Danish painter and sculptor Philip Kran Paval, born as Philip Krenker Petersen, first came to America in 1919, and worked as a merchant seaman in New York. In the 1920s he moved to Los Angeles where he established a silversmith shop. Paval settled in Hollywood where he maintained a studio as a gathering place for artists, Bohemians, actors and writers. Paval became well known for his silver and gold sculptures as well as his portraits of Hollywood celebrities. In 1933, he became a US citizen, officially changing his name to Philip Kran Paval. From 1953-56 he was President of the California Art Club. He published his autobiography in 1968.