Biography

Marlo has been producing and installing permanent sall pieces aculpture, murals and functional art since 1977. He works with ceramic tile, terrazzo & stone; shaping, forming and glazing the clay elements by hand. With the support of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C., he has developed new techniques for fabricating furniture and sculptures, using tile facings on ferro-cement with polystyrene substrates. His work includes sculpture, indoor and outdoor walls, fountains, floors and functional art and features durability and low-maintenance. Colors are myriad, non-fading and resistant to graffiti.

PUBLIC COMMISSIONS

*City of Brea, CA, "Brea Airfield", Six 12ft 3 sided columns and 30f tundulating seating, 2013.

Surf and Sand Hotel, Laguna Beach, CA, ceramic pictorial mural, Spring, 2010.

Laguna Beach, CA., "Third Reef", Brooks Street Ceramic Mural on stair risers, 2009.

Glendale, AZ. 18 curved ceramic mosaic benches for development. 2007

*Lancaster, CA. Desert Mural, Wal-Mart, 2007.

*Palm Desert, CA. K B Homes, "Spanish Walk", 2006-2007.

*Playa Vista, CA. "Seachange", 4 Urns and 4 Benches. 2006.

Negril, Jamaica, Rick's Cafe, ceramic mosaic murals and floor design, 2006.

*Palm Desert, CA."Night And Day Palm Desert", Lowes Home Center, 8 triangular columns sculpture,8 ft x 32 ft. 2006.

*Ventura, CA., "Orion", 2006.

Laguna Beach, CA, Historic Mural restoration, Pottery Shack, 2006.

Palm Springs, CA, Palm Canyon Food Court design and installation, 2005-2006.

*City of Brea, CA., Nov 2005, Terra Cotta and art tile mosaic mural, 8 ft x 20 ft.

*Sunnyvale, CA, Cherry Orchard Project: two 28' obelisks, "Sakura East" & "Sakura West", October, 2001, four mosaic seating areas, 2002.

*San Diego, CA, "Uno Mundo, One World, Sypro" - Cancer Survivors Park, 20 ft diameter mosaic cupola, undulating bench, 12 ft long, mandala, 6 ft diameter and six other benches, 2002.

**Pensacola, FL, University of West Florida, Sculpture ,"The Nerve", entrance to Psychology Building, 2000.

*Port of San Diego, CA, National City Historic Railcar Plaza, tile replica of California China Products (from 1925), accents around plaza and parallel to railcar tracks, 1999.

Irvine & Orange, CA, Twin Dragon, - two ceramic mosaic restaurant facades, 1999-2000.

*Phoenix, AZ, "Blue Moon" - 24 ft. obelisk, Cancer Survivors Park, 1999.

Catalina Island, "Avalon Streetscape Restoration " Replica Tile, 1998-99.

Phoenix, AZ, "For E.H." Mosaic Seating, Phoenix International Airport, 1998.

*Los Angeles, CA, Westwood Village Streetscape"-Street Furniture & 3 Planters, 1997.

*Pasadena, CA, "88 West Colorado"- 4 Murals, 1997, collaboration with G. Myers.

Irvine, CA, Commemorative plaque -for the class of 2001, University High School, 1997.

*Rancho Mirage, CA.- Cancer Survivors Park, 3 Seating Areas. 1996.

*City of Palm Desert - Palm Desert Country Club, 21' Mosaic Obelisk Entry Monument 1995.

Laguna Beach High School, Laguna Beach, CA, Commemorative bench, Distinguished School tile plaque, Blue Ribbon school tile plaque, 1996.

Laguna Beach, CA, Thurston Benches, Thurston Middle School, 1996.

* L A County Harbors & Beaches,, Zuma Beach, CA, Gateway Mosaic 1995.

*City of Los Angeles, CA, The Renaissance Towers, Two 30' pyramids,one 30' column, 1994.

Buena Park, CA, Nutrilite Products, Inc, ceramic mosaic benches, terrazzo entry floor and ceramic murals including photo silkscreen technique, 1997.

Pasadena, CA, Ahmanson Financial Plaza, fountain 4 granite benches with pictorial historic ceramic murals on bench backs, 1994.

*City of Burbank, CA, Cusumano Development - Mural, benches, tile crests, 1992.

Costa Mesa, CA & Huntington Beach, CA, Quiksilver - Corporate Office, - Terrazzo entry floor logo,terrazzo lobby floor with surfboard & flower images, ceramic mosaic columns & platforms.

Huntington Beach, CA, Waterfront Hilton, three fountains, "Seahorse", "Compass" & "Dolphin" 1990.

*Laguna Beach, CA, Sawdust Festival, Drinking Fountain Wall, Fireplace, Entry Archways. 1990.

*City of Irvine, CA, Irvine Medical Center, Wall fountain, 12'x12', 1990.

West Hollywood, CA, Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences,"Emmy Plaza", two 50 ft. undulating sculptures & 7 cubes, 1990.

Laguna Beach, CA, Laguna Art Museum, "Elements", bench in front of museum, "Drinking Fountain Wall", 1989.

Palm Springs, CA, Elaine Horwitch Gallery, ceramic mosaic seating & mosaic mural with snake, 1985

City of Laguna Beach, CA, "Canyon Chess & Checkers" , Main Beach, Sculpture of chairs and chess table, N.E.A. Grant, 1981.

*.ART-IN-PUBLIC-PLACES PROJECTS (A.l.P.P)
**ART-IN-STATE-BUILDINGS PROGRAM

DESIGN COLLABORATIONS

Landscape Architects:
SWA Group
Borthwick.Guy.Bettenhausen

Architects: Frank Gehry, Michael Kiner Assoc., Morris Skenderian

Designers: Steve Chase Assoc., Braselle Design.

Artists:Eric Johnson, Astrid Preston, Peter Shire, Gifford Myers

PUBLIC MURAL PROJECTS

City of Brea, CA

San Jose, CA  Lunardi's Market, 4 Murals

Antigua, WI, plaques

Home Savings of America, 7 U.S. Iocations -ceramic pictorial murals with mosaic elements:

Palm Desert, CA, Thousand Oaks, CA, Columbus, OH, Pembroke Pines, FL, Dunedune, FL, Monterey Park, CA, Woodland Hills, CA

Romeo Cucina Restaurants, 3 U.S. Iocations - murals, custom light fixtures.

Charthouse Restaurants, 11 U.S. Iocations - murals:

San Juan Puerto Rico, Miami, FL, Ventura, CA, Kona, HI, Malibu, CA, Haleiva, HI, Cohassett, MA, Warwick, Rochester, CN

Kaneoe, HI, Newport Beach, CA

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Laguna Art Museum, CA,
Long Beach Museum, CA,
City of Laguna Beach, CA
City of Los Angeles, CA
City of Palm Desert, CA
City of Sunnyvale, CA
City of Burbank, CA

Goldstein's, Brussels, BELGIUM

Rick's Cafe, Negril, JAMAICA

City of Brea, CA.

University of West Florida, Pensacola, FL
Joan Simon Menkes, Bel Air, CA
Patricia & Gene Cooper, Laguna Beach, CA
Fala & Danny Powers, Pacific Palisades, CA.
Debi & Tom Pavlic, Laguna Beach, CA .
Marsha & Robin Williams.San Francisco, CA
Elaine Horwitch, Scottsdale, AZ .
Mariam Wosk, Beverly Hills, CA
Judy Kenyon, San Marino, CA
Mandy & Cliff Einstein, Brentwood, CA
Kathleen Sullivan, New York, NY
Suzanne & Ted Paulson, Laguna Beach,CA
LeeAnn & Steve Schwartz, Westwood, CA
Annette & Richard Bloch, Rancho Mirage, CA
Annette & Ted Lerner, Rancho Mirage, CA
Steve Chase, Rancho Mirage, CA
Narij & Stuart Katz, Paris & Cot d' Azur, FRANCE
Nancy & Robert Englund
Barbara Klein
Karen Huber & Nathan Rosenberg
Judy & Tony Richmond
Mary & Matt Lawson
Mariam & Mark Singer
Joe Ambrose
Tammi Arnold
Mike Federson
Kelly & Steve Ellman
Stephanie & Morris Skenderian
Steve Josephson
Jill & Chris Gwaltney

Pat & Bill Hancock, Laguna Beach, CA
Steve Causey, Laguna Beach, CA  

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

Artist-in-Residence, Fullerton College, 2012.
Venice Family Clinic invitational Annual Art Auction & Show, Venice Beach, CA  1986-current.

Citrus College, Glendora, CA, "A Decade of Clay", Jan-Mar, 2007.

American Museum of Ceramic Art, Ponona, CA, "Laying the Foundation: American Art Tile" July -Nov. 2005, Loveseat #7.

Scripps College, Claremont, CA, "Tile Sculptor Marlo Bartels, Tile as Public and Functional Art", March 1, 2005, Fine Arts Foundation.

Citrus College, Glendora, CA.Marlo Bartels - Visiting Artist, 2004.

John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA."Marlo Bartels - New Work", December, 2004,

Museo de Arte Moderno (Museum of Modern Art), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, " International Ceramic Tile Triennial 2002" - November, 2002.

Community Art Prtoject (CAP), Bank of America, Laguna Beach, CA, "Sakura with Sphere", , Sept 2001 - Sept, 2002.

Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana,"Primera Trienal lnternacional del Mosaico Ceramico - Elite Tile", 1999.

Muckenthaler Cultural Center, Fullerton, CA, "Outside In - Artist's Furniture", June 1999.

Wayne Art Center, Pennsylvania, Oct. 1998. "Living With Tile, the Art of Installation".

Mill Valley Sculpture Gardens, CA, "Contemporary Mosaics", Dec. 1998.

Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA,"New Works" - Nov 1989.

Virginia Breier Gallery, San Francisco, CA, "Chairs" - April, 1989.

Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, "Functional Art by Nine" - Feb. 1989.

Elaine Horwitch Gallery, Palm Springs, CA, "New Art Furniture" - April, 1988.

Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA, 'A Personal Invitation" - Nov, 1988.

Virginia Breier Gallery, San Francisco, CA, "Ceramic Garden Furniture" - May, 1988.

Municipal Art Gallery, Barnsdall Park.Los Angeles, CA, "Frankly Functional" - March, 1988.

Indianapolis Centger for Contemporary Art, Indianapolis, IN, Herron Gallery, "The Furniture Show" January, 1987.

San Francisco International Airport, "Chairs by Artists & Architects & Furniture by Artists", 1987.

Gallery of Functional Art, Joan Simon, Santa Monica, CA, "Seasoned Opener", September, 1986.

Functional Art, Los Angeles, CA, "Selected Works" - May, 1986.

Functional Art, Los Angeles, CA,"Functional Ceramics" - March, 1984,

Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA, "In the Form of Furniture", Sept 1984.

Laguna Art Museum, CA, "Orange County Clay", April, 1983.

Newport Harbor Art Museum (currently Orange County Musem of Contemporary Art), Newport Beach, CA, "California - The State of Landscape", 1981. Catalog.

Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA, "California - The State of Landscape" - 1981.

Newport Harbor Art Museum (currently Orange County Musem of Contemporary Art), Newport Beach, CA, "Our Own Artists: Art from Orange County",1979. Catalog.

Craft & Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA, "Animals in Art",1972.

SELECTED PUBLICATION, PHOTOS, REVIEWS

"Riviera, Orange County","Gaudi Guy", Nov. 2009, pp80.

"Laguna! Life & People", "Marlo Bartels - The Big Break",March 2007, pp 40-44

"American Craft", Dec '05/Jan '06, pp62.

"Coast" - "Modern Dream", June, 2003, pp84.

"Landscape Architecture" - "Prescription for Healing", February, 2003.

"Artweek" - "Public Art Brightens Cherry Orchard', Dec, 2001 - Jan, 2002.

"Coast" - "The Art Collection of Laguna Beach Residents Suzanne & Ted Paulson", June, 2001.

"House & Garden", "Total Immersion", May 2000, pp142-143.

"Rancho Mirage", cover & pp 26, 2001.

"Primera Trienal Internatacional del Mosaico Ceramico - elite-Tile", Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana, 1998-99,

"Global Architecture" - "Houses 17",Y. Futagaza, A.D.A. Edita Tokyo,1985, cover & pp 8-14, Frank Gehry, Architect.

"The Art of Mosaic Design", J. Locktov, Rockport Pub., 1998.

"Gioio", Italian magazine, mosaic table and benches, Robin & Marsha Williams residence, 11/8 /97.

"Palm Springs Life", "Rancho Mirage", October, 1996.

"Los Angeles Times", "Public Art - The Next Wave", August 3,1995.

"Progressive Architecture", "Keeper Gate",November 1995, Zuma Beach Entry Gate.

"Palm Springs Life" - Oct, 1996- Cancer Survivors Park, Rancho Mirage, CA.

"Great Tile", Sunset Books, Inc., Jan., 1998. Pages 11,28,35,51,64,88 & 89.

"Los Angeles Times","For All the World to See", August 4, 1995.

"West", "Pioneers, Breaking with Tradition", August, 1994.

"West", "Paradise Found", August, 1994.

"Los Angeles Times Calendar", "Graceful Sculptures Convey Artists' Enjoyment of Their Creation", May 23, 1993.

"Wings Over the City", Westside Arts Center, Los Angeles, CA 1993.

"Street Gallery, Guide to 1000 Los Angeles Murals", book by Robin J. Dunitz,1993, pp 148, 322, 363.

"Los Angeles", "Tillemania", October, 1992.

"The Burbank Leader", "Art Ties City's History to Senior Complex", December 5-6, 1992,

"House Beautiful", March, 1992.

"Architectural Digest", "Desert Textures", August, 1991.

"Northern California Home & Garden", "Brave New Palette", July, 1991.

"Architectural Digest", "A Shoreline Composition", March, 1990.

Los Angeles Times, "Piece Work - Broken Tiles As Functional Art",Jan, 20, 1990,
"Southern California Home & Garden", "Moody Blues", March, 1990.

"Palm Springs Life", "Marlo Bartels: Artistry in Tile", September, 1989.

"Art News", "Living With Art - The Einsteins - The Big Hit", December, 1989.

"Los Angeles Times Magazine", "Rethinking the Kitchen", July 10, 1988.

"Designers West", "Public Spaces - A Gallery's Public and Private Life", November, 1987.

"Palm Springs Life", "Humor Reflects Art Innovator", November, 1987.

"Los Angeles Times", "He Broke In as Artist With Tile Sculpture", May 16, 1986.

"Designers West", "Chinois", January, 1986, tiles by Marlo.

"California", May 1986, "Style - Art You Can Sit On".

"Progressive Architecture", December 1985, "Rooms at the Top", Wosk Residence,

"Architectural Digest", "Splendor in the Desert", August 1984, Steve Chase Associates.

"Bon Appetit", June, 1983.

"Our Own Artists: Art from Orange County", Newport Harbor Art Museum (currently OCCMA), 1979, pp 22-23

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

"Friends of Terra Cotta" -Preservation, Arch. Terra Cotta.

''Tile Heritage Foundation"-Preservation/Identification.

Trustee - Laguna Art Museum, 1996-98.

Collections committee - Laguna Art Museum. 1998-2006..

EDUCATION / AWARDS AND HONORS

Artist-in-Residence, Fullerton College, 2012
M.A. Art, California State University,Fullerton.
B.A. Art, California State University, Long Beach
Laguna Beach Architectural Guild, winner, 1999
Design Awards Program, "Furniture/ Fixtures category.
National Endowment for the Arts - Grant - Building Arts 1981-1982. Survey of California Historical Tile and Innovative Research into Ferro-cement with Polystyrene and Ceramics.
National Endowment for the Arts - Grant - Ceramic Workshop - 1977. With Ron Nagle and Richard Shaw. Low Fire Ceramics and Porcelain workshops at Laguna Beach School of Arts.
National Endowment for the Arts - Grant - Master Craftsman Apprentice -1978. Funds to hire an apprentice for nine months.