SacMod Activities and Upcoming Event!

Busy, busy month! You can stay better informed regarding Sacramento modernism by joining SacMod's Facebook page. Join us!

Vintage Sacramento Zoo postcard from my Flickr photostream

First, good news for the hyperbolic paraboloid structures at the entrance of the Sacramento Zoo. We've written about these beauties before.

The City of Sacramento hired consultants Mead & Hunt for a Cultural Landscape Survey of William Land Park. (You may download their draft report here.) SacMod has been watching recent developments at the Zoo, particularly those endangering the circa 1961 entrance structures. Mead & Hunt determined that the Zoo entrance and Fairytale Town are eligible for national, California, and Sacramento historic registers. SacMod will continue to monitor and advocate for these structures.

 

Second, Atomic Ranch Magazine has just published the Atomic Ranch 2012 Calendar. We're excited because it features two homes that were on the 2011 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour! Specifically a home designed by architect Carter Sparks and a Sacramento Eichler home. Atomic Ranch came to Sacramento this summer. Three homes from last year's tour will be featured in separate upcoming issues. We'll be sure to post as the articles and pictures are published.

Finally, AIACV and SacMod are teaming up again -- join us for a free screening of EAMES: The Architect and The Painter. You may already know that Ray Eames was born and raised here in Sacramento. Join us and other like-minded modernists at AIACV on Monday, December 19, 2011 from 8 - 10pm. Reservations for this free event through Brown Paper Tickets.

Even more things being planned for future SacMod events! Stay tuned!

Walking the walk... and talking the talk!

Big day this Sunday, 9.18.11!

From about 10am to 3pm SacMod will be at Marshall Park (corner of 27th and J Street) for the street fair for Sacramento Old City Association's 36th Annual Home Tour. We'll be handing out SacMod's free self-guided walking tour which features the exteriors of six commercial mid-20th century buildings in Midtown. Come and support SOCA, who has been a huge supporter of MCM in Sacramento (see my previous post for details).

Tomorrow will also be the first day SacMod will be offering annual associate memberships at a one-time special discount. Stop by for details!

Later that same day at 7pm, come see the presentation on "Sacramento Architecture: From the Gold Rush to Mid-Century Modern." My friend and historian, Bill Burg, will be talking about the Gold Rush through the 1930s; I'll be handling the part about mid-20th century architecture in town. The discussion will be at Time Tested Books and is part of the Living Library Series.


Hope to see you tomorrow, one way or the other! We'll be the ones drinking lots of coffee :)

Free self-guided walking tour of six Midtown MCMs on September 18, 2011!

Come say hello to SacMod at Marshall Park (J and 27th Streets) on September 18, 2011 during the street fair for Sacramento Old City Association's 36th Annual Home Tour.

You know what makes for a great day? Seeing the beautiful historic homes on SOCA's tour and learning about six Midtown MCM buildings that you walk past all the time!

SOCA's tour starts at Marshall Park, at the corner of 27th and J Street. A street fair at the park features local contractors and artisans specializing in historic home rehab and remodeling, local businesses, artists and crafters displaying their wares, local nonprofits, advocacy and history organizations. Local musicians Tender Cinders, Garage Jazz Architects, The Freebadge Serenaders, and Emile Dalkey will perform in the park. Home Tour participants can show their tour wristband for a 15% discount in the restaurants of the nearby Sutter District.

SacMod will be at the fair from about 10am to 3pm and will have copies of our free self-guided walking tour which features the exteriors of six commercial mid-20th century buildings in Midtown.

Our friends at SOCA have been huge supporters of SacMod and MCM architecture in Sacramento. SOCA's efforts were instrumental in getting the SMUD Headquarters building nominated on the National Register of Historic Places.

MCM fans, it's our turn to support SOCA -- bring your walking shoes and see you there!

Thanks for joining us at the Crocker Art Museum for Visual Acoustics

Introductions by Ian Merker, AIACV and Gretchen Steinberg, SacMod

Many, many thanks for those of you who joined us at the successful screening of Visual Acoustics at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, April 7, 2011. We were pleased and humbled to see the event almost sold out. Thanks to the Crocker Art Museum for collaborating with AIACV and SacMod and letting us use their new and beautiful state-of-the-art venue. Thanks also to Director Eric Bricker for making his wonderful film (his first!) and taking the time out of his busy schedule to join us.

Our educational display with photos taken by Julius Shulman in Sacramento

Eric Bricker, Director of Visual Acoustics and Gretchen Steinberg, SacMod

Dane Henas from SacMod being goofy -- doing his best Vanna White impression, ha ha!

We presented an educational display with several photos that Julius Shulman took in Sacramento in the early 1960s. We decided to seek them out and research them at the last minute so people could enjoy a special connection with him in our town. Many thanks to historian John Crosse (who was also a researcher for Visual Acoustics), JW and B for their contributions to our educational display. Thanks also to Ian Merker from AIACV (our colleague and co-presenter extraordinaire) for printing the images and providing the materials to display the images. Special thanks also to our former SacMod colleague Kris Lannin Liang who had to move away from Sacramento but initially worked on this event.

Jerry Blomberg and Dane Henas with an original copy of an ad featuring Jerry's Sacramento home

My favorite Shulman pictures taken in Sacramento are of a home in South Land Park Estates; these were featured in a 1961 ad for American Saint Gobain glass. The home was collaboratively designed by homeowner Jerry Blomberg and George Muraki, with George Muraki being the architect on record. Last year we printed the ad we had researched for the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour display. Little did we know at the time that the images were taken by Julius Shulman. I invited Mr. Blomberg to join us at the event and was so pleased to see him show up -- with his own copy of the ad and another magazine article that I had been looking for but was unable to find in time!

Director Eric Bricker leading a post-screening discussion

Here are more photos taken at the event. Thanks again to everyone who made the event possible; and a shout-out to Midtown Monthly and to Sacramento area bloggers Davis Life Magazine, Mimomito, Rebecca Crowther of Sac History Happenings (Sacramento Bee), Capitol Creative Collective, Glitter and Grunge and our Twitter friends for helping spread the word.

Did you know that Julius Shulman photographed several Sacramento buildings?

We will be sharing some of these photographs with you in person at Crocker Art Museum's Film Frame: Visual Acoustics this Thursday evening. My favorite photos of the bunch are of a residence designed by Sacramento architect George Muraki for the Blomberg family. You may recall that Mr. Muraki's personal home was featured in the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour last June.

Why not come directly to the Crocker after work? Remember -- admission includes access to the museum. Have a bite to eat at the Crocker Cafe and relax with a cocktail.

See Crocker's website for details on buying tickets. Hope to see you there.

Join SacMod + AIACV to see Visual Acoustics at Crocker Art Museum: April 7, 2011 at 7PM

"Stahl House (CSH#22)” photographed by Julius Shulman (1960)

"In a way, you can stop time." - Julius Shulman

A special screening of the documentary Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman will be held at the Crocker Art Museum on Thursday, April 7, 2011 at 7:00 PM. This film celebrates the life and career of Julius Shulman, whose photographs brought modern architecture and progressive architects into American mainstream. Director Eric Bricker will introduce the film and lead a post-screening discussion. Anyone with an interest in Modernism, photography, architecture, and design should enjoy this film.

“Kaufmann House” photographed by Julius Shulman (1947)

Part of Crocker Art Museum's Film Frame series during "Thursdays 'til 9", Visual Acoustics is being presented in collaboration with SacMod -- an organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and protecting modern art, architecture and design in the Sacramento region -- and AIA Central Valley, the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects. 

Tickets to the event are $6 for Crocker Art Museum members and $12 for non-members. Admission to the film includes admission to the museum, which will be open until 9:00pm. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the Crocker Cafe until 8:45 PM. For more information and to order tickets online, go to http://crockerartmuseum.org/learn-do/details/7705-film-frame

Julius Shulman, from VISUAL ACOUSTICS, an Arthouse Films release 2009. Copyright Aiken Weiss.

A self-taught photographer, Julius Shulman possessed an intuitive ability to capture spaces from the best perspective. By including people in his photographs, Shulman brought modern architecture to life.
 
According to our research, Julius Shulman photographed at least one building in Sacramento in 1941 -- The National Youth Administration -- designed by Richard Neutra. We're also looking into a report that Shulman photographed a private Sacramento MCM residence.

“Julius Shulman and Richard Neutra” (1950)

Visual Acoustics highlights the importance of great design and underscores the need for further celebration, education and preservation of excellent mid-20th century architecture. The architects that Shulman worked with believed they could change the world through better design. That spirit and excitement is alive and well here in Sacramento's design community; I would like to see this further encouraged and nurtured.




Please join AIACV and SacMod at the Crocker to see this wonderful film.

All photos from VISUAL ACOUSTICS, an Arthouse Films release 2009. Copyright J. Paul Getty Trust.

Thanks for helping support a great cause!

The Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour is proud to support our neighbors at the Short Center South. We were able to donate a $3,000 from this year's tour and received a really nice handmade card.

The Short Center South is a day program that serves adults with developmental disabilities. The Center offers classes in a studio setting, taught by artists working in their own disciplines. Classes include drawing, painting, ceramics, mosaics, photography, music, dance, theatre, textiles, crafts, sign language, reading, computers, physical education/exercise and classes that further social skills and personal growth.

If you haven't visited their studios and seen their artwork, check them out. You probably have already seen their work around town; they recently completed a public mural that is displayed on Franklin Boulevard. For more information about their work, see their website, Facebook and Twitter pages.

Many thanks to all of you who participated and contributed.

A Real Honor

We had the distinct pleasure of showing the California State Historical Resources Commission some of the homes and points of interest on the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour yesterday.

This morning, the three of us (aka Sacramento Modern) who put together the tour had the honor of receiving a resolution from the Commission during their quarterly meeting, which was held in the chambers of Sacramento's New City Hall.

Again, thank you to all who participated as a homeowner, sponsor, advertiser or volunteer for the home tour. We're proud to be highlighting and celebrating our mid-century modern treasures. We are honored to be considered a part of the larger preservation community and look forward to working further in this capacity.

Second set of official photos: 2010 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour

Here is the second set of official photos from the 2010 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour taken by our friend Toni Okamoto.

We again thank all who participated, especially the homeowners, sponsors, advertisers, and volunteers. If you would like to participate by showing your home, being a sponsor or advertiser, volunteering -- or nominating a neighborhood, building, structure, or otherwise sharing relevant information and history regarding the Sacramento region's MCM art, architecture and design treasures -- please drop us a line at sacramentomodern (at) comcast (dot) net.

First official photos: 2010 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour

Here is the first set of official photos from the 2010 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour taken by our friend John DiDomenico. More photos to follow soon; stay tuned!

For other perspectives, check out:
A blog post by Erin of Bows & Sparrows regarding her tour experience
Another blog post by Kimberly of Mid-Century Living regarding the tour
MidCenturyMadam's blog post regarding her experience
Rynobot's tour experience on his Flickr photostream
Cassi's pix and thoughts about the tour

In the meantime, we invite interested and interesting people to join us. See our previous post about joining Sacramento Modern.

Join Sacramento Modern!

Sacramento Modern is looking for like-minded, hard-working mid-century modern and modern enthusiasts to carry out our mission to promote, preserve and protect modern art, architecture and design in the Sacramento region.

The home tour was the first of many events we'd like to plan that celebrate our area's modern heritage. We can't do this alone; we need your help. Here are some examples of what you can do:

1)  Join Sacramento Modern: be on our board of directors or be a member.

- If you are interested in being a board member, drop us a line and tell us a little about yourself: your interests, skill set, available time to commit. We encourage architects, designers, artists, event planners, volunteer coordinators, historians, organizers, accountants, cheery greeters, heavy lifters and go-getters.

- If you are interested in being a volunteer at a future event, drop us a line.

- If you cannot commit energy and time, consider joining as a member. We'll be offering memberships soon.

2) Nominate buildings, residences, structures, neighborhoods, architects, designers, builders, landscapes, and other local modern treasures that you believe should be featured in future events and/or highlighted by Sacramento Modern.

3) Share your knowledge. Let us know if you have any information to share regarding any local modern treasure (architecture, art, design, crafts, etc.) or any local artisan, designer, architect or craftsperson.

We look forward to hearing from you. Click here:    I'M IN! 

Thank you!

Many thanks to all of the people who made this event happen and to all who participated -- the turnout and interest exceeded our wildest expectations. We really appreciate it!

Special kudos to my co-coordinators Kris Lannin Liang and Dane Henas who went above and beyond the call of duty. Kris had the initial vision for this event and put together the skeletal framework upon which it was founded. She has incredible organizational skills and spent countless hours collaborating and partnering with other local agencies, groups, and individuals, promoting the event, managing submissions to the car show at the airport and at individual homes, organizing registration at the airport, managing ticket sales, marketing and advertising, and volunteer coordination. Dane spent countless hours doing all of the awesome and talented graphic design work: the logos for the home tour and Sacramento Modern, tickets, postcards, poster, signage, various posterboards, image preparation for the cover of Inside the City and the fantastic guidebook layout. I maintained our blog, our presence on Twitter, identified and enlisted most of the homes and points of interest for the tour, conducted historical research (logged over 85 hours just staring at microfilm), helped contact advertisers, collected and prepared images, wrote the content in the guidebook and prepared the historical display at the airport. There were highs and lows, surprises and disappointments -- and lots of blood, sweat and tears.

A giant thank you to the wonderful homeowners (that includes us three!) for allowing people to see what it's like to live in a mid-century modern home --- and to the fabulous volunteers who gave their time and support to this event.

Finally, we want to thank the sponsors, advertisers, and those who gave in-kind donations. We appreciate your believing in us; your participation made this event possible.

We encourage submissions regarding buildings, residences, structures, neighborhoods, architects, designers, builders, landscapes, and other local modern treasures that you believe should be featured in future events. Stay tuned!

Event Sold Out!

We are amazed and humbled by the interest in this tour - and are sad to report that we sold out of tickets this afternoon.

In order not to diminish the experience for participants and homeowners we are not selling any more tickets.

Those of you who have purchased on PayPal -- pick up your tickets at the registration area. Those of you who wanted to go but could not get your tickets in time -- we will have other events in the future so stay tuned! We apologize in advance for any inconvenience.


Thank you for your support.

Tick-tock! Get 'em while you can!

We are so pleased at the excitement and interest the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour has generated -- and we want to make sure you have a heads-up regarding tickets. Our cut-off point for buying tickets to the tour online via PayPal is Friday, June 25th @ 3pm.

We need to have a cut-off time in order to prepare the tickets for will-call at registration.

We will then sell the rest of the available tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis, beginning at 9AM at the Sacramento Executive Airport. Be forewarned, we are close to selling out! We cannot guarantee that there will be tickets available on the day of the event.

For additional details of what to expect on the tour, see our earlier post.

See you soon!

Feeling Hot Hot Hot!

It's been beautiful weather here recently -- but be aware that Sacramento can get pretty toasty this time of year. We hope you bring plenty of sunscreen, drink lots of water and consider wearing a hat while you are out and about this Saturday on the tour.

See details in the post below about the tour; looking forward to seeing all of you!

2010 Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour

Here are the homes that will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for the Mid-Century Modern Home Tour on Saturday, June 26, 2010. Check-in for all tour participants will be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Sacramento Executive Airport.

Tickets are $20 in advance and are available online via this site (see PayPal link in the upper left margin) and at the following Sacramento locations: Parkside Pharmacy, Capital Nursery, Blomberg Windows and HOT ITALIAN.

Any tickets remaining after advance sales may be purchased for $25 (CASH ONLY) at the check-in desk. A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Short Center South, a day program serving adults with developmental disabilities. The Short Center South gallery will also be open during the tour.

At registration, participants will receive guidebooks with information about the homes and points of interest. They will then set their own pace on self-guided tours over three and a half miles of South Land Park and adjacent neighborhoods. On-street parking is available and biking is encouraged. Guest will be invited inside the 11 residences and enjoy driving past and learning about 22 points of interest. Homeowners and docents will be at the homes to greet visitors and answer questions.

Hope to see you there!

Super thanks to Midtown Monthly!

We'd like to thank Midtown Monthly editor and writer Tim Foster for his epic article regarding this year's Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour, the history of mid-century modern, and a little bit about us. Well, a lot about us.

The article, "California Livin' - Celebrating Mid-Century Modern Sacramento", can be found in the June 2010 issue -- on the cover, page 4 and pages 28 - 31. Available online and at newsstands at various locations throughout Midtown -- check it out!

Big thanks to Inside Publications!

We'd like to thank Inside Publications writer Julie Foster and publisher Cecily Hastings for the article regarding the Powell House, a custom designed home on this year's Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour.

The article, "Modern at Last", can be found in the June 2010 issue of Inside The City -- the Land Park, Curtis Park, Hollywood Park, Central City and Woodlake edition -- on the cover and pages 21 - 23. The tour is also discussed on page 12, under the "Life in the City" section -- "Mid-Mod Home Tour." Copies of Inside The City are available for downloading online (pdf) at newsstands at various locations throughout the above-mentioned neighborhoods as well as directly mailed to neighborhood homes. Look for your copy in your mailbox -- or pick one up today!

Special thanks to Sacramento Magazine!

Many thanks to Sacramento Magazine writer Joan Waters for her article regarding the Frame House, a custom Carter Sparks designed home on this year's Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour.

Photo by David Toerge

The article, "Midcentury Modern", can be found in the June 2010 issue of Sacramento Magazine on pages 120 - 123.

Scopitones A-Go-Go!

We won't tell you everything that we have in store for you at the Sacramento Mid-Century Modern Home Tour -- but we'll share this little tidbit. Among the many treats will be a showing of Scopitone films at the Sacramento Executive Airport during tour registration.



Scopitones were a precursor to today's music videos -- a combination of a jukebox plus a screen upon which 16mm films were projected for viewing. Courtesy of Scott Moon we will be showing some films that were played on Scopitones back in the 60s.

Groovy, Baby!