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Monday, October 4, 2010

Look Julia, I am Doing A Library Too!

No, this is not my house. I wish.  This is San Simeon Hearst Castle, in California.

Dad took me to Hearst Castle when I was in rock n roll high school.  After that day I was never the same.  It especially influenced  me knowing that a woman named Julia Morgan designed it.  She was wearing round spectacles way before Karen Walker. 

 Thinking of Julia today while working on my watercolor for a custom home I am designing.  Julia did watercolor and little vignettes for every last cornice details of her architectural masterpieces. This woman could design.  I always wanted to be like Julia.

Here is the library Julia designed for Randolf at Hearst Castle.  Dad and I just toured the grounds, guest casitas, first floor public salons of the castle and the amazing 1920's pool palace. I can't even begin to describe the opulence of the wall to ceiling tiny blue and gold mosaic tiles. I mean she didn't spec out those damn aluminum hand rails to get into the pool. She designed like stone serpents coming out of the water to grab onto. She was all class. Don't even try to understand Hearst Castle unless you go to visit. Books don't do it justice, that is why I show the outside in black and white. 

Julia....are you out there.  Here is my library. What do you think? Yes, I know the ottoman left leg in the foreground is stunted. I have already fixed it. 

HEY!

This is how far I got today.  I love listening to my IPAD audio book. I am listening to The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest.  Totally not my cup of tea but it keeps me focused and that's a good thing.

5 comments:

jaljen said...

The trouble with buildings is that people end up sullying them. I took a look at Hearst Castle and noticed what look like a mediaeval French tapestry in the billiard room. If not genuine then a nod to such as La Dame a la Licorne.
HOWEVER the sumptuousness was utterly undermined by the existence of two ruddy great pool tables. Pool! It simply isn't done!
It strikes me that you don't have the ceiling height to play with that Julia Morgan had!

Vix said...

Fancy designing me a library? I've got no money and a motley selection of paperbacks but we could get to hang out together and I make great tea. xxx

Marie said...

Looks great!:D

***** Marie *****
allthingsmarie.com

ZHENYA ZHURAVLYOVA said...

очень красивые эскизы!я люблю архитектуру и дизайн!))

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pumps & luiers said...

great sketches!