Colorful characters

As I wandered through the village of Mendocino earlier this month I found quite a few sculptures on the grounds outside the Mendocino Art Center, but others can be found randomly around town. One of the most prominent is the former Masonic Temple, built between 1866 and 1872. Its builder, Erik Albertson, topped it off with a sculpture that is […]

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A walk into town

During our recent stay in Mendocino, I actually walked into town twice from our rental house on the east side of Highway 1. Of course there’s loads of amazing ocean views to take in along the Mendocino Headlands; but if you stroll along any of the village streets you’ll soon find all sorts of quirky touches and beautiful historic structures. […]

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Violence, deconstructed

I think that once you’ve seen one of Al Farrow’s mosaic sculptures you’ll never quite forget it. That was why on my visit to the deYoung Museum in San Francisco last August I suddenly found myself experiencing a strange feeling of deja vu; it took me a few minutes to realize why. His intricate pieces are both jarring and thought-provoking, […]

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Textures in stone

Franklin Simmons (1839-1913), Penelope, 1896, Marble Gift of the Daughters of Penelope, an International Hellenic Women’s Organization, to the Fine Arts Museums of San Fransisco on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Daughters’ founding by Alexandra Apostolides in San Francisco on November 16, 1929. The donation in honor of Hellenism was made possible by the vision of Mrs. […]

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Footsteps lead to destiny

I visited Japantown in San Francisco for the second time this past summer, and as I was strolling around before going inside the mall, I noticed this wonderful bronze and stone sculpture on Post Street. You can read the story behind the monument and each of the three panels here. The inscription on the third panel reads: Sojourners Visionaries open […]

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Roanoke, Texas

I’ve never had opportunity to seriously explore the numerous small towns north of Fort Worth during our Christmas visits, but I’ve seen just enough to know I’d like to see more. In past years, we’ve enjoyed the food and the historical decor at Reno Red’s, though I’ve never actually seen the place in daylight. Even in the edges of suburbia, […]

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