Horizons Past – Lisa Ray
Chapter 10
A ssistant District Attorney Sid Blevins and Detective Camp Seelig parked their
unmarked police car a block from the Marvin Christofferson Art Gallery on
the main street of Sausalito and walked to the gallery front door. A sign
proclaimed, “Gallery Closed - Paintings can be viewed at the Trident Restaurant.”
Walking toward the restaurant they the two reacted differently the relaxed
look and feel that hundreds of resident laid-back hippies can exude. Blevins
bemused expression showed curiosity while Sellig looked like he was walking
through a minefield. San Francisco Bay lapped gently at the rocks below the
seawall, and the refurbished homes along the main street offered a plethora of
artsy-craftsy shops offering paintings, handmade pottery, macramé, and tie-died
fabrics. Restaurants and coffee houses dotted each side of the street and the smell
of fresh baked goods and espresso wafted out each door. Street musicians added
verve to what already was a festive scene.
The officers walked across the street. The boardwalk parking deck that
lead to the Trident Restaurant rested on pilings on the waterside of the seawall.
Workmen were building a room addition to the right of the front door. A sign said
the room was the future gallery for Marvin’s paintings. The Trident foyer held a
sampling of his paintings. A sign offered the paintings for sale asking prospective
buyers to contact the manager, Randy Quartz.
In the summer of 1965 Marvin Christofferson was an artist of some regional
renown. His vertical landscapes of the giant sequoia trees in Muir Woods in
Tamalpais Valley sold in the mid- four figures. He had a small gallery across from
the Trident Restaurant on Sausalito’s waterfront to show and sell his paintings,
just as his contemporary, Walter Keene, had in San Francisco’s North Beach
Area. Though the trademark styles were different, both artists were recognizable
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Horizons Past – Lisa Ray
even to laymen. Both Keene’s whimsical representations of tear-stained, sad
faced children and Christofferson’s shafts of sunlight piercing through redwoods,
igniting the skin of a single male nude, set San Francisco’s art enthusiasts atwitter.
DeBotts, the San Francisco Chronicle’s fine arts critic, waxed loquacious
over Marvin’s early works as portraying, “ . . . the innocence of man in harmony
with nature, all nurtured by a Greater Good.”
DeBotts’ critical depth and impeccable artistic taste, if not his prose,
warmed Marvin, Critics will be critics, and Marvin accepted their opinions
graciously - whether praise or criticism. What really got to Marvin was the
pretense of the interior designers and fringe elements like assistants, agents, and
managers sent on pilgrimages to Sausalito by California Greats to purchase the
requisite painting “by that Christofferson guy who’s paintin’ those faggots and big
trees.” He doubled the price for these phonies. Tripled it for those who wanted
“something about this big, right?” Movie stars and their directors were the worst.
Much too busy to make the trip, they sent their minions to negotiate for their
Christofferson.
Marvin grew tired of painting male nudes. He pinned a notice to
Sausalito’s Trident Restaurant bulletin board requesting auditions by female
figure models. A young Trident waitress named Lesa Tolivar was the first to
respond. The previous friendly after-work alcohol and eco-babble sessions with
her already had him dreaming about getting her naked.
Lesa’s flimsy, braless, batik, flower-child shifts hid something good, he
was sure, but until their first trip to the redwoods, he had no idea. The eight years
separating their ages disappeared when her shift fluttered to the grass, and she
stood nude before him asking for posing instructions. “Art must wait,“ he
thought, aloud.
On their fifth field trip, he finally put brush to canvas. Once their passion
subsided enough to re-channel Marvin’s creativity, his new artistic period
blossomed. He was inspired. The gallery’s waiting list read like a “Bay Area
Who’s Who,” as all the male art patrons developed lively interests in his work.
DeBotts essentially took up residence in Marvin’s gallery, because Lesa, the first
female ever of interest, had him considering bi-sexuality.
Detective Seelig and Blevins stood pondering the Christofferson paintings in the
Trident’s foyer. “I’m not sure if he likes trees or naked women more,” Selig said.
“ Me, I could do without so many trees.”
“Seelig, there is one thing about you I can count on,” Blevins replied.
“Yeah?”
“You’re very predictable.”
Before Seelig could answer, the hostess approached and asked if they
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Horizons Past – Lisa Ray
wanted to dine. “Actually, we were wondering if Randy Quartz is available,”
Blevins said.
“Sure, he’s around. Would you like to wait in the bar while I try to find
him?” She pointed to a booth.
The two settled into one of the artful booths built in flowing freeform
design by wood craftsmen who obeyed neither time restraints nor the laws
regarding controlled substances. There could be no question The Trident,
originally owned by the Kingston Trio and named for Neptune’s’ three-pronged
spear, would someday receive a plaque as a state treasure for its hippie deco
interior motif. Wooden wainscoting, banquette booth backs, handrails, roof
support columns and beams swirled away in every direction, somehow always
ending in exactly the right position juxtaposed against an adjacent swirl.
“This place makes me dizzy.” Seelig rotated for a better look.
Blevins nodded his head, “Yep, you’re consistent.”
“How can I help you, gentlemen?” Randy Quartz was shorter than average
and a bit stocky, a condition caused by his frequent quality control visits in the
kitchen.
“Good morning, Mr. Quartz. I’m Assistant District Attorney Sid Blevins,
and this is Detective Seelig.” Both showed their identification.
Before Blevins could continue, Quartz blurted, “Oh, my God, you’re here
about the Christofferson thing. What a tragedy, I still get choked up thinking
about Lesa.”
“You knew Lesa?” asked Seelig.
“Oh, my yes! She was not only an employee but a dear friend.”
“Lesa worked here?” It was Blevins this time.
“Oh, no! Not currently. About a year ago.” Randy Quartz had a habit of
fluttering his wrists to emphasize his statements
“Why did she leave?” Blevins again, but this time with more interest.
“Marvin put a notice on our bulletin board asking for nude figure models,
and Lesa responded immediately. She was kind of stuck on Marvin and saw it as
an opportunity to develop their relationship. If you know what I mean?” Randy
raised his eyebrows for emphasis this time.
“These two were an item?” Detective Seelig asked with his pen poised
over his ever-present notebook.
“Oh, my, yes. Thick as peanut butter. I’ve never known two people more
in love.” Randy said.
“Did they ever fight?” Blevins asked with even more interest.
“Why do you ask? You’re checking out foul play in their accident? Don’t
even ask! It’s preposterous!” Randy’s voice elevated into the irate zone, and his
wrists beat a counterpoint rhythm.
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Horizons Past – Lisa Ray
“Actually we’re trying to find Marvin. To ask a few questions.” Blevins
said.
“The last time I talked to him, he was in the Marin General Hospital.”
Randy was a little more composed.
“What did you discuss?” Blevins’ eyes narrowed.
“He told me he had to get away for awhile, and he asked me to put a notice
in his gallery front door.” Randy said.
“Why is his gallery moving to your restaurant?” Seelig asked.
“He lost his lease, and we cooked a deal to move him over here. The
owners and I felt it would be a big draw for the restaurant. It’s a coup!”
“Did he give you any indication when he might return?” Seelig continued
writing in his notebook.
“No. But I don’t expect him for quite a while.” Quartz could not hide his
disappointment.
“Why?
“It was the way he sounded, like he didn’t care.” Randy said. “He just
sounded defeated. . Almost suicidal. I tried to get him to let me pick him up and
bring him to my home, but he was not interested.”
Blevins handed Randy both his and Seelig’s cards. “If you talk to him, ask
him to call us.” Both men stopped to view a Christofferson painting with Lesa in
it before leaving the restaurant. “I wouldn’t throw her over a cliff, I can tell you
that. What do you think?” Seelig settled in the driver’s seat of the county issue
vehicle and looked at his partner.
“I think this whole case is a load of crap!” Blevins hunched down in the
passenger seat, laid his head back, and closed his eyes for the trip back to the
office.
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