2009
The year 2009 is now quickly coming to a close. It has been a full year with lots of activities. It began in January with a visit to Vancouver, BC, Canada for a book launch of a book about a dear friend/sculptor who died a year ago, David Marshall. David gave George a small casting of one of his finest works, Variations on a Sphere. Since the US border with Canada is but 20 miles from Bellingham we go up there every six to eight weeks or so. In September we all (David, George and Mary Ann) took a four day visit up along the ‘Sunshine Coast’ to the end of the road along the west coast of British Columbia.
In March we went to the Monterey Peninsula to visit with dear old (and getting older) friends: Mollie and Ukio Sumida and Miyo Enokida. They are still hanging in there, now in their 80s. It is always a joy to see them again. We stayed at the Asilomar State Park facility which is great, right on the ocean. David did not go with us as he was working at the University, at a job he has had now for over 10 years. He is doing well in his apartment and loves his independence …but he sure is gaining weight, much to our chagrin.
George, as usual, has been going at a frenetic pace, this time working on a major exhibit of sculpture by Sebastian, perhaps the most famous monumental sculptor in the world. Plans are to have 19 painted steel sculptures from 6 to 22 ft. tall placed in the center of Bellingham, opening in time for the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver and lasting for 10 months. Supposedly the 40ft. container of sculptures left Mexico City on 3 December but who knows? Everything seems to be happening according to “la hora Mexicana.” George flew to Mexico City in early November to see for himself the progress in preparing the works for the exhibit.
One of the sculptures, Las Palomas (the doves) will go to Korea when the exhibit closes here in Bellingham. There it will serve as the Korean War Children’s Memorial dedicated to the 500,000 children who died in the Korean War. Arranging plans for that is a major task for George but he is working with the highest levels of government in Korea to achieve his goal.
Mary Ann still produces lovely creative works of art with her fine fibers, hand spun, hand died and hand knit. Going to craft fairs gets harder each year but the items still sell well.
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