History and Historic Sites of the Valley * Then and Now Photos * Lost Crescenta * Rockhaven * Membership and Donations
We invite you to take part in a fundraiser we set up with a new business in Montrose, Color Me Mine, a "paint your own" ceramics studio. They have over 400 blank ceramic pieces for you to choose from, and all the materials and guidance to help you create a gorgeous new piece of art or kitchenware for your home. A portion of the profit will go towards the La Crescenta Library History Floor Plaque.But here's the hook that will make this a "must attend" event... Color Me Mine is in the building previously occupied by Once Upon A Time bookstore on the corner of Ocean View and Honolulu, which was originally built as a bank in the '20s. The old bank was an architectural wonder, with an arched entryway, and a tall, cavernous lobby featuring painted wooden beams high above the elegant tiled floor. All of those features still exist, but have been covered by remodeling over the years, and have only been seen by a handful of historians recently. When you arrive to create your ceramic piece, you will first be taken on a tour of the old "Crescenta-Canada Bank". See the bank vault deep underground, and go upstairs to the bank manager's office, where secret spy windows allowed him to keep an eye on customers and tellers in the days before video surveillance. Step up into the attic where the arched entryway and the painted beams are still visible after being covered for 60 years!
Then spend some time with us in the studio of Color Me Mine creating custom ceramic pieces, with a portion what you buy going to the Historical Society. This is also a great opportunity to have an evening out with your date, or your kids or grandkids, perhaps combined with dinner or dessert at one of the many restaurants in Montrose.
A flat fee of $6 (discounted from the normal $10 just for the HSCV) gives you full use of all the paints, brushes, kiln-firing, and help and advice from the experts at Color Me Mine. You pick from the huge variety of cute animal statues, vases, plates and bowls, cookie jars, napkin rings, and flower pots, then paint them with glazes with designs from your imagination, or from templates that are provided. The prices of the ceramic objects vary.
We have the use of the studio on Monday June 23rd from 5 to 8PM. You can come anytime in those three hours, and stay as long as you want. Tours of the vault and the upstairs will go on the entire time.
Color Me Mine is located at 2284 Honolulu Ave. at the intersection of Honolulu and Ocean View. If you have any questions about the process of painting the ceramics, you can call the studio at 542-6644.
This could be your only chance to see this part of "hidden Montrose" in person, so don't pass this up! RSVP's are not necessary, and we look forward to seeing you there!
This is the old bank building when it was first built at the intersection of Honolulu and Ocean View. Believe it or not, these beautiful architectural features are still there... they're just hidden by the newer facades that have been added over the years!