Tiles in Avalon - Bison

by RTK Studio's - 1999

Here is another tile mural on the Casino Way walkway.  Also inspired by postcards from the 1920's & '30's, it depicts the bison that still roam the interior of Catalina Island.  This is one of my favorites.

For more details about these tiles see my earlier post Catalina Tiles.

Tiles in Avalon - Girl Riding Fish

After my last post, I started noticing how many tiles there actually are in town and all over Catalina Island for that matter and I started taking pictures.  This one is on Front Street (Crescent Ave) on the way out to the Cabrillo Mole, where the boats come in.  The plaque below the tile reads:

            "Ethel Rosin Irmas - Born June 2, 1895 - Avalon, Santa Catalina Island - This Park Commemorates      
              the 100th Year of Our Mother's Birth - Richard Irmas - Sydney Irmas - Jon Irmas Lappen".

I assume it was created and dedicated in 1995.

Catalina Tile

This is a ceramic tile representation of Sea Lions lounging at Sugar Loaf Point on Catalina Island before the Casino Building was built. The Casino was built in 1929.

I was walking down the Casino Way yesterday, admiring the beautiful ceramic tile murals along the way.  I always think, "I should take pictures of these" and yesterday I finally did.  The tiles on the walkway (including the one pictured above)were created by artists Richard Keit & Mary Kennedy of RTK Studios in Ojai, CA in 1998 and were based on Catalina postcards from the 1930's.  They were hand glazed using the authentic "cuerdaseca" technique used by the historical Catalina Potteries.

Catalina has a history of tile and ceramic making due to the plentiful clay deposits on the island.  Catalina Island Tile and Pottery was in business from 1927 - 1937.  This is a picture from the archives:

There is still a ceramic studio on the island.  Artist, Robin Cassidy owns Silver Canyon Tile Company and her beautiful creations can be seen all over town and for sale in Avalon Shops.

Catalina Sunrise

It's my fourth day back on Catalina after having been in NJ for seven weeks.  This morning's sunrise reminded me of why I love it here so much.  It feels good to be home.

Another Frigid Day in the North East

I'm counting down the days till I return to sunny, (relatively) warm Southern California.  This was taken this morning at around 9am.  The temperature was around 17 degrees and windy.  I don't know what the actual wind-chill factor was but I'm guessing in the single digits.  Suffice it to say it was REALLY cold!

Winter in New Jersey

Ok, this morning during my walk it was 28 degrees and really windy.  Apparently, with the wind chill, it's supposed to feel like 10 degrees.  If ten degrees feels like my face will crack if I smile and my legs, ears and nose become numb then I can attest to it.  I must admit though that the ice does make for really interesting photograhs and the light this time of year and the long deep shadows it creates are beautiful.

California Dreamin'

I do live on Catalina Island and have for the last eight years but I'm very sorry to say that I haven't been "in residence" for the last month or so.  I've been in New Jersey with my daughter since early December to spend the holidays with my family, which I try to do every year.  As I'm sure you can imagine, New Jersey is not my first choice of places to spend time but if I want to see my family, and I really do, it's something I must endure.  I'm here for a bit longer than usual this year because I'm seeing a specialist about a mysterious autoimmune disease I apparently have, but I won't go into all the mundane details about that here.  I have another blog that serves as my outlet for that very uplifting subject.

I really miss Catalina.  Especially when I glance over at my desktop weather app which reads 72F in Avalon and the temperature where I am is 30F.  The weather here in the North-East, simply put, sucks!  I was raised here and lived on the east coast into my twenties.  The weather was, in my opinion, uncomfortable most of the time:  too hot and humid in the summer and too cold and icy in the winter. If I never see another flake of snow in my lifetime, it would be fine with me.  Being here reminds me of all the winter mornings I spent scraping ice off my windshield, heating my car key with a lighter to get it in the icy lock or standing on the train platform, my still slightly damp hair, freezing into solid chunks, while my clouded breath swirled around my head.  I know many people live in relative happiness here, after all NJ is the most densely populated state in the US, but I guess I'm just a wimp.  I can't wait to get back home to Catalina.  I'll be leaving the gloves and scarf behind for sure. 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!