5/24/13 4/17/12

Berkeley Artist Home Tour Pictures

Touring a Painter's Artistically Inspired, Vintage Furnished Berkeley Flat

April 17, 2012 by Elka Karl

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Touring a Painter's Artistically Inspired, Vintage Furnished Berkeley Flat

For a house to be a home, it should reflect the values of its inhabitants, and that's certainly true of artist Terri Saul's lovely Berkeley apartment. Terri, along with her boyfriend, Josh Michels, Terri's 16-year-old daughter, Lydia Warren, and their two cats, Pepper and Quixote, have resided in their historic Berkeley apartment building for the past three years. Full of thoughtful details, original artwork, and cool decorating vignettes, the home is utterly charming and relaxing — I found myself lingering over cups of tea and chatting with Terri and Josh about everything from furniture to drama classes when I photographed their home.

Come along for a thorough tour of their spacious, lovingly decorated apartment, and see what Terri and Josh have to say about their home.

CasaSugar: Can you tell us a little about the history of your apartment building?
Terri Saul: It used to be a boys' boarding school. The apartment has two levels. Much of the top level was added in the '90s. Before the addition it was a rooftop deck with a sauna that was open to the building's residents.

A peek into the living room from the entry, where I was greeted by a kitty!

In the dining room, a go-to table holds grocery bags, keys, and electronics with, of course, several art pieces as well.

A closer look at some of the art on the table.

CS: How would you describe your home's style?
TS: It's filled with an eclectic mix of things we're drawn to and items collected from our past. It balances budget-conscious green living through recycling and reuse with bought items, such as artwork by local artists. We play with scale by placing large pieces near little ones. Also, there's a lot of light, so the look and feel of the apartment changes with the weather and time of day.

CS: Who painted this piece?
TS: This painting is by Ashley Shochat. It's called "Red Vines in the Summertime," and it was painted in 2006. It's a painting of her three children eating Red Vines in the Summer. More work from that year can be seen here.

The painting is reflected in the granite countertops on the kitchen bar area.

A silver tea kettle is ready for brewing fresh tea on the stovetop.

Terri bought this avocado tile artwork in Austin, TX.

CS: How is your work as an artist reflected in your home's functionality and look?
TS: When we were looking for an apartment, we looked for a place that could allow for spaces to create art. The apartment faces the Berkeley hills on one side and the bay San Bruno in the south to Mt. Tamalpais in the north, which gives us different light and views to work in.

A bear figurine peeks out between the plants.

A look at Terri's art studio area, in the dining room.

Some of Terri's sketches on one of her work surfaces.

A work in Terri's studio area in the apartment.

More of Terri's artwork hangs in the dining room.

Pattern play on a table in the living room.

A collection of artwork in the living room. The boy on the bicycle painting, "Albetong Phoenix," is by Terri Saul and is based on a photograph by David Wright, called "Luggard."
The oversized wooden sculpture of a head wearing a helmet is by Nat Russell, and it was purchased from Hatch Gallery in Oakland.
The small square painting on the wall next to the wooden pieces is by Martin McMurray and is based on a photograph by Larry Sultan from a series called Pictures from Home.
From bottom left: The painting of a figure in submarine is by Martin McMurray, and it's called "Personal Submersible Un-Powered." Next, toward the right is by Terri Saul, and the title is "Cousins."
On top of the other wall hangs "Film Commune," by Terri Saul. This piece will be shown in a solo show at Meal Ticket, on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, in May 2012.
Below that is a drawing by Carlos Perez purchased from Creative Growth in Oakland. Carlos Perez's work can be seen in Creative Growth's show Natural Selection — Annual Home Show, up now through June 21.

Artwork and sculptural pieces on the bookshelf in the living room.

CS: Is there any piece of furniture in your living room that has special significance or resonance?
TS: Josh has a great respect for the work of Charles and Ray Eames and fond memories of sitting in his parents' Eames Lounge Chair.

Handpainted book covers by Martin McMurray.

Another look at the grouping of art, with Eames chairs bookending the collection.

A contrasting pouf adds color in the living room.

A handpainted bookcover on the computer desk.

CS: What's the significance of the Potrero sign in the living room?
TS: Josh lived with his family, and on his own, on Potrero Hill in San Francisco for many years.

CS: Is that a shibori cloth covering the computer monitor?
TS: I'm not sure if that's the name for it. It's similar to that, but not made by tie-dying the cloth. It was hand-dyed by an old friend's uncle, to advertise his printing shop that sat next to a river in Japan.

A poster for the local independent Berkeley radio station adorns the side of a bookshelf in the living room, while a succulent is displayed in a hanging vase.

CS: Can you tell me about the wooden art behind the Eames chair?
TS: That one is by Miles Epstein. It's called "We're Outta Here." It's made from an old ironing board, wooden clothespins, electric mixer beaters, and a dart. Miles was invited to go "picking" at a soon-to-be demolished house and to create something with materials gleaned there. This was the result.
Miles first showed us the piece in his studio at Workspace, in San Francisco's Mission District.

A look from the living room into the dining room and kitchen.

CS: I love the juxtaposition of the little saint plaque with the ceramic tighty whiteys. Is there special significance to this vignette?
TS: The tighty-whitey sculpture is from a local ceramic artist, and the wooden art of St. Francis is from Mexico. It's a juxtaposition of a sacred symbol and everyday human artifact. Like a glowing halo above the saint.

CS: Can you tell me about the painting and pottery in the downstairs bathroom?
TS: The painting is by Martin McMurray. It's from the early 2000s. I placed the pottery in front of the painting to set up a repeated pattern of similarly sized and shaped elements as a foreground, with variations in color, different enough from the artwork (which is more monochromatic, narrative, and dramatic) so as not to interfere with what's happening in the painting.

CS: Can you tell me a little more about the misspelling of your name on the book cover art?
TS: Martin McMurray came up with that. It's a character he created based on me. He made me into an author of my own life story, and he changed my name to Serri Taul. In the fake book jackets, he placed me in places where we had been together (we used to be a couple), our old house, trails we had hiked, places we had walked together, me as a tiger, etc. . . . He also placed me on the back cover, where the author photo usually goes. Sometimes he appears on the back cover as one of his alter egos, Marsden McDuff.

Terri's paintings line the walls of the stairway.

CS: What's the significance of the airplane art grouping at the top of the stairs?
TS: That's a set of paintings by Martin McMurray, some of the first paintings I bought from him. He was just getting used to the idea that his artwork was something that he could sell. Now, he makes his living as an artist. So, I'm happy to have been part of the development of the idea that he could live as an artist. I like to hang the airplanes either side by side in a horizontal configuration, or stacked above each other, like they are in the alcove above the stairs. Martin is an airplane enthusiast and so is Josh.

CS: How do you use the room with the tatami mats?
TS: It's a guest room, an art storage room, and a meditation room.

CS: Can you tell me more about your series with the geisha/aboriginal women? Also, where was the Japanese wooden doll figurine sourced?
TS: The Native American child in one of the pieces is a self-portrait, my 6-year-old view of my Choctaw-Chickasaw-Cherokee self. It also addresses my struggles with elders in the Native American community, how they affected my view of my heritage, and how I internalized that view as a child.
The women in robes are not necessarily geishas. They're wearing robes like one wears when visiting a simple hotel in Japan. The robed figures entered the paintings after my family visited a show in Tokyo about the theme of the smile in Japanese art at the Mori Art Museum. I had taken a photo with my daughter around that time, and we wore these kinds of robes together soon after arriving in Hakone, near Mt. Fuji in our Ryokan (Japanese Inn). The series is related to mother-daughter relationships, our familial sense of humor, tricksterism, the artwork we saw, and women's roles.

CS: Where was the Japanese wooden doll figurine sourced?
TS: We bought the doll in Kyoto, but you can also find them in Berkeley at a place like Thousand Cranes, or in San Francisco in Japan Town.

More art and photography in the meditation room.

At the top of the stairs, we step out of the meditation room into the hallway.

A look at some of the bookcases and vignettes in the hallway.

CS: You have an amazing amount of books displayed in your home (which I love, of course). What special qualities do you think that books bring to a home?
TS: They mean that the home is full of readers — people who are curious and passionate about literature and learning. Although, I fear that, considering the state of publishing, printed books may soon become merely decorative, or vintage. I work in publishing, and read daily, sometimes for work, sometimes for pleasure. My daughter's dad is a librarian and we met in a bookstore, Pegasus Books, where we both worked in the early '90s. I went into labor at the bookstore. Naturally, my daughter also shares the love and the heritage of a family of readers.

CS: Your house is filled with so many fascinating objects — like the tiny rocking chair in the hallway. What's the history behind the chair? How do you decide which objects to display in your house?
TS: The rocking chair was mine as a child. It's an antique that was passed down in my family from my grandmother on my mother's side of the family, Grandma Gerk. I used to rock in it as a child; then when I was older, my favorite doll used it. Lydia, my daughter, also used it when she was little.

CS: What's the history behind the fire helmet?
TS: The firefighter helmet is from a fire station where Josh grew up. His family had connections to the land the firehouse is on and the volunteer firefighters that worked there. When Josh was young he'd hang out at the firehouse.

CS: What are the challenges (and joys) of living with a teenager?

TS: It's so much fun. There's drama, chaos, laughter, strong feelings, and always something unexpected. It's similar to living with a rambunctious toddler, but there's more of a physicality to it, when a child becomes taller than the parent, more determined, rebellious, and with a bigger voice. My teenager releases a lot of her extra energy through theater, acting, singing, and dancing. Recently we see her only at the end of her day, when she's tired and with just enough time to do homework and prepare for the next morning. She works hard, and is an inspiration to her family.

A peek at Terri's daughter Lydia's room.

A reminder from parent to teen that I can relate to. My father had one in my room when I was a teen, too!

CS: Where did you find the mobile that's over your bed?

TS: It's from a local artist who worked in Calder's style of mobile making. Josh got it from Modern Artifact in San Francisco.

Another look at Terri and Josh's sweet bedroom.

A mermaid plaque peeks out between the leaves of a snake plant.

A sun-saturated vignette in Terri and Josh's bedroom.

CS: Can you tell me more about the Je T'aime pillow on the bed? What about the Je T'aime Terri sign on the bookshelf?
TS: Those are from Josh, who loves me. He bought the pillow, and he made me the sign. (Je t'aime means "I love you" in French.)

Another piece by Terri Saul in the bedroom.

Terri's Je T'aime pillow, a gift from Josh.

CS: Where do you source your furniture?

TS: Josh has bought from local vintage shops, online suppliers, and galleries. Most of my contributions have been acquired at flea markets or are hand-me-downs. I haven't purchased very much of my own furniture, except unfinished wooden bookshelves from Fenton MacLaren.

CS: Can you tell me the story behind the wall sculpture? Also, I love the blue lamp — what's its story?

TS: Josh found the lamp at a vintage shop. We think it's from one of the California pottery factories from the '50s. The sculpture was purchased at Creative Growth in Oakland, CA.

Pepper lounges in an armchair in the bedroom.

A final shot of Pepper. Thanks for the tour!

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Nancy-Einhart 5 years

Ooh now I want to put my Heath bud vases all on a little shelf together! So many creative ideas here.

Assistant-Community-Manager 5 years

Such an incredible space. I love the bowl of reusable bags on the go-to table, they look so fun and bright. Also, the artwork is so eclectic and interesting- it must have been such fun to be able to wander around and take it all in!

Great-Wall-of-Canvas 5 years

Very inspiring, it's amazing how selecting the right artwork can really make a difference. Cheers!

zooeyprose 5 years

Beautiful, relaxed style. I love the art!