Lifestyle

Mid-century modern art, culture, and living at its finest

Learning from the Land
Obie Bowman’s warm, homey houses grow from their sites—and from their designer’s fanciful imagination
Aura of the Era
Coolest of the cool television sets from the mid-century eye a cozy comeback stage inside today’s modern homes
Light as a Stone in Flight
South Bay sculptor Ken Matsumoto evokes nature and man in an earthy, Zen-like aesthetic
Architecture in Fabric
Bay Area textile artist Ealish Wilson painstakingly mixes digital and traditional techniques for a unique, new look
Carving It Up
Once merely a summertime beach hobby, sand sculpting has hit high tide—as fine art and an international phenomenon
Vinyl's Final Fling
Music lovers celebrate as old-school phonograph records continue their surprising comeback
Painting the Town
When mosaic master Alfonso Pardiñas lit up the Bay Area with his colored glass and lively personality
Music in the Air
The Monterey Jazz Festival and its mid-century rise to glory
House as Cinema Star
Enticing Hollywood with light, openness and style, modern homes have become faves for TV and movie shoots
Hit the Road
Hot-spot stops for time travelers on a California road-trip getaway
Collage: the Ultimate Remix
California artists—and their creations—reveal how the simple art of collage speaks forcefully to people today
How BART Got Art
What's become of the Bay Area Rapid Transit's 'museum' of modern art—born of 1960s dreams yet largely forgotten today?
Dine Like It's '59
12 California restaurants that savor dishing up the mid-century experience
That Magic Glow
Once loved, then reviled, the world of neon art is back in lights—from Los Angeles to San Francisco
Dress to Express
Folks who go retro say it’s all about steppin’ out in style, self-assertion and hunting for clothes
Clay Artist Thinks Big
Once Fresno's best-kept secret, visionary Stan Bitters finds newfound popularity with dazzling grand-scale art he calls 'environmental ceramics'
Dance of a Lifetime
From her legendary open-air deck, dance pioneer Anna Halprin carries on a free-flowing connection between inside and outside
This Kitchen Does It All
CA-Modern 'Best Kitchen Remodel Contest' winners the Cissons continue to be inspired by an inventive design
Magical Modern Tradition
Nostalgia and emotion move grandson to keep alive his family's mid-century Christmas tree creation
Going Wild!
Fantasy and function combine to create 12 modern homes that are out of this world