Art & Inspiration Saturday Art Show, Prints,various Artwork, Automotive Related

56 Olds


33 Sedan

 

Gilbert “Magu” Luján (1940- 2011) Returning to Aztlan

Hello,

The mind plays tricks and memories come and go in a flash. When I first looked at this fabulous detailed artwork by Gilbert “Magu” Lujan, it was an instant flashback to the times when we constantly drove on COAST HIGHWAY from the Laguna Beach area in a southerly direction to Dana Point and farther South on our early 1960's surf journeys.

On the left side of the artwork, it certainly looks like early Coast Highway from Laguna Beach to the big curve heading into the Dana Point community. The tall mountains are part of Laguna Beach coastal mountain range. The big bay is Monarch Beach Cove and bay. Salt Creek surf spot is right in the lower left of the big bay. Then the Coast Highway heads South that leads into the big bend in the direction of the road.

The wide open spaces was the original look we got accustomed to seeing every time we drove down this route and location. It was if coming around a blind spot due to the barren hills and opening into a fantastic view or the whole coastline with a scattering of homes and businesses for a short span. Until the road drops again to travel along the flat coastline past Dana Point.

Jnaki

Thanks to Gilbert Lujan’s artwork, I can’t spend enough time recalling all of the adventures during our teen years of surfing South County surf spots and beyond, down San Diego way…

Gilbert “Magu” Lujan grew up in East Los Angeles. His influences were the cultural aspects of the community activities in that area. An original founder of the “Los Four” group of artists, he developed a sense of fantasy and culture all mixed into many views of our society.

With respect for grammar kings noting everyone’s writing, the word “Coast or Coast Highway” was used a number of times. It was part of the whole idea that this artwork drew every time I pulled it out of my files to look at a different perspective of art.

Note: In the early days of South County surfers heading South, there was only one stop light from the top of the curving hilltop heading into the town of Dana Point. The route was all downhill and a contest of sorts was put up for some fun. The best times to finish the race was to go early in the morning, ok for us as we usually arrived in the dark. No traffic and all downhill to reach the railroad underpass and farther South, if you could coast that far.

No motor running, transmissions in neutral, and headlights always on were the minimal safety rules. The honesty of no motor coasting was the key. How could you not coast down Coast Highway? The name was just asking for someone to challenge the wording. And challenge the “all downhill Coast Highway Coasting Contest” was in place for eternity.

(Well, not in today's multiple stop lights and tons of “all hours” traffic along Coast Highway through Dana Point. The hill is still there, the view is still there when rounding the “Big Bend” but it is not always a free flowing Coastal Highway as it once was…)

 

One of my favorite American made automobiles, that was pure elegance.

 

Only one this week.

 

a friendly salut from germany rad rodheads,
tryin to figure out if I can also upload a pic with an ol apple phone coz am sittin on the laptop using an ol blackberry as a modem to use that bigger thing online. am pretty much out of modern life but I do have a question for a drawin coz after research on different forums bout the correct class I'm still not 100% sure if I picked the correct one so far or not for a drawin.. the gasser or a/fx n other topics here or there didnt got me faster so far. here's another pic I made the other day but I try to upload the pic bout my question is asap if it works as I do imagine or I have to send it to myself via email and upload it with the old bone later.

ps: is there another dude we can ask if someone forgot his email address or password? dont wanna name a name but zero answer sucks after a while. took some time to remember the correct buttons.

 

57 but what correct class or what period correct changes on that one in your opinion n experience? I've chosen B/ GAS but aint sure if I did ok rafn. it's just a fantasy ride for now but what class is it traditionally. after history? thought of 3300 lbs without 200 lbs delivered by a 426 n does it hurt some rules?

 

just woke up n saw Master Lee's post...
R.I.P. Aden Jacobi

 

Tom Fritz.

 

Britt Madding.

 

John Severson
Hello,

The Dana Point community has placed bronze cast statues of famous watermen/women as a tribute to contributing to Dana Point’s long history. John Severson is one of the folks given this particular honor.

The location is right on PCH as one drives past the famous Doheny State Beach location, near the only overhead walkway on PCH and the San Juan Creek flowing out to the ocean.

Recently, there was a mention about moving the original Surfer Museum archives from one coastal city to another museum location. Then that morphed into me looking at my original Surfer Magazine #1 issue I have kept all of these years.
The first copy I still have on my office shelf. Published by John Severson... in 1960.

Jnaki

The staples are getting a little tarnished, but I used a Q-tip and chrome cleaner to get it back to shiny status. Being careful not to damage the paper cover. There are a few of these floating around and I thought one of those places would like having an original for their displays.

Compared to all of the latest versions of the publications, it seems antiquated. But, the photos were inspiring to a teenager, with hopes to get better out in the same waters in the whole So Cal surf scene.

Here is a good friend from Seal Beach featured in the issue. Along with our favorite “local” shaper, Bob “OLE” Olson.

My 8 foot long surfboard with the orange/red speed fin shaped by Bob “Ole” Olson. On our custom Rambler cruiser on Kauai.

The color film we took from the Huntington Pier is of Denny Buell.

from the J Naki channel on You Tube

Note:

For all John Severson artwork, a small store just opened up with the famous artwork of John Severson. It is a nice place to stroll around for a while… YRMV

 

@41 GMC K-19 Here's a different angle of that Cadillac HO I thought it was 49 but my notes say it's a 42. Also a 41 Olds ornament.

 

Hey @JBurt
I actually have one of those cool Caddy hood ornaments, definitely one of my favorites !

 

Diego Rivera's Detroit murals.

 

Harbor House Café/Diner on PCH in Sunset Beach, Ca

Hello,

From the time we were young kids, our dad took us to this funky little restaurant on PCH as we drove south from Long Beach. Since it was early morning, it was a great breakfast. Sometimes on the way down during lunch hour, it was a fabulous burger, fries and coke that satisfied my brother and my hungry stomachs.

We stopped at first because there was this colorful poster painting hung on a pole out in front of the diner. As anyone could see it from any portion of the highway, it was a calling car of sorts. We wanted to know why it was up there on the pole. So did thousands of other folks stopping for a great breakfast or lunch.
It was a calling card, fancy artwork or drawing inquisitive families to stop and have lunch was a great ploy of advertising. It was on a pole on the outside of the famous Harbor House Café. That was the drawing card for us. But, as we parked, the new artwork on the side of the faded red barn painted building came into play.

Historic old time photo when the water tower was an empty water tower. Prior to that, trains from Long Beach stopped here to fill up prior to heading to Newport Beach, along the sandy shoreline.

The Harbor House Café restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. The slogan is that “we are open on all major holidays and never close… what great service and fabulous food to boot!

There is a second Harbor House Restaurant on PCH in Dana Point, same color and great food, too.

The original, Harbor House in Sunset Beach, CA

Jnaki

With the late hours of the cool café my wife and I were frequent visitors to this diner and great food. Back in those 20-30 something days our high rate of activity and metabolism could stand the late night stops and quantity of food. These days, it is see the nice faded red paint, the Superman sign and cruise on by to other sights along this portion of the So Cal coastline. Ha!
1968-69
Down block from the Harbor House in 1969 taken from the windshield of the 65 El Camino… population 2500, elevation 5 feet… good old times and location in So Cal.

Note:

With the elevation at 5 feet, there are some days of the King High Tides coming to coastal California. You be the judge… yikes!

Wednesday December 13th, 2023 High 6.9 ft 8:25 am
Thursday December 14th, 2023 High 6.9 ft 9:05 am
Monday December 25th, 2023 High 6.8 ft 7:20 am
Tuesday December 26th, 2023 High 6.8 ft 7:57 am
Bill Anderson’s world renown Artist Retro Sign Painting of Sunset Beach, including the iconic Water Tower.

Bill Anderson Art Gallery in Sunset Beach, CA focuses a keen eye on the lifestyle of the beach community where his fine arts gallery has been located for over a decade.

billandersonartgallery.com

“Anderson's watercolor art in the photo above shows Harbor House Cafe, a bright building and business on Pacific Coast Highway known as the place that never closes. While you can easily enter the restaurant without a wait most times, weekend mornings --Saturdays and Sundays --- are particularly busy times for this restaurant that is completely casual, comfortable and fun.”

 

Pretty "spiffy" for 1933.

 

Bruce Kaiser art.