Laguna Beach artist Marlo Bartels happily describes himself as a peace and love kind of guy, and his colorful pieces of playful and accessible, yet elegant works of public art throughout the city, attest to that sharing spirit.
Bringing to mind the beautiful steps at Brooks Street Beach alone, it’s not surprising that he is also a nominee as Artist of the Year at the annual Art Stars Awards extravaganza on Sunday, April 2, Laguna Beach’s version of the Oscars.
Bartels has designed and crafted murals, globes, plaques, his signature obelisks and other forms inspired by observation and imagination from hand-formed and fired tiles since the late ‘70s.
Over the years, his unique tile sculptures have sprung up in public locales throughout the West, but also as far afield as Jamaica. Private collectors covet his benches, love seats, tables and planters.
Over all, his works take their inspiration from Antoni Gaudi, the best known practitioner of Catalan Modernism; Simon Rodia, best known for the Watts Towers in Los Angeles; California’s historic plein-air painters and Islamic art. The latter, based on beautiful geometric forms, is of special fascination to Bartels. “I am going to Spain again to revisit Granada, Seville, Cordoba and their Mudejar art and architecture,” he said.
Despite appearances, Bartels’ pieces are not all that heavy. He builds a steel armature that he covers in polystyrene foam and nylon mesh before applying tiles and fixatives. “I basically adapted standard building industry methods into art practice,” he explained.
He forms tiles on a potter’s wheel before applying thick coats of color and fires them into bright hues informed by nature and his imagination. Even the tiniest forms are incorporated into designs.
Bartels recently completed his biggest endeavor, a three-year commission known as the “Blackstone Project” for a Shea Homes development in Brea, Tonner Ridge. The project’s name refers to the town’s early history as an oil producer.
Bartels created nine works installed on a meandering bike trail along Santa Fe Road 
that can be admired both from afar and close-up. One structure recalls an oil derrick, while another reimagines cactus festooned with images of once abundant wild life. Stylized references to minerals, exotic plants and a gigantic conch shell remind viewers that the ocean once submerged the area. A giant arch rises over a stylized tree, its metal branches bearing colorful tile flora.
“Driving by Marlo’s previous work inspired me to chose him for our project,” said Jim Holas, Shea’s director of community development. “What stands out are the magnitude of his pieces and the vibrancy of color.”
A former landscape architect, Holas called working with Bartels a true collaboration. “From the beginning Marlo and I walked the project, finding ways to capture nature, history and to inter-relate the sculptures with the surrounding development. The idea was to activate a community trail,” he said.
Bartels praised the developer for giving him enough time and money to develop the concept. “I had done a couple of smaller projects for the city and was approached on the strength of those. I had three months to come up with the concept and then was given $25,000 to develop it and build models,” recalled Bartels. “Their generosity allowed me to relax and create; it was a vote of confidence,” he said.
By the time Bartels was ready to present the project for city approval, a presentation prepared by Laguna Beach photographer Tom Lamb and his daughter Morgan was at least four inches thick, filled with images of the sculptures neatly transported with software into their future environment. The presentation portfolio included site plans, proposed materials, maintenance specifications and more.
“Marlo exhibits a child-like energy and imagination in his art work, ever seeking new media and challenges. With many years of dedication to his craft, he is a force,” wrote Lamb, who has photographed the sculptures on the ground and from the air, capturing them as a colorful diversions to a suburban development.
“Being public art, these objects present a grace and elegance not often presented in such locations. Over time, as the landscape matures, the setting will transform around the objects and the work will become even more special,” he predicted.
Brea’s public art program began in 1975, with developers devoting 1 percent of a project’s cost to public art. Community Service Specialist Jenn Colacion explained that developers chose artists and concepts, which they then submit to the city for approval. Blackstone was approved by three cultural arts commission members, three city commissions and an art in public places advisory committee. “We look for imagery and materials that withstand time and elements,” she said.
Both Bartels and Holas praised the city for allocating some of the public art fees to the Brea Olinda Unified school district. Kids are turned lose in safe areas where they study the works and are required to write reports on what they saw. For example, from the $1.5 million fee required for the Blackstone Project, $375,000 went to the school district for art education, said Holas.
“You get some people who object to this kind or art, but others are overjoyed. It’s exciting and uplifting to see families visit the pieces and take pictures,” he said.
