By MAXINE HALLEF Special to the Daily Press
Santa Monica’s California Heritage Museum is focusing on a California tilemaker.
It launched its first exhibition devoted to “Albert Solon: Clayworker Extraor-dinaire” Feb. 13.
“No other museums are doing ongoing exhibitions on California tiles,” said the museum’s director Tobi Smith. Two other exhibits on tile makers are planned for 2002.
The new exhibition is a result of the monumental “California Tile — The Golden Era 1910-1940,” which featured more than 1,200 pieces.
A two-volume, 400-page book is being published about this exhibit, which includes sections devoted to major tile sources such as Solon.
Solon, who comes from a long line of ceramists, founded S & S pottery of San Jose with Frank Schemmel in 1920. It was responsible for such installations as the Steinhart Aquarium in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, Hearsts’ San Simeon and the Loews, State and Orpheum Theatres in Los Angeles, as well as private homes. Later the name of the company was changed to Solon and Larkin, which decorated a number of sites, including the Yehudi Menuhin home in Los Gatos.
A lecture on the work of Albert Solon will be given by tile collector and historian Riley Doty on May 7.
A special area on the first floor of the museum is being set up to display the new series of tile exhibitions. The California Heritage Museum is located in an historic 1889 house located at Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard in Santa Monica. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 2, 2002. Read the original PDF.