One thing that makes Town and Country so unique is a deep-seated devotion to its mid-century modern roots and a playful celebration of San Diego lifestyle – past, present and future. One place this blending of old and new, looking back and moving forward, is evident, is the resort’s art collection.
By Andy Davis
One of the best-known surf artists of all time, Andy Davis has been a mainstay in California’s surf art scene for over two decades. Based in San Diego’s north county, his work can be found around the world on murals, in private collections and even in movies. He has done collaborations with a host of surf icons including Rob Machado, Billabong, Roxy, Surfrider Foundation and many more, and now his art can be found at Town and Country Resort. Growing up in San Diego, and an avid surfer himself, Andy has always found inspiration in the ocean. His art is instantly recognizable and he describes it as “colorfully cruising through chaos. Loose and free, but held together with a touch of sophistication.” With soothing colors endemic to the region, and unique, generally faceless character shapes and simple lines, his minimalistic designs fit in perfectly with the laid-back vibe of Town and Country Resort.
LOCATION: Lobby above the fireplace, large installation on the south side of Palm Tower, round piece in The MRKT and inside guest rooms.
Restoration by Nancy Butner
Designed in Italy and installed at the resort in 1969, two expansive mosaics in Town and Country foyer illustrate historic landmarks and events that have shaped San Diego, from the time of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s landing in 1542 to modern times when San Diego’s aerospace and fishing industries were thriving. Made from tens of thousands of small, square-cut pieces of Italian glass from Venice, the two 18-by-18 foot murals have recently been cleaned, repaired and restored to their original glory. The longer you stand and admire the mosaics, the more the subtler elements begin to reveal themselves. See if you can find the San Diego skyline, circa 1960s, the Palomar Observatory or the tribute to the San Diego Zoo.
LOCATION: Main lobby of the Town and Country Resort Convention Center
By Mark Warren Jacques
It’s hard to miss the large, vibrant mural adjacent to the resort’s lobby. Stretching 40 feet across and depicting the sun setting (or, is it rising?) over the ocean, the mural is a contrast between the flowing, curved, almost meditative movement of the waves and sea and the hard, geometric lines portraying the sun’s rays. Like the Town and Country Resort, the mural is quintessentially San Diego with a mid-century modern vibe.
LOCATION: To the west of the lobby entrance.
By Nan Coffey
Nan Coffey is a contemporary artist based out of San Diego. Nan’s intention is to use her unique artistic talents as a vehicle to show connectivity, inclusion and love. Nan’s art is about breaking down walls, not putting them up. It’s about learning more about each other, listening to each other, connecting with each other, recognizing each other and in the end, simply loving one another.
LOCATION: Monkey Bar tables and Flamingo Lawn.
After the sun goes down, look atop Lapper Kitchen + Tap to find Thelma, the neon diver. She is actually inspired by a real person, Thelma Payne, a national diving champion and bronze medalist at the 1920’s Olympic Games. Caught mid-dive and in perfect form, the Jantzen Swimwear Company was so enamored by her that they used an illustrated likeness of her in their 1950’s advertising campaigns. Adorned in a sleek, red Jantzen swimsuit, the image caught fire with the public and Thelma’s likeness could soon be found on car decals, hood ornaments and other merchandise everywhere. Sometime in the 1950’s she showed up in a neon sign on a roadside motel in Mississippi. That motel is long gone but the neon diver remains can be found in several locations around the country including the Museum of Neon Art in Glendale, California, and now diving on the roof at Lapper Kitchen + Tap. Inside Lapper you can also find a collection of Jantzen advertisements - look closely and you’ll see Thelma in perfect form.
LOCATION: Atop Lapper Kitchen + Tap
By Christine Brailsford Caro [Furrow Surf Craft]
Surfboard shaper, wood carver, sculptor, and children’s book illustrator, Christine Brailsford Caro lives in Leucadia, where she divides her time between surfing and her artistic passions. A graduate of the Laguna College of Art and Design, Caro sees the interwoven lines in her wood carvings as the life experiences we all have, some small, some large, some more significant than others, but one building upon the other to create who we are. For her, “It’s kind of like these pathways that combine to create the bigger picture” of where we’re going with our life.
LOCATION: ARLO
By Mitchell King
A life-long surfer, born and raised in Oceanside, Mitchell King attributes the psychedelic nature of his paintings to the influence of his father’s wild aboriginal-style paintings and many visits to the modern art museum in La Jolla during his youth. He began drawing in high school with cartoons and other self-described “weird little paintings.” Mitchell now derives the inspiration for his fluid, circular, swirling patterns from nature, at times mimicking the cycles of the tides.
LOCATION: Lobby
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