Shiela (i before e)

Jamie (Anuvue’s Art Teacher) and I traveled tonight to Burbank, one of the cutest little sleepy towns in Southern California. Burbank has Jay Leno and the Disney Studios…but more important, it has Shiela. Now Shiela and I go back…way back…oh just forget about how far back people! What’s important here is that Shiela has more talent in her baby toe than most people have in their whole family…say 4 generations back. She’s a sculptor, painter, illustrator, author, admirable Mother and I believe she still may even remember how to play the clarinet (though I don’t ask for fear she’d break it out). Sheila is also one of the most wonderful people God ever set on the planet, one of the few people in the world to know all my hidden secrets and still love me and I am astoundingly proud of her and so glad to have her work at the gallery.

Currently she is working on a large Golfing figure (in her driveway, where else?) for a local golf course and a Tycho drummer for an award winning Architect. I have featured her large sculpture that sits in front of the Burbank Police and Fire Station and has been on TV many times, especially after 9-11 on the West Coast. I remember going to the unveiling celebration of “The Guardians”. “No big deal” she said. When I saw the “fly over” I had the sneaking suspicion it was just a little more. I sat teary-eyed on my folding chair, along with the rest of our lifelong schoolmates, thinking about how far her work had come. I still have my graphite sketch from high school that she did of my beloved (back then) Paul McCartney. I think even he would have approved.

Shiela studied art at Long Beach State, met and married fellow Artist Ray, who is amazing in his own creativity and the nicest guy on the planet. I think the best part of the match was that she finally got her big Italian last name to go with her French Italian heritage. The woman cooks a mean pot of meat sauce people! They have 2 beautiful children…and lets just say… all that talent…well it all got passed on. It gives me the greatest, proudest pleasure to have you meet Shiela… one of my 3 dearest, lovely, lifelong friends.

As side note, I should say (because it’s important to her) that the angel below is a study (re-creation) of an early Master (I’m guessing Botticelli) and it’s not an original idea…although…take a look…would you care? It’s beautiful. Also a reminder, as in all the Artist’s portfolios, these shots do not do begin to her work justice.