Artist — Rita Crane 
This fall the MacCallum House is pleased to feature the color photography of local artist Rita Crane. Join us for a meal in our ocean view Café or have a glass of wine at the Grey Whale Bar, and enjoy the vibrant images of this world class photographer. Rita's father Ralph Crane was on the staff of LIFE magazine from after World War II until it ceased publication in 1972. Born in Germany, he worked for the New York Times newspaper in their Berlin office from 1932 to 1934, then moved to Switzerland where he shot events for the Times, Black Star, and LIFE. He emigrated to the U.S. in 1941 and several years later, signed on as staff photographer. Thirty-three of his covers and over 2000 of his published photographs graced the magazine throughout 20th century America's Golden Era of photojournalism. He is published in such classics of modern photography as Edward Steichen's The Family of Man. Rita created and directs the MacCallum House Art Gallery which features over 15 talented local artists — from ceramicists to oil painters, jewelers, glass artists, and photographers. Aside from her Cafe & Grey Whale Bar show, Rita's photographs are also displayed year round in guest rooms around the property, and in the Suites Lobby.

Rita's work is also available on-line at ritacranestudio.com.

About Rita Crane

Seeing through the eye of a camera was my main passion in high school - not surprisingly - since my father Ralph Crane was a photojournalist for The New York Times and a notable Life Magazine staff photographer for over thirty years. Those teen years behind a single lens reflex and the hours spent in the darkroom experimenting with wet printing techniques for black & white photography taught me skills that now translate nicely into digital format.

My art education - apart from university studies - has included years of drawing, designing, and hands on artwork. Under the kind guidance of Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche, I made stained glass windows for the entrance pagodas to the beautiful temple at Odiyan, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center in the hills of Sonoma County, California. A Pueblo Indian jeweler taught me lapidary and silversmithing in New Mexico, and later a partner and I designed and hand built an authentic Territorial Style adobe home complete with vigas, tilework, and kiva fireplaces in the colorful Rio Grande Valley near Albuquerque.

With Peter Temple I founded Denali Crystal a nationally known crystal glass sculpture company whose clients include Toyota, Pacific Bell, M.I.T. , 3M Corporation, Tibetan Nyingma Meditation Center and countless private collectors. Having worked in various media it’s a delight to return to my first love – photography. I credit my father for the sensitivity and excitement with which I look at the world, and thank my mother – who was truly a lover and supporter of the fine arts.