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Saratoga Sampler
Jill-of-all-trades fashions a Beanie Barbie
By Mary Ann Cook
ICONOCLAST: Now we know the role of local iconoclast is in firm and crafty hands. Saratogan Emily La Scola, who is a Jill-of-all-trades where the arts are concerned, recently won an award (sponsored by a daily newspaper) to redesign the Barbie doll as she enters the 21st century.
Actually, La Scola designed two dolls, since what she did was to switch the head of a Beanie Baby with the head of a Barbie she purchased at Goodwill. So--Beanie Barbie.
Beanie Barbie has a plump torso, much more in keeping with her age of 40, as La Scola points out. She also doesn't stand, but then neither does classic Barbie, forced to totter on tiny tippytoes, a source of irritation to the contest winner.
The Beanie Barbie is content to merely sit, but she still looks exceedingly jaunty, since she is wearing an elaborate white feather headdress designed by La Scola and reminiscent of headgear featured in Beach Blanket Babylon productions.
The counterpoint doll is constructed of Beanie Baby Stretch's head and Goodwill Barbie's body. The body is unrecognizable as Barbie's, because it's bedecked with bright plumage more in keeping with a psychedelic ostrich. Part of Barbie's former coif makes up the tail feathers.
This hybrid is equipped with much more serviceable feet, duck feet perhaps. They were made of Fimo clay, a polymer, and baked in the La Scola oven. When her husband, Joe, asks, "What's for dinner?" he can never be sure what's in the oven. "He wishes I would cook more and bake [polymers] less," Emily confides.
Emily La Scola illustrates books, designs greeting cards and has versed herself in jewelry making, etching and paper making, among other disciplines.
And she does iconoclast duty on the side. "I was sparked by discomfort about the Barbie and the Beanie Baby mania" and so entered the contest, she says.
ARTWORK: The artwork at the Book-Go-Round is the product of a mother and son team--Marguerite Fischer and Eric.
The two have exhausted nearly all the art and craft courses offered at local community colleges. "We're 'A' students, both of us," says Mother Marguerite.
Eric has 12 small paintings gracing the walls of the used book shop. His subject matter is usually inspired by science--astronomy, anatomy, or the world one views through a microscope.
Marguerite's contribution consists of three sculptures. A small piece depicts Icarus, falling, à la the famous Greek myth. Since it's high up, it's hard to spot at a glance. Another work is a turtle that was carved out of damp plaster.
A third example of the Marguerite Fischer oeuvre is a bust of her son (now 44) at age 4. This one is atop the glass case at the Book-Go-Round. Fischer is hoping to interest the city fathers into funding a life-size sculpture outside city hall, similar to this piece except for size. Fischer is a retired librarian who worked at IBM, at the National Library of Medicine at Bethesda, and at Eric Clearing House of Educational Media and Technology in Berkeley.
Eric won a second place in drawing at the spring show at the Triton Museum. He has shown at the Euphrat Gallery at De Anza, at the Olympiad at Montalvo and at Saratoga City Hall. Mother and son are members of the Saratoga Contemporary Artists group.
Says Marguerite to her son about his work: "If I weren't your mother I'd be jealous."
NEW OFFICERS: New officers of AAUW are Ellen Cousins, president; Allyson Lageschulte, president-elect; Mary Henderson and Jean Wenburg, program vice presidents; Patty Weber, treasurer; and Irmalyn Benkert, secretary. For membership information call 867-4237.
Further amplification: It was reported here that AAUW won the Human Relations Award of Special Merit from the Human Relations Commission of Santa Clara County, but more specifically, it was the Committee on Homeless Women and Children, an AAUW committee, that won that award for the branch earlier this year.
SHS REUNION: When James Benoit found out what was happening for the 30th reunion of the Saratoga High School class of '69--nothing--he decided he'd better start his own. "I just started throwing it together," says Benoit, who goes by just JB, thank you.
JB sent out invitations to everyone he knew, and enlisted friend Cliff Maas as host, since Maas lives on his own island of private land in the middle of 10,000 acres of watershed property in the mountains behind Mt. Uhmunhum, including spectacular views of Lake Elsman Reservoir.
JB wore several hats at the reunion--event coordinator, chef and musician. Some 50 people showed up, including these '69 grads: Don Eagleston, Eric Fawcett, Chris Gies, Don Hiem, John Hinman, Duane Miller, Robin Reynolds, Mark Slemmons, Chris Walton and Mark and Mary Weitemier.
The Birch Lake Ramblers played and '69 SHS grad John Cassady (son of beat legend Neal) sat in on guitar.
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Saratoga, California Since 1955
