If you have spent any time at Linda Mar Beach, you have most likely seen the tile mosaic on the building in the south parking lot. Many have asked what that tile mural is about, and why it is there. Until very recently, all I knew was that one of the tiles on that wall was one that I had painted, and that each tile was bought for a benefit of some sort. Not knowing any more about it, I decided to finally fill in the blanks.
For me, it began in 2004, when I got a call from longtime Pacifican Maggie (Moseley) Ramirez. "I want you to do something for me. she said. "I know that you are an artist, and I just bought a tile for a public project here in Pacifica that is raising funds for art programs. I want for you to paint that tile in honor and memory of my son Kurt." Kurt, who had passed away earlier that year, had been my husband Mike's best friend. So, I told Maggie that of course I would do it, and was flattered that she asked, but told her that I knew nothing about painting tiles. "I want you to do it, end of story." she replied, and if you knew Maggie, she wasn’t one who took “no” for an answer.
At one time, Maggie was a real “mover and shaker” in Pacifica. Mother of three, active in the Pacifica community for many years, she was also a swimming instructor and partner with Grady Hesters at Pacifica’s local Channel 8, Studio 70 for many years in the 1970s-80s. Beginning as a closed curcuit TV system managed by the students of Oceana high school, PCT's roots go back to the early sixties. At OHS, we had a little radio station that broadcast throughout the school. I worked occasionally as the only female "D.J." in 1969, playing music and adding comments or making announcements. My sister Laurie proceeded me in that - she was actually the first. But after she died in a car accident, the radio station staff asked if I'd do it. We tried to make it sound like the old KMPX and KSAN stations, rather than the AM-style format. Those were the bare-bones beginnings; there was a little television studio put there after I graduated. Later, students transferred the proceedings to the location that Studio 70 (later channel 8, and now channel 26) resides.
Long before "Cable TV" became a fact of life, "Studio 70" served as Pacifica's local station, and as the only local TV. As far as I know, Maggie's involvement was mostly behind-the-scenes, supporting and managing a mostly student staff. Years after leaving the station, she sold animation cells online with her partner Richard Tretheway. Their home was filled with Disney and other fantasy memorabilia.
But I digress! Maggie wanted the tile to depict some of the things that meant the most to Kurt, who was a champion swimmer, loved his home in the woods, astronomy, and his beloved pets. The theme of the tiles was ocean and beach-related, so I painted Kurt swimming in the ocean, towards the shore, where under a starry sky and large shooting star, his cabin, dog & cat await him. Oh - did I mention that there's a rainbow in there, too? Sounds a bit complicated for one tile, but what the heck!
Purely by coincidence, one of the instructors at Clay Creations, the place where the tiles were purchased and painted, was my cousin-in-law Cindy Chan, who is also an artist (she currently has a show at the Quarry Gallery). Cindy was very patient with me as I created the tile for Kurt. She was able to give me pointers about the use of the paints, while allowing for creative freedom. In spite of the fact that the finished tile looks like I painted it with my foot, Maggie's $75. went for a good cause, and serves as a continuing memorial for Kurt Moseley.
After I painted the tile, I left it at Clay Creations (at that time, located in Eureka Square). A month or so later, we visited the wall of brightly-painted tiles, and I took a picture of the one I did, so that Maggie could see it (by that time, she was very ill, and couldn’t leave her home).
Throughout the years, with so many comments and questions about the mural, I began to wonder how the project came about. So, last week, Mike & I paid a visit to Clay Creations at their current location at 2316 Palmetto Ave, to find out. When entering, we were enchanted with the whimsical and beautifully sculpted pieces that covered the shelves. Some of them were Cindy's sculptures and glazes. Clay Creations sculptor Dave Paulley showed us his various pieces. Some other artists were concentrating on their work. One of the staff showed us around, and arranged for me to speak with Margaret Tassi, the owner of Clay Creations, when she was free.
Several days later, I got the story. Tassi had wanted to raise funds for public art projects in Pacifica. It was and is important to her that people - particularly children- participate in creating public art. She inspired many of her students to pursue that interest in art, including some of those who contributed to the mosaics. You can see Kristina (Hofler) Ayala's round tiles in the mosaic that I contributed to. These days, Kristina is an artist and teacher, whose business Pufferfish Press sells delightful porcelain prints and paintings.
What inspired Margaret's idea for selling the tiles was a mural that Pacifica artist Andrew Leone had designed for one of the women’s changing rooms at Linda Mar Beach. Andrew (husband of local musician/singer/teacher Nancy Hall) then gave the design to Clay Creations to implement. It took all summer for the children in Clay Creation's Summer camp to build it. "I was so proud of those kids - they did an amazing job in building that mural. I wish it were on the outside, rather than hidden away in the changing room." I saw it for the first time today, when photographing it. It is a delightful, serpentine, aquatic-themed construction that wends its way around the room, so that wherever you sit or stand, there it is.
So, to raise money, Margaret had an idea to sell tiles for people to decorate, which would then be installed in the south parking lot building of Linda Mar Beach - the same one that I did Kurt's tile for. Once the tiles were painted, Tassi brought them home, where she laid them out on her driveway, to arrange them. The tiles were then transported to the building where they were installed from a scaffolding by the staff of Clay Creations. All of the tiles have that beach/ocean theme - it's perfect for the location. It is also, as Tassi explained "...a great example of community." Clay Creations also made the octopus mosaic on the side of that building, as well.
All of this local color has been courtesy of Clay Creations Studios, in business since 1999, which offers ongoing classes in wheel throwing, sculpting and hand building with clay for children and adults. You can visit their their web link for more info: http://www.claycreationspacifica.com/
I thought that doing this story was important, because there is very little about it on the internet. Though people have photographed it, their photos never reveal more than the fact that it is “The building with the colorful mural”, A bonus to doing this story is the discovery of the mosaic inside the changing room in the North end building - Andrew Leone's design. It truly is too special to be hidden. I would never have known about it if Margaret hadn’t told me. And now I'm telling you!
