Otis
From page 1,
Feeling that there was no better
to help execute the dbtails of his
vision, EK. brought husband and
wife artist team Otis and Dorothy
Shepard to the Island from Chi-
cago.
From 1932 to 1962 Otis Shepa-
rd was art director for the William
Wrigley Jr. Company, and contin-
ued as a consultant until his death
in 1969. Born in Kansas in 1894,
Otis made his way to San Francis-
co working days as an art appren-
tice at the San Francisco Chronicle
and taking night courses at Mark
Hopkins Institute in San Francis-
co. In 19!7, he joined the Foster &
Kleiser Outdoor Advertising Com-
pany, and after service in WWI,
Shepard (or "Shep") returned to
F&K, becoming art director from
1923 to 1930.
His wife Dorothy was born in
Berkeley, California in 1906. After
receiving a Bachelor of Arts de-
gree from the California College
of Arts and Crafts in 1927, she
went to work at Foster & Kleiser
as a poster artist, where she met
and married Shep in 1929.
In 1930, Otis and Dorothy re-
signed from F&K, and went to
New York City. By then Shep was
established as one of the predomi-
nant airbrush illustrators in the
country. In New York, Shep and
Dorothy worked freelance on Mad-
ison Avenue---advertising capital
of the world--where Shep made
posters for Chesterfield cigarettes,"
Richfield Gasoline, and Chevrolet
and Pontiac automobiles.
Shepard, considered a pioneer
in modern airbrush poster art in
the 1930s, received many nation-
ally acclaimed awards for his art.
In fact, Shepard's distinctive air-
brush technique and his simple,
clear designs have become icons,
in the modern commercial art field
of today.
An interesting foomote in Shep's
career was his visit in the late 1920s
to Austrian artist Joseph Binder's
studio in Vienna. Binder was a pio-
neer of graphic design and gained
intemational recognition for his
compositions of travel posters.
In 1933, there was a great de-
mand for illustrators in the United
States. Binder left his homeland and
moved to New York City, where his
admirer and visitor Otis Shepard,
was now established as one of the
prominent illustrators in the U.S.
It was obvious in Shep's work
that he was inspired by his visit
to Binder's studio and influenced
by Binder's philosophy. Shep ap-
proached his art based on the fol-
lowing theory: "You had to eat,
sleep, and drink the product to be"
able to represent it to the public."
Shep believed that an illustration
should have a simple language that
could be understood by individuals
at all levels of society. As art di-
rector of Wrigley-Spearmint Gum,
Shepard produced many years of
work based on this philosophy.
At that time Shep's playful and
bold imagery, which conveyed
a simple message, was just what
P.K. wanted for the Island.
At the request of Wrigley, "the
Shepards landed on sunny Cata-
lina sometime around 1934. Trav-
eling down Crescent Avenue, they
were greeted by a broad roadway
without trees or shrubbery, fronted
on one side by rocky beaches and
lined on the other primarily with
uneventful buildings of various
shapes and sizes that sported bias6
signage:
Mr. Wrigley's early California
dream, however, was already un-
derway when the Shepards arrived
on the Island. The world-famous
Casino had been an Art Deco
landmark since 1929. The newly
constructed Paseo de El Encanto,
located at the junction of Marilla
and Casino Way, had its official
grand openirfg ceremonies the first
weekend in August 1933. The fes-
tivities included strolling trouba-
dours, dances of old Spain, pinatas
for the kids, and exhibits of arts
and crafts, many of which were ar-
tisans from Los Angeles' historic
Alvero Street.
While Otis is credited with
most of the advertising design of
Catalina and the design of Cres-
cent, Dorothy played a major role
as well. Content working in the
background, she designed signage,
company uniforms, created paint-
ings, cooked, and raised their two
children.
Soon after the Shepard's arrival
and the success of the E1 Encanto,
Mr. Wrigley announced plans for
remodeling the company owned
buildings in an early California
style and for the complete transfor-
mation of Avenida de la Crescent.
The first phase of the project
included taking down power and
telephone poles and placing the
wire underground. The dirt and
sand promenade soon gave way
to curving brick and stone walk-
ways edged Iy a sea of grass and
planters adorned with Catalina
tile. White sand, imported from
Newport Beach, was added to the
beaches and full-grown palm and
olive trees, barged from the main-
land, graced the newly constructed
planters.
Mushroom-shaped lights, now
known as "Shepard Lights," were
installed along the promenade
helping to complete the atmo-
sphere of the landscape, along with
Shepard designed kiosks placed in
several locations.
It is said that Shep supervised
much of the makeover includ-
ing the placement of each tree
and worked side-by-side with the
stonemasons and laborers in the
placement of the stones and bricks
in the walkways.
Adding to the atmosphere, two
fountains were constructed on
Avenida de la Crescent. Wrigley
Fountain was placed in the heart of
Crescent at the foot of Sumner, and
Sombrero Fountain was construct-
ed at the base of Whittley near the
El Encanto. The early California
theme is seen in the Mission-style
structures built at the entrance to
Via Casino Way and to the en-
trance to the former Steamer Pier.
In the first year, Avalon's front
street, Crescent Avenue became
a shady, comfortable boardwalk
where visitors could stroll and sit
along the beach and spread a blan-
ket and relax on the sand.
Soon thereafter, local mer-
chants warmed to the new early
California look and the new Cres-
cent Avenue. With the free advise
of Dorothy and Shep, storefronts
sported new facades and signage
engaging the playful Catalina Cal-
ifornia theme.
The Serpentine Wall, also de-
signed by the Shepard's, was add-
ed, extending from South beach to
the Green Pleasure Pier. It divided
the beach from the stone and brick
walkway.
Dorothy applied her artistic tal-
ent in many other areas as well such
as redecorating the whole of the St.
Catherine Hotel, (located at Des-
canso Beach and razed in 1966), the
lobby of the Hotel Atwater, and the
lounge areas of the steamer ship the
S.S. Avalon. She designed the 100
foot long fish mural in the Marine
Bar in the Casino Ballroom. Story
also has it that she designed the fish
murals in the Marlin Club and that
legendary Island artist, Bud Upton,
painted the murals based on Doro-
thy's design.
The wonderful thing about
Avalon's front street is that most of
its original features created by Otis
and Dorothy Shepard still exist to-
day. The Serpentine wall still am-
hies down the promenade (you'll
find the seents head at the base
of the green Pleasure Pier). Wrig-
ley Fountain still anchors the heart
of Crescent Avenue, and Sombrero
Fountain--now a planter--is still
a popular photo spot
Many of the olive and palm
trees still thrive, and you can still
find out what movie is playing at
the Avalon Theater by going to
one of the kiosks located near Step
Beach or at the foot of the Green
Pleasure Pier. You can take a tour
of the Casino building or stop in
the Marlin Club and see Dorothy's
murals. And, if you are observant
enough, you can still spot one of
their many unique signs still hang 7
ing around town.
Next time you walk down Front
Street, take the time to appreciate
the subtle artistic endeavors cre-
ated more than 60 years ago by
two exceptionally versatile and
talented artists.
CATALINA iSLANDER .................................. Friday, July 8, 2011! 5
