The first few months of this year has been extremely busy for the artists of I LA designs. Not only were they responsible for the decoration of this years Governors Ball, but they were involved, simultaneously, in an extensive renovation project on the Park Plaza Hotel located in downtown Los Angeles. The building had aged well, yet there were many areas that had begun to deteriorate. In many places, the intricately painted ceilings had begun to crack and chip. In others, the painted plaster of the wall had been scraped; exposing chalky white streaks. In this restoration project I LA Designs drew upon their extensive experience in faux finishing, fresco & mural painting, and plaster work.
The Park Plaza was first opened in 1925 and was the home of the Los Angeles Elks club. Architects Claude Beelman and Aleck Curlett created a beautiful work of art in its external structure and ornamentation. The design speaks of Beaux-Arts Classicism which had gained popularity in previous decades. The impressive fasade is complete with large statuary, while the interior makes use of ornate ceilings with intricate patterns and murals. In 1983 the building was declared a Los Angles Historic Cultural Monument.
The most extensive damage was on the ceiling of the Bronze Ballroom. The plaster had expanded and contracted repeatedly over the last 75 years and caused many areas of paint to separate from the plaster above it. The paint had become extremely brittle. To restore this section, the loose sections of paint first had to be secured. The bare sections of plaster were then primed in order to allow the new paint to adhere better to the original surface. Finally, the artists had to go back over the entire ceiling and repaint the details and images that had been damaged or incorrectly repainted in earlier years, prior to I LA Designs involvement. The completion of this ceiling was like piecing together a gigantic jigsaw puzzle.
In every part of the ceiling the color had to be matched exactly. Some areas had been bleached extensively by the sun while others, lost in the shadows, maintained their original color. In every section of the ceiling the artists were forced to match a variety of new shades and colors.
In addition to this work there were other areas of the building that were in dire need of help. Over the last couple of years, the building had hosted a variety of film and television crews. The movement of film equipment and set pieces had caused considerable damage to the plaster work in and around the main lobby. Sections of the wall had to be replastered and then expertly faux finished in order to match the existing wall color. This restoration is ongoing and must be attended every time the next film crew makes use of the building.
To date, a good portion of the restoration process has been completed. However, in some areas the work continues. The Terrace Ballroom is the next challenge before the artists of I LA Designs. Over the last few months a dance club has been held every week in this ballroom making its 50 foot ceiling inaccessible. In spite of this ongoing work, the completed restoration so far is extremely impressive. The artists of I LA Designs have succeeded in restoring an aging building back to its former glory. The imagery and murals of this impressive building are ready to be viewed and enjoyed by a new generation.
Since the beginning of the project, due to patronage and support of Park Plaza Events Owner Chavi Hertz and Vice President Commie Armijo, Park Plaza Hotel is becoming a home for Los Angeles chapter of Nationwide Fresco Painting Workshop Program (FrescoSchool.com) founded by iLia Anossov and sponsored by I LA designs.
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