It all started with our favorite Palm Springs Preservation Foundation book, “Concrete Screen Block –
The Power of Pattern” by Ron and Barbara Marshall. This publication opened our eyes to screen block and patterns.

Marianne first took random photos of breeze block in Palm Springs and referenced what patterns she photographed using the Screen Block Pattern Guide at the back of Ron and Barbara’s book. One thing leads to another. So next, Marianne and Tom went looking for more breeze block not only Palm Springs but also Los Angeles and Honolulu. Our final destination was Manhattan. On the upper east side at 130 E. 64th Street, we located architect Edward Durell Stone’s townhouse featuring a restored façade of the Empress pattern.

At the back of the book we included a photo of us in the 1980’s at Santa Cruz’s famous Dream Inn on a screen block balcony. The book is completed but our eyes are opened forever.