Bill Zacha
Encyclopedia
Bill Zacha was an artist and entrepreneur who founded the Mendocino Art Center in Mendocino, California
and by doing so started the artistic revival of Mendocino.
Zacha studied architecture
at the University of California, Berkeley
, spent four years in the United States Navy
entertaining troops as a writer and actor during World War II
, and later made unsuccessful forays into the priesthood and drama. Returning to Berkeley to continue his architecture studies, he supported himself as a cable car
conductor, but dropped out after injuring his right hand in a fall. He moved to Washington, DC, where he studied art at the Corcoran Gallery and learned to paint left-handed. While in Texas in 1953 for a Houston
exhibit of paintings he had made in Italy, he met his future wife Jennie Malone, a fashion designer. He then moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area and worked as a mail carrier while he earned a teaching credential at San Francisco State University
.
The Zachas moved to Mendocino, then nearly a ghost town
, in 1957, and Zacha took a job as a high school teacher. Hearing about plans to build a trailer park on the 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) former Preston estate (one of the settings for the 1955 film East of Eden, but badly damaged in a subsequent fire), he borrowed $50 for a down payment, bought the estate for $5500, and in 1959 founded the Mendocino Art Center on the site. Zacha also ran a combination laundry/art gallery and restored many other buildings in Mendocino.
In 1964, Zacha traveled to Japan
, where he met Japanese artist Tōshi Yoshida. Yoshida taught at the Mendocino Art Center in 1971, and after returning to Japan founded an art center in Miasa, Nagano
based on his experiences in Mendocino. Zacha's friendship with Yoshida became the basis for a sister city relationship between Mendocino and Miasa, formalized in 1980. Zacha's series of 55 serigraphs depicting the Tōkaidō road
in Japan is collected in his book Tokaido Journey (1985).
Mendocino, California
Mendocino is a census-designated place in Mendocino County, California, United States. Mendocino is located south of Fort Bragg, at an elevation of 154 feet...
and by doing so started the artistic revival of Mendocino.
Zacha studied architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
, spent four years in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
entertaining troops as a writer and actor during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and later made unsuccessful forays into the priesthood and drama. Returning to Berkeley to continue his architecture studies, he supported himself as a cable car
Cable car
A cable car is any of a variety of transportation systems relying on cables to pull vehicles along or lower them at a steady rate, or a vehicle on these systems.-Aerial lift:Aerial lifts where the vehicle is suspended in the air from a cable:...
conductor, but dropped out after injuring his right hand in a fall. He moved to Washington, DC, where he studied art at the Corcoran Gallery and learned to paint left-handed. While in Texas in 1953 for a Houston
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
exhibit of paintings he had made in Italy, he met his future wife Jennie Malone, a fashion designer. He then moved back to the San Francisco Bay Area and worked as a mail carrier while he earned a teaching credential at San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
.
The Zachas moved to Mendocino, then nearly a ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
, in 1957, and Zacha took a job as a high school teacher. Hearing about plans to build a trailer park on the 1 acres (4,046.9 m²) former Preston estate (one of the settings for the 1955 film East of Eden, but badly damaged in a subsequent fire), he borrowed $50 for a down payment, bought the estate for $5500, and in 1959 founded the Mendocino Art Center on the site. Zacha also ran a combination laundry/art gallery and restored many other buildings in Mendocino.
In 1964, Zacha traveled to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, where he met Japanese artist Tōshi Yoshida. Yoshida taught at the Mendocino Art Center in 1971, and after returning to Japan founded an art center in Miasa, Nagano
Miasa, Nagano
was a village located in Kitaazumi District, Nagano, Japan.On January 1, 2006 Miasa, along with the village of Yasaka, also from Kitaazumi District, was merged into the city of Ōmachi....
based on his experiences in Mendocino. Zacha's friendship with Yoshida became the basis for a sister city relationship between Mendocino and Miasa, formalized in 1980. Zacha's series of 55 serigraphs depicting the Tōkaidō road
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
in Japan is collected in his book Tokaido Journey (1985).
Additional reading
- Bill Zacha: A Life Well Lived..
- The Legacy of William Zacha.
- The Mendocino Art Center
- Tokaido Journey
- Toshi Yoshida (1911-1995)
- William Zacha: Art.
- Zacha, William. Tokaido Journey. Mendocino, CA: William Zacha, publisher (1985). Japanese translation by Abe Setsuko and Matsuoka Haruo. Design by Miyake Akio. Photographs by Kimura Taro. Printed by Abe Photo Printing Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.