Cheer in a Problematic Year - Page 2

Now, whether 2020 has been lucrative or barren for you, there are times in life when you just have to reward yourself with a little more beauty. Much less expensive than a gorgeous car or paramour would be a piece of art, such as the amazing glasswork of David Patchen.

"The San Francisco artist practices the ancient and complex art of murrine, which originated 4,000 years ago in the Middle East and was revived and perfected by glassblowers on the Venetian island of Murano since the early 1500s," relates the story, 'From Venice with Love,' written by yours truly, telling how Patchen traveled to the Italian isle to better learn the craft.

"Our clients especially love his bold use of colors and patterns, as well as the shapes," says Dani Montague of San Francisco's Montague Gallery. "I think David's work is beautiful and playful. He has developed a truly distinctive style."

Two stories in the new CA-Modern share the lead position, exploring the individual styles practiced by artistic professionals who create with cameras. Features editor Dave Weinstein penned both articles, which delve into the work of nearly a dozen architectural photographers, both contemporary and mid-century.

"A great architectural photo captures something about the building you might not otherwise notice or appreciate," Weinstein writes in 'Lords of the Lens,' his piece on the eight greatest architectural photographers who carried on in mid-century California. According to one of his sources, a book by architect Pierluigi Serraino, "A handful of architectural photographers have the remarkable ability to make their photographs…idealized landscapes of modern living that transcend and supersede what they represent."

The companion piece, 'Telling Tales,' looks at the profession through the viewfinders of three California architectural photographers who practice the trade today, Darren Bradley, Elizabeth Daniels, and Joe Fletcher.

Another lively story in the fall issue, 'If Glass Walls Could Talk,' draws from a new book by Carol Sveilich, Reflections from a Glass House: a Memoir of Mid-Century Modern Mayhem. Sveilich's entertaining memoir about growing up in a San Jose Eichler is packed with anecdotes about mid-century music and culture.

The only sad part of the new issue comes by way of the latest (and last!) installment of the long-running 'Dear Cherry' advice column. Cherry announces "an extended holiday" from the magazine after 15 wonderful years.

"Until we meet again, I wish you, my dear readers, good health, wealth, and happiness," says Cherry, who, not unlike the 'Gilligan's Island' crew before her, reportedly has left for Hawaii—aboard a tiny ship for a fateful trip, on a three-hour tour. Click here to read a PDF of the 'Dear Cherry' finale.

But cheer up! Let's wind up this year on a happy note. Start by checking out the new fall '20 issue of CA-Modern.