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SATURDAY AUGUST 21, 2010

VOLUME 4 NO. 33

The Creative Arts Group Turns 50!

A Change Of Scenery

A beautiful balmy evening in the 
lovely garden of Jan and Bob Eriksson 
provided the backdrop for the 50th 
anniversary party of Creative Arts 
Group, the nonprofit art center in Sierra 
Madre that has provided art classes 
to children and adults for 50 years. 
Jazz guitarist, Michael Zubia, played 
throughout the evening, the event 
was catered by Chefelle, bidding was 
brisk at the Silent Auction, and guests 
enjoyed a slide show of Creative Arts 
Group through the years. A highlight 
of the evening was the presentation of 
a plaque renaming the Featured Artists 
Gallery the “Founders Gallery” to two 
of CAG’s founding members, Kathy 
Snow and Mary Wallace.

The vision of 12 innovative citizens was 
realized in 1960 when Creative Arts 
Group first opened its doors to those 
in the community seeking a creative 
artistic experience. Established as the 
only nonprofit art center in Sierra 
Madre, the group’s mission was to 
provide high quality affordable art 
instruction to all and to augment art 
programs in the public schools.

Initially located on Montecito Ave., a 
fire in 1974 destroyed the building that 
first housed the art center. Through 
the efforts of many dedicated and 
determined friends, Creative Arts 
Group moved to its present location 
on Baldwin Ave. where it continues 
to welcome all in search of a creative 
environment to experience and enjoy 
the artistic process.

CAG continues to grow steadily and 
to expand its curriculum to include 
innovative workshops and classes for 
adults, teens, and children – always 
striving to give each person a valuable 
and individual art experience. In 
addition, CAG offers local artists a 
venue for displaying and selling their 
work in the Jameson Gallery, hosts 
artist receptions and exhibitions, 
conducts art-related tours, a student 
sale as well as an annual art festival and 
garden tour, and provides free family 
art projects in conjunction with city 
events.

The CAG facility is available for 
birthday parties, art programs for 
the local elementary school and for a 
variety of youth groups. The Creative 
Arts Group Alliance, an auxiliary 
group formed in 1986, raises funds 
for local school curriculum-based art 
projects, as well as scholarship classes 
to those in our community. They 
have also funded classes for seniors 
and patients in a local skilled nursing 
facility.

Those of us who have had the privilege 
of participating in the many activities 
Creative Arts Group offers are indeed 
grateful to the vision of our founders 
– Ruth and Bill Burr, Evie and Jim 
Hawkins, Jane and Charles Morse, 
Maria and Bill Stewart, and Mary and 
Bruce Wallace who with foresight and 
generosity created this community 
treasure that has welcomed students, 
teachers, artists, volunteers, and 
friends for 50 years.

 
The vacated Skilled Nursing Center, which has been a boarded up eyesore on Sierra Madre Blvd. several 
years, has improved its image somewhat. In an effort to comply with the city’s recent ordinance regarding 
boarded up and vacant buildings, the owner removed the boards from the windows in the front of the building. 
There are currently no new plans on what to do with the site despite the fact that the For Sale sign has been 
taken down. Photo by Chris Bertrand/MV News


Walk and Talk Water Tours Begin


Attending the celebration are , left to right, Jacki Raymond, Executive 
Director; Kathy Snow, CAG founder; Mary Wallace, CAG Founder; 
Vicki Mathieu, CAG president

Creative Arts Group (CAG) is hosting a Faculty 
Retrospective in celebration of the art center’s 50th birthday 
with faculty from the last fifty years displaying their art in the 
new Founders’ Gallery. Ceramics, jewelry, watercolor, oils, 
mixed media, and mosaics will be on view and for sale. The 
public is invited to the opening reception Friday, August 27, 
7:00 – 9:00 pm at the art center, 108 N. Baldwin Ave., Sierra 
Madre, where many of the participants will be on hand. The 
show will continue through September 30.

 As promised, Sierra Madre city officials have begun a new approach to educating residents about 
the functions and associated costs of maintaining the city’s water system. Last Saturday, dozens of 
residents gathered at the Water Department in the City Yards to take the walking tour. On Tuesday, 
City Manager Elaine Aguilar (shown above) and Director Karen Schnaider took the Kiwanis Club 
and guests on the tour. Later that same day, residents met at city hall where a review of the financial 
components of the proposed water rate increase and the water departments operations were 
discussed. Several other Walk and Talks are scheduled in the next two months and residents are 
encouraged to contact city hall for the next available date. Contact city hall at 626-355-7123

Police and Fire Chiefs Plan Chili 
Cookoff on Sept. 11

 Sierra Madre Police Chief Marilyn Diaz and Fire Chief Steve Heydorff are planning a friendly 
chili cookoff, and will serve 300 attendees at A Taste of Sierra Madre on September 11 in Kersting Court. 
Each department is keeping their recipe a secret. Chief Heydorff confirmed that Charlie Childs recipe 
will be used at the Fire Department. Childs’ cooking was a staple at the department for years, and has 
been featured on the Food Network, so the heat is on! The event attendees will vote on their favorite 
version between noon and two on that day. 

Proceeds from the event, including the cookoff will benefit two causes, cleft palate surgeries for children 
who would otherwise go without, and Sierra Madre’s Youth Activity Center, by funding additional fine 
arts programs.


Two different level tickets at $35 and $20 are now on sale to taste the food, the fine arts and the music of 
this first time event. Buy tickets at Savor the Flavor, Best Buy Drugs, The Bottle Shop and Belle’s Nest in 
downtown Sierra Madre. More information at www.ATasteOfSierraMadre.com or by calling event chair, 
Tom Brady at 626-355-3471. 

Sierra Madre Police Chief Marilyn Diaz, and Sierra Madre Fire Chief Steve Heydorf

are ready for the battle of the pots and pans at the Taste of Sierra Madre on September 11th.


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