Rescue

Rescue was commissioned by Los Angeles Cultural Affairs in 2005, for newly constructed Fire Station # 83 located on Balboa Avenue in Encino, CA. The exterior 10 x 10’ ceramic tile mural was glazed with custom mixed color underglaze, fired to Cone 04 on commercial 12” sq. terracotta tiles. The work was completed in studio and installed on site by Gregg Andrews. The fired ceramic mural is lightfast, weatherproof and immune to graffiti. Working Firefighters were used as models for the design. Thanks to Harry, Leah, Jim and Susan. An interior installation for the same station, Ladders and Hoses, features carved and painted masonite relief figures mounted over abstract painted backgrounds of fire and water. Inspired by 7th century B.C. Assyrian stone relief carving, these figures were also modeled from working firefighters. © John Wehrle