The Sacramento Art Deco Society came together Thursday evening to hear noted Art Deco photographer and historian Randy Juster at the SMUD building.

Only eight people showed up for the more than 200-picture slide show of Art Deco architecture from around the world, but those eight got a wonderfully personal lecture from a man who’s been in the business of photography for 35 years.

“It’s a desire to document things that are endangered,” the 56-year-old said.

The attendees were all welcomed by little cups of sparkling lemonade and halves of Entenmann’s donuts laid out on a folding table. It seemed that everyone knew one another, or were just incredibly gregarious.

Sea Miller, board member and editor of the SADS quarterly publication “Moderne Times”, set up their projector and aged laptop, and, when it seemed the thing would never start, an applause came from the audience when words appeared on the screen.

Juster decided to use a microphone only after a man from the back shouted, “It makes you sexier!”

The slides covered several different countries Juster had visited, including Japan, Australia, British Columbia and New Zealand.

“This may be the only record we have some day,” Juster said

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As the slides progressed, you could feel the warmth erupt in the room as the people, most appearing over 60, sighed and watched as architecture from their childhoods showed magnificently on the screen.

The style of Art Deco began between the two World Wars and was popular during the Great Depression, lasting from 1925 to 1940. The style is characterized by bold colors, mostly shades of green and brown, and geometric shapes.

As the show ended, Juster looked out over the small audience. After a pause, he said, “Do you guys wanna see my trip to Japan?”

The powerpoint went on to show more than 50 slides that Juster had on his own computer, and explained each one. The lecture suddenly turned into a big family as Juster went through the slides, an anecdote behind each frame.

As the evening turned to night, the slides ended, and people around started chittering again, talking about the slides, politics and the World Cup.

For more information, visit sacartdeco.org or decopix.com.

Pictures:

1 & 4 courtesy of Maxwell McKee

2,3 & 5 courtesy of Randy Juster