Mountain Views News, Pasadena Edition [Sierra Madre] Saturday, May 12, 2018

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Mountain View News Saturday, May 12, 2018 


WALKING SIERRA MADRE... The Social Side By Deanne Davis


“When you buy something from an artist, you’re 
buying more than the object. You are buying hundreds 
of hours of errors and experiments. You are buying 
years of frustration and moments of joy. You are not 
buying just one thing, you are buying a piece of a heart, 
a piece of a soul...a small piece of someone else’s life.”

 What with one thing and another, including seeing 
“School of Rock” at the Pantages...which was fabulous, 
fun and just like the 2003 movie starring Jack Black. 
If you have a chance to see this, by all means, go! The 
children in the show were incredible and my theater 
buddy, Leah, and I couldn’t have enjoyed it more. 
Walking out laughing and happy is the way I like to 
leave a theater. 

 As I was saying, what with one thing and another, 
I didn’t get to the Art Fair till late Sunday afternoon 
and one of the first things I saw was the quote above, 
displayed in a frame at one of the artists’ booths. This 
is so true, friends and neighbors. Certainly true of 
those who write. When I emailed my editor, Debby 
Alten, the manuscript of my book, “Star of Wonder,” 
she read it and then informed me I had used the word, 
“that,” 763 times and the word, “just,” 624 times. I was 
horrified and immediately started removing as many 
“thats” and “justs” as possible. Writer, Donald Miller, 
author of “Blue Like Jazz,” says the first rule of writing 
is never use “that” ever! So when this artist spoke of 
hundreds of hours, she hit the nail right on the head.

 The Art Fair was wonderful, as always. One of my 
favorite things were the clocks by Terry Cross. These 
gorgeous creatures made with mahogany, red oak and 
other beautiful woods had hand etched and hammered 
copper faces and pendulums, some featured a unique 
tile under the clock face and each one was exceptional.

 I also really liked the watercolors by Thomas 
Hoerber. These were exquisite in the use of colors 
and water colors aren’t that easy to do. My Dad, a 
very successful artist himself, gave me a water color 
of elephants that is one of my favorites of his. This is 
another case where what looks so simple just plain 
wasn’t that easy to do.

 Jeff Nadler’s wildlife photography was another place 
where I stopped to look and look as each of his photos 
represented an animal caught unawares. Jeff said 
wildlife photography requires patience and really fast 
reflexes.

 Irene Estrin, pictured here with some of her unusual 
pottery pieces, displayed ceramic ornamentals in 
many varied colors, all with tiny places where one 
could insert a twig of rosemary, a flower, something 
live. These were really special.

 I saw some nifty ceramic noodle bowls with a hole 
in the side to hold one’s chopsticks, and the chopsticks 
were included. The Sierra Madre Garden Club, much 
to my delight, were selling Epiphyllum cuttings at 
half price. These things are fabulous. Years ago, my 
Dad... in addition to being a world class artist, was 
also a gardener with green thumbs on both hands...
gave me some Epiphyllum cuttings in a bright fuschia 
and a lovely coral. They grow like crazy and I’ve shared 
cuttings with son-in-law, Chuck Seitz, and his plants 
produce more flowers than mine do. 

 Hearing some really nice fiddle playing in the band 
shell, I sat down in the shade for a bit and enjoyed Jean 
Sudbury’s renditions of “Do You Know What It Means 
To Miss New Orleans,” and a Mexican waltz Jean gave 
us the name of in Spanish then said, “It means, ‘Hey, 
It’s My Song!’” This was a delightful way to cool off and 
enjoy her relaxed set of music as other folks joined me 
in the shade with huge plates of food from the Olvera 
Street taquitos and tamales “Since 1938” food truck 
which was parked close by. Leaving the park with the 
Kensington straight ahead of me, was the best display 
of wistaria I’ve seen, right in the middle of their outside 
courtyard. Take a look as you drive by.

 Have you seen Sierra Madre’s own Triple Crown 
jockey, Victor Espinoza’s, TV commercial? It’s 
really cute...he’s seated aboard a winning horse who 
promptly eats the flowers off a lady’s hat and Victor 
uses his phone to wire her $120 for a new hat. Watch 
for it. 

 Congratulations to Steve Heydorff on being selected 
the July 4th Grand Marshall. My favorite memory of 
Steve is going to his and Charlie Childs’ Sierra Madre 
Brewing Company when it was in the Old Ice House 
on Montecito, having a glass of wine and eating 
peanuts in the late afternoon sunshine with my best 
friend and peanut connoisseur, John, now residing in 
heaven. Miss him, miss those good times. Have a glass 
of wine with someone you love this week and tell them 
you love them.

 My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis 

Kindle books of all sorts and hardcover “Tablespoon 
of Love” are on there, as is “Star of Wonder.”

 Star of Wonder the CD is now on TuneCore! Take a 
look!

 Blog: www.authordeanne.com

 

 Follow me on Twitter, too! https://twitter.com/@
playwrightdd


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com