street off of Opera Plaza.

With only 4 days to spend and so many things I wanted to do, I planned my time rather carefully. I wanted to hit the “big things” and still have “down time” to just “experience” the city. I managed to tour the Royal Palace, view fabulous art at Museo del Prado, stroll the Gran Via and walk through the Jardin Botanico. I spent a lazy afternoon sipping sherry in the Plaza Mayor and strolled through the nearby Mercado San Miguel, a feast for the eyes. I had tea at the Ritz, shopped for Majorica pearls and picked up a few pairs of colorful espadrilles for friends. I experienced the Rastro Flea market on an early misty Saturday morning, followed by a coffee again on the Plaza Mayor, where I witnessed men in their 70s and 80s trading stamps and playing chess, most of them in suits and hats – really old world charm. I spent a wonderful evening experiencing the beauty of flamenco and another evening tasting Tapas in a little jewel of a restaurant on the infamous Cava Baja.

A bull fighter in full regalia.

A plastic sculpture.

One of the many beautiful fountains.

Plaza Mayor I.

Plaza Mayor II.

The Royal Palace.

Beautiful tree-lined streets.

Open Plaza.

Vegetable vendor.

Famous Market.

Fresh tapas.

Me with a lamp post.

I will return to Madrid. I will return to Madrid.

Barbara Ashfield

* All photos copyright by Barbara Ashfield for Ashfield Hansen Design Inc.

Behind The Scenes at William Switzer Headquarters: Part 3 of a series

William Switzer pieces as seen in context.

After arranging my trip to Vancouver last year, I was excited to have scheduled a tour of William Switzer headquarters as part of my journey, which I reported on here.

On arrival at the Opus Hotel in Vancouver’s Yaletown, the lobby interior was designed in a colorful, modern way with a few lively, heavily carved antique pieces. The antique pieces were what caught my eye. They looked like they might be William Switzer pieces, but I wasn’t sure given the context. I thought this a great coincidence if they were!

When I went on my tour of the William Switzer factory, my host Mr. Adam Switzer-Bellas confirmed that these were indeed William Switzer pieces adorning the lobby of our hotel.

Robert Bailey Interiors was asked to freshen up the interior of the Opus hotel lobby earlier in 2010, and conceived the new, fresh color palette. In his blog, he writes about it here.

The Opus Hotel entrance sign.

William Switzer Venetian Louis XV occasional chair.

The Opus lobby leading to the bar.

William Switzer Palazzo Caponi Centre table.

Robert Bailey Interiors was asked to freshen up the interior of the Opus hotel lobby earlier in 2010, and conceived the new, fresh color palette. In his blog, he writes about it here.

The original lobby colors were in the Olive/Burgundy family and not, in my opinion as suited to the playful nature of the already designed space. The new color scheme, which included re-upholstery of the existing Switzer pieces, was implemented shortly before my arrival.

The original color scheme for the Opus Hotel showing Olive and Burgundy.

David Hansen

Photos:

Photos 1-5 copyright by David J. Hansen for Ashfield Hansen Design Inc.

*Last photo of Opus original scheme from hdinspirations.com

Behind The Scenes at William Switzer Headquarters: Part 2 of a series

Our visit to William Switzer in Vancouver started off here with the more glamorous side of the company’s headquarters, their showroom. Now we visit the less inviting, but more intriguing side of their business…the factory where it all begins.

Most of the furniture manufactured for the William Switzer Collection has some hand carved element, if not the entire piece. I learned on my visit that theses pieces are manufactured in factories in either Italy or Spain through relationships built by the company’s namesake William Switzer decades ago. The hand carved pieces, which include anything from mirror frames and chairs to beds and breakfronts are then sent to William Switzer headquarters as natural wood and then finished by artisans in the Vancouver location.

Having specialized in wood and cabinetry throughout my career as a designer, I was most fascinated by the finishing process. The pieces I saw in process included exotic veneers, gold and silver leaf preparation and chemical distressing. There were even a couple of amazing prototypes that had yet to be unveiled to the public.

I must once again thank Mr. Dean MacCracken from our local San Francisco showroom, as well as my William Switzer host, Mr. Adam Switzer-Bellas.

Here is some of what I saw at the factory:

My host and tour guide, Mr. Adam Switzer-Bellas.

Furniture that had been returned and would be sold in a once-yearly sale.

Unfinished English Georgian style mirror frames.

Storage for large unfinished furniture pieces.

Various unfinished hand carved chairs waiting to be finished.

An unfinished Curraghmore table next to solid wood sideboard.

Unfinished furniture pieces in exotic veneers.

Detail of unfinished desk with burl Walnut and Zebra wood veneers.

Poster spotted in the factory publicizing a 1993 summit in Vancouver with President Clinton and Boris Yeltsin where William Switzer furniture was used.

A William Switzer artisan applies and undercoat for a gold leaf finish.

An overview showing how the colors in the undercoat change with the detail of the hand carved mirror frame.

Preparing a solid wood, hand carved sideboard to be finished.

One of the finishing department spaces with console tables lined ready to be completed.

The Upholstery department working on a variety of pieces.

A prototype of a new table top finish.

The next installment will feature William Switzer furniture in context at my Vancouver hotel.

David J. Hansen

Top photo shows a Palazzo Capponi Center table that has been chemically distressed.

* All photos copyright by David J. Hansen for Ashfield Hansen Design Inc.