Swim Art: "Dolphin Club" by Sara Combs

This pattern was created by Sara Combs of The Joshua Tree House wayyyyy back in 2015. She shared on her Instagram, @saracombs, as part of a pattern making challenge. When I went to look at her full account it took me some time to find it (took some scrolling!) but I was glad when I did because I was able to see the evolution of her art and design practice.

Today, her and her husband Rich reside in Joshua Tree and they are a design team providing interior design and lifestyle design services. It seems they have also recently opened a small in Inn in Tucson, AZ called Posada (if I ever visit Tucson, I am definitely staying there!).

Anyway, in her original post on Insta, she described the pattern as “The Dolphin Club Braves the Cold SF Water”. Her caption triggered a personal memory of walking by the real Dolphin Club in 2017 during a birthday trip to San Francisco! I even took a few photos of people swimming in the Bay from the Club, and of the Club itself!

Officially called The Dolphin Swimming and Boating club, it was founded in 1877 and today is a nonprofit, public-access athletic organization with a diverse membership of about 1500 women and men. Our members swim in the waters of Aquatic Park, row in the Bay and on Lake Merced, play in handball tournaments, and participate in the annual Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon.