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Student Blogs | Christine Ha

Posted on November 20, 2009 at 1:15 pm

It was difficult to suppress hysterical bouts of laughter as our caravan of artists crooned to "Wicked" on the way to the illustrious house of Charles and Ray Eames. As close as our 3D design class had become, companionship always reaches a new level when one can withstand the off-key screeching of any friend. Suddenly, the screeching turns into exclamations as the exit is suddenly spotted, and split-second decisions are made. I seriously saw my life flash before my eyes as my friend frantically maneuvered us through the bushes and onto the road. Thank God for SUVs and small favors.

But the true experience came when we entered upon Eames land. Driving up to the expanse of white architecture, I hardly noticed the cold as I was helplessly washed over with the mixed feeling of awe and curiosity. Nearing the hand-painted gate designed by Lucia Eames herself, the urge to touch everything became almost unbearable. Immediately, hospitable smiles and hand-shakes were shared all around, and I muttered to myself to be careful around all the precious artwork, as I had proven in the past to make a skill out of clumsiness.

The tour began with a warm welcome from Lucia and her youngest daughter, Llisa Eames. Several times I had to manually close my jaw because it kept dropping open for some weird reason. I was in shock-love. We had barely entered the first room, and already the walls were lined with designed chairs, tables, pillows, and random bolts of cloth. A stylized yellow elephant sat comfortably on the far table, and as the tour progressed, I jabbed a friend excitedly, showing them a butt-load of bottle-caps covering cleverly placed magnets on a fridge.

Every room contained character, every wall was carefully arranged, and every picture or drawing spoke some kind of message, feeling, or was just awesome to look at. Both Llisa and Lucia gave us detailed explanations and heartfelt stories of this artwork, or that picture. I felt like I had truly stumbled upon people who knew how to live. Lucia would off-handedly refer to a sculpture that she had designed for some famous museum somewhere, and Llisa would nonchalantly lead us through rooms that held hundreds of works of timeless art. I felt my heart drop a little as the tour came to an end. The two wonderful ladies surprised us all by handing us gift bags filled with artistic goodness. When we sat down to eat sushi later, a friend took out one of the pamphlets in the bag and breathed slowly. “Paper samples,” was all he could say, as he put the delicate sheets of paper to his nose to sniff the scent of his new treasure.

Was the trip worth nearly dying from car-flippage and standing in ungodly cold weather? Without a doubt.

Christine Ha
Sophomore Fine Arts Major