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Drawings and photos of California ranch houses

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Drawings and photos of California ranch houses

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    Cliff May

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    rendering of Cliff May ranch house

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    view of exhibition galleries

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    Scott Mayoral mayoralphoto.com

    Cliff May ranch house interior

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    Cliff May, Proposed Monterey Ranch residence for Riviera Ranch, 1939

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    Cliff May, One room house, 1935

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    Cliff May and Chris Choate, Cliff May residence no. 4, "Skylight House," 1949

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    Cliff May and Chris Choate, Cliff May Homes leaflet, 1955 

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    Cliff May, Smith house, 1935
    Photograph by W.P. Woodcock

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    Cliff May, Kitchen, 1954
    Drawing by Gene Shrewsbury from Los Angeles Times, Home magazine, June 6, 1954

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    Cliff May, Hutton house, 1955
    Drawing by Jack Lester

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    Cliff May,Philbin house, 1959
    Rendering by F.W. Jamison

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    John Byers, McCrea house, 1933

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    Kem Weber, A "Kem Weber System" House, 1942   

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    Lutah Maria Riggs, Colville house, 1957

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    Robert Stacy-Judd, Guest house in the Indian Village at Soboba Hot Springs, 1928

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    Cliff May, Pace Setter House
    House Beautiful magazine cover, February 1948

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    Cliff May, House Beautiful demonstration home, 1945

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    First National Finance Corporation offers Hacienda by Cliff May: artwork for advertisement, 1938

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    Paul Sterling Hoag, Residence for Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Bayne and son, 1951         

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

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    Cliff May, Development of ranch houses in Long Beach, Calif., 1953-54

Part of a Southern California cultural initiative called Pacific Standard Time, “Carefree California: Cliff May and the Romance of the Ranch House” examines the evolution of the ranch house from a practical regional form to a widespread style. The show also focuses on the influence that designer Cliff May had on popularizing the form.  May is credited with creating the California minimalist ranch with his system-built houses that he designed, marketed, and sold in the postwar era. Eventually, May designed luxury versions of his ranch houses and throughout his career produced more than 1,000 custom homes.

The exhibition and its accompanying book use materials from May’s archives, along with resources from more than 20 other California architects, to investigate how the ranch house form and function fit California lifestyles through open interior spaces, profuse fenestration, and ample indoor-outdoor integration. Hundreds of original models, drawings, photographs, magazines, site plans, sales pamphlets, and film clips will be on display. “Carefree California: Cliff May and the Romance of the Ranch House” continues through June 17 at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum.