‘Palm’ stands for ‘Peace and Love Matter,’ she thought — and set out to make it real
By Peter Finkle, for Ashland.news
I enjoy finding “hidden” art throughout Ashland. One of the most dramatic and beautiful “hidden” artworks — an entire mosaic courtyard — was just completed in the summer of 2023. You will find it at The Palm, the Siskiyou Boulevard motel with an iconic palm tree sign. Here is the story of this mosaic art masterpiece.
The history
“I was attracted to Ashland for the acceptance and love I felt here, through the people, the arts, the food. I would like the guests who stay at The Palm to feel that acceptance and love both at the motel and throughout Ashland.” —Marikit Del Rosario-Sabet
The Palm Motor Court opened in 1944, when the Pacific Highway still channeled all north-south traffic through downtown Ashland. Marikit and her husband Farzad Sabet purchased The Palm in August 2021. The couple lives in Redding, but fell in love with the culture and people of Ashland many years ago. They saw the potential to upgrade this modest motel into a place where guests would feel special — and want to return year after year.
They began by renovating the rooms with a mid-century modern design aesthetic, which has been very retro-cool for many years, and continues to be stylish today. Then they set their sights on creating a memorable artistic experience for all motel guests.
The vision
“We (Marikit and Farzad) are very passionate about people looking at each other as one big family, versus my side/your side.” — Marikit Del Rosario-Sabet
With deep emotion, Marikit described her epiphany that brought clarity to their plans. “I was driving home one day, thinking about The Palm. I remember thinking: ‘Palm stands for Peace And Love Matter. That’s how we’re going to make it our own. That’s what we’re going to build the whole energy around.'” Marikit and Farzad came up with the concept of an outdoor seating area to become the new centerpiece for their vision.
The artist
“When you’re doing art in public, someone comes along and gives you a little bit of encouragement each day.” — Krysta Bannis
They found their artist through admiring a mosaic artwork on the south wall at Abbey Carpet Mart on Siskiyou Boulevard. The mosaic is called “Uplifting” and is part of Ashland’s public art collection. They asked the Carpet Mart owners, “Who did that?” — and were put in touch with local artist Krysta Bannis. They explained their overall vision for the property, and Krysta got to work on design ideas.
Krysta considered several designs, including a 1960s-themed, hearts-and-ribbons design for the long curved bench, but none seemed right. When Marikit proposed “peace and love” in many languages for this area, Krysta’s design began to crystallize. Through a collaborative process, the design now includes the words “peace and love” in 32 languages, plus inspirational quotes on the same theme.
Krysta has been making and teaching art for more than 15 years. She is excited about her new creative endeavor: writing and illustrating children’s books based upon artistic themes, including the P.A.L.M. courtyard. Her website is a good way to see what she has created and will be creating.
The process
“One day I was working away and I heard someone singing in the pool area – not along with the radio, just singing. He is a playwright ….” — Krysta Bannis
The P.A.L.M. courtyard mosaic took Krysta a full year, partly because of breaks due to wet, very cold winter weather and smoky, very hot summer weather. The complexity of the design was also a factor. She had ceramic tiles to source, order from several countries, then cut to size. She affixed tens of thousands of beads to the bench walls. The mosaic covers the entire courtyard seating area, so each section was almost like creating another artwork.
Despite weather challenges, Krysta described her love for creating art in a public space, rather than in a studio. Hundreds of guests stopped to watch her work, then shared encouraging words. A few guests stand out in her memory: a boy who gave her a piece of his birthday cake, an opera singer’s successes and tears, a wise sage who told her life story and listened to Krysta’s.
I especially enjoyed Krysta’s tale of the playwright: “One day I was working away and I heard someone singing in the pool area — not along with the radio, just singing. The next morning when I arrived, the man who had been singing was sitting in my courtyard work area with his computer. We began to talk. He is a playwright and comes specifically to Ashland’s Palm Motel every year to write the music score for a Portland theater.” She learned that he had been singing his newly created music for an upcoming production.
Krysta taught art to all grade levels at Ashland’s TRAILS School for several years. She involved her students in making ceramic elements for the courtyard. She had an art group that “worked their butts off,” including helping to lay out the beads on pieces of tape before the beads were affixed to the walls. Most visibly, the flowers you see were made by the students. Krysta wants people to know that children in the community were actively involved in creating this large artwork.
Amazing details
The P.A.L.M. mosaic courtyard is filled with amazing details. I encourage you to discover them on your own. Here is the story of one detail.
As part of the overall theme, two doves touching heads became the central symbol for the “peace and love” bench area. Doves are a natural “peace” symbol, which Krysta also connected with the “love” theme through the shape of her design. Krysta described it in detail: The outer beads are Guatemalan jade, while the doves touching heads are hand-made from clay. They rest on a background of marble tesserae — small marble mosaic cubes. The nest that enfolds the doves is made from recycled, tumbled glass, symbolizing the harsh, fragile world we live in right now.
Krysta concluded her story with a surprising, story-book moment, as she pointed to a bead under their beaks, between the two doves. She was in the studio as she was making the doves. One moment, she looked down, where hundreds of beads that had been donated by “the bead lady” were scattered around her feet. Her eye spotted a heart-shaped stone that looked like it had the world on it. She laughed as she concluded, “It was just sitting there – and it fit exactly under my doves!” (Take a close look at the photo to see what Krysta is describing.)
Back to Marikit’s vision
I began with Marikit’s vision, and I will conclude with another element of her vision. She told me: “I remember going to motels with my parents, because that’s what we could afford. Like being able to just drive up to the door and go into the room. Now motels don’t have to be what motels were. It can be such an elegant place to stay, a place where you want to stay because you feel so good. I want that experience for everyone who comes here. This is a place where you go with family. This is the place where you go on girls’ trips. This is the place where you have reunions, where you say: ‘I can’t wait to sit in the courtyard and just enjoy this beautiful piece of art.'”
Peter Finkle gives Ashland history and art walking tours. See WalkAshland.com for walking tour information, or to request a private tour for your group or family.
