Helen Taylor Sheats
Helen Taylor Sheats (1910-1999) was a distinguished Chicago artist and architect. A University of Wisconsin graduate in art and science (1930), she honed her fine art skills at the Art Institute of Chicago. She later collaborated with renowned architect John Lautner, a Frank Lloyd Wright protégé, designing and constructing two innovative residences in Los Angeles, including a unique apartment building near UCLA (1950) and a striking Beverly Hills home (1963). Both structures are celebrated for their futuristic designs and their significance in Lautner's architectural legacy.
In her later years, Sheats studied painting under Arnold Schifren in Los Angeles, producing works that demonstrate her mature vision and artistic depth. Her painting Topanga River marks the beginning of a prolific period, during which she completed nearly 200 works. Sheats often painted en plein air, frequently collaborating with artists like Eileen O’Brien and organizing art trips abroad. Many of her works were inspired by these immersive experiences in Mexico, Holland, Denmark, and Italy.
Chuck Beisch
Chuck Beisch (b. 1933) is an
accomplished fine artist, creative director, and poet, whose career has been shaped by both his artistic talents and extensive experience in the advertising world. After studying with the legendary graphic designer Milton Glaser, Beisch carved out a successful path in advertising, where he collaborated with renowned photographers and illustrators such as Diane Arbus, Irving Penn and Bruce Davidson. Beisch's fine art has been widely exhibited, with notable shows at the Danforth Museum in Boston, the Cambridge Art Association, and the O’Hanlon Center for the Arts in Mill Valley, where he recently held a solo exhibition. As an educator, Beisch has taught creative thinking at Boston University, Emerson College, and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).
Al Giella
Alfonso "Al" Giella (1912-2003) was a New York artist known for his diverse and prolific body of work, which includes drawings, paintings, assemblages, and collages. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Giella developed an early passion for art, frequenting New York museums and dedicating himself to drawing and painting. Though his career spanned advertising, film animation, and the textile industry, including a significant role in the denim industry of the 1970s, his true creative legacy lies in his fine art.
In 1955, Giella and his wife Ruth purchased a home in Los Angeles designed by R.M. Schindler, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, reflecting their deep appreciation for modernist design. After retiring to Tucson, Arizona, in 1984, Giella focused on his artistic pursuits, continuing to create art and write poetry. Though he rarely sought public recognition, his work was occasionally featured in gallery shows in Tucson and at Catamount Arts in Vermont.
Jack Bevier
Jack Bernard Bevier (1923-1996) was a distinguished watercolor painter and ceramic artist best known for his evocative landscapes, seascapes of the Monterey Peninsula, and boat and harbor scenes. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bevier served in the Army Air Corps during World War II before pursuing his passion for art at the Art Institute of Chicago, where he graduated with honors.
After several years working in Chicago as a painter and commercial artist, Bevier moved to California in 1956, settling in the Salinas area on the Monterey Peninsula. There, he became a prominent figure in the local art community, operating a gallery in Carmel for many years. In addition to his watercolor work, Bevier was also an accomplished ceramic artist, often harvesting his own clay from the Monterey Peninsula to use in his studio kiln. His work remains a testament to his deep connection to the natural beauty of the California coast.
