Roger M. (Bud) Upton Source: islapedia.com
When you visit the Marlin Club you will discover the bar is a sunken ship resting peacefully on the ocean floor. Look all around you in the “water” and see a world that lies beneath the ocean’s surface. This magical sea-scape was imagined and painted in 1948 by Catalina artist Bud Upton (1900-1988). Upton is most famous for his Plein-air paintings, but before he found fame as fine artist, he was the resident sign painter in Avalon.
Early in his career, Bud was unable to make a living exclusively as an easel painter, so he went into the sign business. During this time he also painted murals, created decorations for tour buses, designed menus, and served as the all-around design and artistic consultant for many projects around Avalon and Catalina. The Marlin Club stands as one of Upton’s most-famous public installations and when you are in Avalon the interior of the Marlin Club is a must-see art-walk attraction. Special thanks to the artists who restored and contributed to the mural over the years: Jesse Bailey and Silvana Cicconi in 1992 and Porschia Denning in 2014.
