Altadena Public Library: Jewel of the Foothills
by Pasadena Adjacent
Several years ago I visited the Altadena Public Library for the first time. Although mesmerized by this fine mecca of mid century modernism, there is one detail that escapes it’s most adamant admirers. The woodwork. I’m not talking stacks and chairs but those gems of bio-morphic abstraction; the tiles that grace it’s other circulation desk. Based on two patterns, they’re not stamped nor cast, but hand carved mahogany. And each tile shows slight variations in the carving. 
Head over heels smitten, and coming off a series of tiles based on bio-morphic pod forms, I decided to do a riff off the library tile patterns. Note the jazz term “riff” its a nod to African woodcarving. Something I also sense in these patterns. My tiles are ceramic; 8.5 x 8.5 Black Mountain stoneware, copper oxide and a limited color pallate. Enlarge and admire 
Last weekend, with the assistance of Altadena’s finest (librarians), we were able to track down the original paperwork to the artisans who made this library what it is. Enlarge – some of them are still in business, and if not, they hold court in the pantheon of classic modernist design. But another surprise awaited me. The discovery of more carved tiles in the children’s section.
Again – “smitten”
In conclusion, a nod to the other artist whose work occupies the grounds of the Altadena Public library. The 7’x14′ water sculpture at the main doorway “Tree of Life” (no longer in operation) and the “Owl Tree” on the south entrance, is by Altadena artist David Green. The “Owl” in the children’s section and “Lady” in the fern garden is by Armenian sculptor Nishan Toor.
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Pasadena Adjacent 
Our Editor Responds: No more fund raisers. Back to the minutia that floods our daily lives. A place to display the oddities we hold near and dear (local history, secret gardens, under appreciated art, wonders in concrete)
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I’m smitten, especially with your gorgeous tiles.
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Our Editor Responds: Thank you. Theres just something comical to me about those forms. The lack of uniformity? I can’t seem to pin it down – but I think they work.
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I love the work. So impressive, te”RIFF”ic how you used the carving as the basis and created something totally beautiful and your own.
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Our Editor Responds: I’m glad you see them as breaking away. Despite my detective work, I was still only able to locate the original shop – not the designer who went uncredited. Craft often suffers anonymity.
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Good detective work. Lovely tiles you’ve made.
Our Editor Responds: Thanks Jean. I keep a bag of dark clay around to make them when I’m artistically stuck. With the concept in place they’re easy to put out and can help get my creative wheels moving
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WOW…
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Our Editor responds: thats high praise! I owe you a visit
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I’m wondering if I can afford a tile. Are they, per chance, for sale?
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Our Editor Responds: your more apt to receive a gift tile then one for purchase; more reasons to keep me on your dance card
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And that dance card is filling up as we speak. Thank you for pointing out these additional treasures that Ms Magoo here never noticed.
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Our Editor Responds: and the light Ms Magoo. Beautiful light.
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Hiker, you make me feel better because I never noticed them either. How could I have missed them? I won’t miss them again.
Your tiles are especially beautiful, PA. I really like this post. No music. I still have the friggin’ ABBA in my head from the Twyla post and I don’t like ABBA. It’s not your fault. I just have one of those brains.
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Our Editor Responds: Still harping on ABBA? let it go! Can’t do it? need to get even? get Bernie K to stick Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir in his film and we’ll call it a day
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Well, I think they are spectacular. Please let me pay.
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Our Editor Responds: we’ll talk
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Wonderful. I must visit the Altadena Library. It’s hard to imagine woodcarvers anonymously chipping away at slabs of mahogany in America in the 20th century, but I’m trying.
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Our Editor Responds: My blog comes with a disclaimer – the librarians could only help to a certain point. My expert woodworker (Mr V) “thinks” it’s mahogany and hand carved off a pattern. Mahogany is a good carving wood. But……the library store desks (when you walk in the library) and according to the librarian are made from a mold. You’ll notice that they are kind of shiny.
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Our Editor implores you to open the link to the circulation desk
impressive
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Very enjoyable post. Does the paperwork really say “Kibrary” or is that a little artist humor?
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Our Editor Responds: Laziness – my guess is that the card was printed up in the era of white out.
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My wife works in the library at a school of nursing and appreciates your praise of Altadena’s finest. Part of her job is the exact same thing: that is helping her student patrons and instructors find the odd, obscure, obtuse, oblique and unimagined research paper. Call or visit the library when you’re stuck, the research librarians are glad to help.
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Our Editor Responds: We’ve sent more then one librarian down the rabbit hole in search of the “odd, obscure, obtuse, oblique” One such search led to a major career journey for Mr V. We like them – they like us.
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Oh, forgot to mention the tiles are just as beautiful as their inspiration! Do you have them installed someplace?
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Our Editor Responds: Thanks and no. I need to make more of them. I will when I return to working with clay
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You’re right–I’ve been blind to these details. thanks for pointing them out, and sharing your own gorgeous work.
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Our Editor Responds: My pleasure and your Welcome.
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Your tiles are fabulous, PA. Whimsical and … kinetic? They have a lot of energy for inanimate objects. I’m ashamed to admit, especially among these Dena bibliophiles, that I have not yet been to the Altadena Public Library. Terrible, I know. But now when I go I’ll notice all these wonderful details. Thanks for pointing them out.
Is there still a plan to rebuild this library? God, I hope not.
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Our Editor Responds: Thanks – they are lively. There is a innate humor in the bio-morphic. Those h(t)umoresque sculptures in front of the Huntington Hospital… re: library – my understanding is that it’s still in the plans. Unfortunate.
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Very nice work and a very nice looking library!
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Our Editor Responds: it is and with unfortunate plans to destroy it’s integrity with expansion. We just lost the Lloyd Wright Home Palos Verdes last week (Frank’s kid)
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I’ve never been – where is the library? I get confused as there seem to be several. What a beautiful circulation desk, and what a beautiful tile tribute you’ve made. Do I see Herman Miller on the list of outfitters? Do they have Aeron chairs in the new color, “True Black.”?
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Our Editor Responds: stacks by Ames got my attention – 600 East Mariposa Street. The land was donated by the Guyer family. Leigh Guyer established Altadena’s first public school, was on the board of the country club and the Rose Parade Grand Marshal of 1913.
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Smitten back at ya!
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Our Editor Responds: you too
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That is a pretty darn good looking library. So light and airy. The woodwork, with its light warm tones, and almost solar motif, fit in perfectly. I miss a good library and haven’t gotten a kindle yet. I’d probably read more if I had such a lovely place to go. Architecture could do so much more to contribute to lifestyle. I guess communities and cities just don’t have the time or money to invest in such utopian visions.
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Our Editor Responds: This little library is unfortunately facing “expansion” which will of course end up destroying it’s architectural integrity. The library that I grew up in was torn to the ground, replaced by a mega structure. As we cut library hours, we vote in multi-million dollar bonds to enlarge these beauties. Wish they would just build a new library (set up for the internet age) elsewhere in Altadena. They have plenty of belly-up developments that could be used
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you have an artists eye. but is the wood. real wood??
what finally brot u to visit this library – looking for a book on woodwork?
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Our Editor Responds: Research – “Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles” they had it. (I take it you don’t bother with the reading part of blogging)
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Our Editor Responds: Another call to action
Focus: Big Tujunga and Pacoima Reservoirs
Communities: Pacoima, Sylmar, Lake View Terrace, Sun Valley, Tujunga, Sunland, Glendale, La Crescenta, and La Cañada Flintridge.
When: Tuesday, May 8, 6:00-8:00 pm
Where:
Los Angeles Mission College,
Campus Center, 2nd Floor, Assembly Hall
13356 Eldridge Avenue, Sylmar
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Lameness, thy name is me. I have not yet been the the Altadena Library. Even worse, I haven’t been to the satellite that is right around the corner from my house. You’ve proven I must remedy this situation immediately.
Gorgeous tiles. Yours and the library’s.
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Our Editor Responds: Thank you. Beautiful garden too. Japanese influence
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It was our pleasure to do the detective work for your tile project.
The tiles you created are glorious and it is so soul satisfying to see that the woodwork here was your inspiration!
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Our Editor Responds: Thank you for leaving such a generous comment Helen. It looks like I made your day and you made mine.
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I’m smitten too–with your ceramic tile designs and the wood carvings. Incredibly beautiful…
You’re so lucky to find that kind of art in a newer building. Here in Cincy, we’re lucky because old Rookwood Pottery gems show up in the older buildings in unexpected places, but anything built past the 1940s is generic blah…
(I’m passing your email on to several friends…we were just talking about find cool tiles!)
Kelly
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Our Editor Responds: I’m glad you like them. It’s funny you should use the term newer. In Los Angeles this is considered old. We have to fight like mad to keep mid-century buildings from being destroyed and replaced with ho-hums. BTW: I don’t know if this comment got spammed or lost or was written privately so I put it on the post. Under Kelly(no last name)
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Thanks for showing us these beautiful tiles – Yours and the library’s. Having never been there, it’s on my Must See list. Libraries – there’s nothing like ’em.
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Our Editor Responds: Thank you. And don’t forget to drop into the Mexican joint on nearby Lake – across from Websters. It’s like homemade.
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Mr V, I think I would know you anywhere…
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Our Editor Responds: *wink*
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