Lizards

There is a good museum of folk arts of the world here in Escondido.

The Mingei Museum is small but has a very good collection and a changing schedule of exhibits which is very worthwhile.

There is presently a selection of art built around the theme of "Rite and Ritual"-- ceremonial art from different cultures--and one of the works has a series of animals and birds in circular patterns which was personally inspiring.

I have used these thematic ideas for a series of cartoons which the artists in our Creative Workshop have been developing into paintings and other decorative projects.

"Lizards" shown above in black and white is one of our collaborations.

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Activities Staff

Margaret (L) and Rhonda (R) Serve Halloween Cake. (Tomasito photo, 2009)

Hard-working Palomar Heights Care Center Activities Staff (photo above) keep the activities ball rolling all year round.

There is always something interesting happening for the residents to do because of these two ladies.

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New Work

Hannah, Al, Zaccai at Palomar Care Center. (Tomasito photo, 2009)

Our two "home Study" kids have returned and are busy two afternoons a week on various projects.

Hannah has done some nice beadwork and Zaccai worked on and completed the cool Halloween mask he is modeling in the above photo.

Al feels a lot more confident painting and is working with smaller and more complicated patterns and designs.

All together we have started making ornaments for the Christmas tree using Plato's five solids as basic forms.

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Maria Leaves

Maria at Work (Tomasito photo, 2009)

Our "colorista" Maria has left the Palomar Heights Care Center for another care home.

Maria was an inspiration to all of us with her bright renditions of primarily religious themed
cartoon drawings.

Via con Dios, Maria.

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Al Angels and Shepherds

Al, Angels and Shepherds, 2009 (Tomasito photo)

All of these Pizza-box Pictures are a group effort--if you can call play effort.

It is so satisfying to make something we think is beautiful.

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BVM 2009

BVM

Maria is our colorist.

She uses mainly felt-tip pens so the colors are pretty garish--but, what the hey? Right? They do the job.

It was her idea to put the "estrellitas" on the blue mantel--pretty good, I think.


I usually have a cartoon for her to color every couple of days--and when I don't she keeps in shape by coloring the color-book pictures provided by the Activities people.


All well.

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Philosophic Bea

Bea's Design, November 4, 2009

Bea joined the workshop group for a while today and talked with me about his and that.

She talked mainly about her experiences as a young girl--remember she is now 91 years old--and it was very interesting for me to listen to her.

When she was a little girl one of her first jobs was to help the wife of a white man, Mr. Baines, who suffered from arthritis. Bea poured warm water over the woman's wrists which gave her some relief from pain. Bea said that"seeing misery helps you gain strength".

She also talked about some of her memories of going to the Wayside Baptist Church. She remembered a song which I remember too from my childhood: "Jesus Wants Me For A Sunbeam". "I was His sunbeam then," she said; "and I still am."

"People think I'm just talking," she said, "but I'm preaching. That's all preaching IS--expounding the truth."

Good for you, Bea.

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