Monday, September 24, 2012

Cambria Time Capsule - Sculptor in Residence

Jean-Marie Bonnard - 1960's
As promised, my friend Mathias in France sent some photographs of his father from back in the 1960's at the site where Ellie Bogardus built her house. His whimsical wooden sculptures that were erected there were reminiscent of some of the characters in her paintings. The sculptures were made in the garden of the house - at that time he and she lived in a converted garage on the property. Mathias also mentioned that Ellie's aunt was the first Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles - I tried to find record on line, but wasn't able to find any information specific to the 1960's. The photo at the bottom of the series shown below was taken from the cliff area to the north of the house above the beginning of Moonstone Beach. Today there are no vacant lots between the original site of Ellie and her aunt's homes and the small state park on the cliff below where my parents' house further down the street.

Close up of the sculpture head - a self portrait?

Sculpture head and stand

The completed piece

Another sculpture - symbols of things to come

Ellie's Aunt and Jean-Marie

The housing compound - 1960's