Saratoga News Local artist soars to new heights in work and play By Mary Ann Cook BEST OF SHOW: Helen MacKinlay's photograph After the Fall, II, "was the most intriguing" of the 117 entries in the Feather River Fine Arts Association show. So said the show's judge, Dale Laitinen, a signature member of the National Watercolor Society and Watercolor West. Laitinen said the photograph had "a sense of narrative that conveyed to me a feeling of a post-industrial collapse. The vulnerability of the figures crouched on a mud bank brought forth that feeling." Craftsmanship, originality and emotional content were the touchstones he used to judge the show, he said. MacKinlay reaped another distinction this year when her work was exhibited at a new gallery in Frankfurt, Germany. She didn't realize the company she'd be keeping in that exhibit, surrounded by the likes of Ansel Adams, Man Ray, Robert Mapplethorpe, David Hockney and Cindy Sherman. Illustrious company MacKinlay is keeping these days. In her other nonprofessional life, she and husband Rod took an unusual trip recently--mountain biking around Japan's northernmost island, Hokkaido. Each day they rode from their family-style hotel to a place near a volcano where they could stash their bikes, then hiked the rest of the way up to the volcano's summit, climbs that were rated average to difficult. Thus did they explore the island's volcanos and meet natives and other international hikers along the way, some of whom they continue to correspond with. In Tokyo they took in a sumo wrestling championship and even attended Hawaiian wrestler Konishiki's retirement party. Konishiki, at 604 pounds, is the biggest of all sumo wrestlers. At another event, the MacKinlays were treated to real sumo food prepared by another Hawaiian wrestler, George Yamato, whom they met through mutual friends. The MacKinlays, both lithe hikers, didn't pretend to keep up with the sumo standard of food consumption. TUSCANY TALK: The Literary Arts committee of Montalvo is excited about having bestselling author/teacher/ poet Frances Mayes come to town. She'll be speaking Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Montalvo and reading from her newest book, The Belle of Tuscany. Her earlier book, Under the Tuscan Sun, has been on the New York Times bestseller list for weeks. It's about the trials and tribulations of restoring a Tuscan farmhouse. The book is also chock-a-block full of recipes. In the Tuscany spirit, an olive oil tasting will be part of the January proceedings, provided by Oakville Market, newly ensconced in Old Town, Los Gatos. Tickets for the event are $22 and are already proving to be a hot item: local book clubs are buying in blocks. LOCAL CHARITIES: The West Valley Republican Women collected towels and toiletries for InnVision, the homeless shelter for women and children; raised close to $600 for the Salvation Army; and collected stuffed animals for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department, which uses them in work with traumatized children. The club also installed new officers: Marge Gamble, president; Kay Young, first vice president; Carol Greenleaf, second v.p.; Sherry McCollum, third v.p.; Susan Hart, recording secretary; Ruth Ellen McCloskey, corresponding secretary; Karen Lockey, treasurer; and Liz Simms, director at large. Young, Greenleaf, McCollum and McCloskey are Saratogans. The public is invited to the next meeting at noon, Jan. 21, at the Saratoga Country Club, where the new county sheriff, Laurie Smith, will speak on her vision for law enforcement in the county. WINNERS: The Sizzling Seniors, led by Saratogan Bev Myers, won first place in their category in the Los Gatos Children's Christmas and Holiday Parade. The group also won first at a Veterans Day parade. WIND SYMPHONY: The Los Gatos- Saratoga Community Concert Association will present the San Jose Wind Symphony and piano soloist Craig Heimbichner in concert 2:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in the Los Gatos High School auditorium. For tickets call Ray Strong at 377-1106 or Ruth Capps at 356-7014. Heimbichner is no stranger to the school: he's an administrator there. ICON, FULL CIRCLE: Funny how an icon can get to someone. In Elvis Presley's lifetime I didn't appreciate him one whit--shuddered when I saw his image. But the outpouring of tributes since his death made me realize there must be some nugget there. Gradually, very gradually, I began to appreciate his music. Then when I saw "Blue Suede Shoes," the ballet, I really changed my tune. I asked my classically trained musician friend, "Why is he so revered?" "He's the King!" she bellowed without further explanation. Normally soft-spoken, she bellowed these words as though I were too obtuse to even converse with. This season when the strains of "Blue Christmas" issued through the airwaves, tears welled up in my eyes. I'd call that coming full circle. [ Back to Contents Page | Saratoga News Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Saratoga News, December 30, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.