A mentor to many artists, who loved to inspire others to action
STORIES & VIDEO
Site of “The Wildest Party in LA History.” (LA Weekly)
The illustrious jazz saxophone player, Charlie Parker met Jirayr Zorthian at a party in 1952. Jirayr thought they’d have a better time at Zorthian Ranch, so they drove to the ranch, riding horses and swimming in the pool until sunrise. Charlie said he had such a great time he wanted to return the favor by doing a jam session at the ranch. On that exciting night—the illustrious band arrived—the guests arrived—but no Charlie (not unusual given the depth of his addiction at the time). Finally he arrived, but was enjoying the party too much to want to play his instrument. However, once a woman mentioned that his music inspired her take her clothes off, that also inspired Charlie to pick up his sax. Many of the guests got inspired to divest their clothing too! All of this was recorded in a colorful chapter titled ZORTHIAN from the graphic biography CHASIN’ THE BIRD.
Seeing ART in everything
This car frame was washed up on the sandy beachfront of Zorthian’s house in Mexico. Jirayr saw Art in everything, and decided he was somehow going to get the frame back to the ranch. He carried it on his back from the beach to the house, with slight assistance from his wife Dabney and son, Alan. Jirayr said “Art is blood and guts, and artists have been unfairly marginalized as passive and weak,” so he often made extra effort, through physical gestures, to prove otherwise.
Music video by fadette honoring the anniversary of the Eaton Fire
PALACE DOOR
Ornate handmade 9-foot front door of “The Palace.” The 5'2'' Jiyayr Zorthian was proud of how strong the door was, and often jumped up on it, swinging back and forth. He loved the look of colorful glass telephone pole insulators, and used them as decorations.
The Artist & the Scientist (1995) - by Douglas Tharalson
Physicist Richard Feynman said the beauty of a flower lies in its design, and the more you understand that, the more you appreciate it. Jirayr Zorthian said artists appreciate beauty more—because they don’t complicate it. The two friends decided to trade lessons in Art and Science, in order to better understand each other’s point of view. Inspired by Zorthian, Feynman became a lifelong artist. When he won the Nobel Prize in Physics, he said that Art had taught him the importance of experimentation in his work.
Nobel Prize winning physicist, Richard Feynman enjoyed teaching the children at Zorthian's yearly summer camp.
WALL OF OBJECTS
Jiyayr Zorthian loved recycling found objects into Art pieces. For his birthday parties, he asked friends to bring used items to add to this wall instead of gifts.
STONE WALL
Ekart Bernardi, whose father had been a casualty of WWII, was a 15 year old student at John Muir high school when Jirayar hired him as a laborer. Their relationship evolved and Jirayr became an important mentor to Ekart.
When Jirayr took a trip to Mexico, he left Ekart with the task of completing this dry rock stone wall. During Jirayr’s absence, Ekart worked hard, and was concerned that Jirayr would be dissatisfied with his work. To Ekart’s relief, Jirayr returned from his trip and dramatically claimed, “IT’S BEAUTIFUL!”
Ekart worked on the ranch for 8 years, and later became an inventor, starting his own company.
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs (Filmed at Zorthian Ranch)
Sean Lennon (Filmed at Zorthian Ranch)