In a previous post, I mentioned that Mr. B and I have checked into The Pendry Hotel in San Diego. But while visiting the hotel back in July, one of the spaces I discovered was the pop-up art gallery showcasing the photography of Ron Church, a photographer from San Diego who is notable for his black and white surf photography from the 1960’s. I am a native SoCal (Southern California) girl who has never surfed but I can appreciate the surf culture that is so richly ingrained in the beach communities that stretch along the Pacific coast.

Above: Huntington Beach, Circa 1962

There seems to be a growing trend in the hospitality industry with hotels offering up curated works of art for sale to their guests. The Pendry falls into that category. The collaboration between The Pendry and Archiv-E doesn’t stop at just the hotel gallery. The artwork on display in the guest rooms and one of their restaurants, Provisional, was also available for sale.

If you missed the Ron Church pop-up at The Pendry, don’t despair. His photography is available through Archiv-E who provides affordable, open edition framed art prints from a variety of photographers through their website. 

If you admire the work of Ron Church as much as I do, you might want to also consider picking up a couple of his books. Surf Contest can be purchased from a third party through Amazon. I’ve purchased books available from a third party through Amazon on a few occasions. Just make sure to buy one that is in the best possible condition from a seller with a good rating. 

The other book is Ron Church: California to Hawaii 1960 to 1965. Purchase your copy through The Surfers Journal for a numbered copy that also comes in a very cool slipcover. This would look fabulous put on display. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s post. It’s a little bit art, a little bit design, and a whole lotta surf. But most of all it’s all quintessential California cool.