Do you remember when an upscale art gallery on Clark Avenue in Old Orcutt had a wine and cheese reception once a month?
It was sooo popular. Many people were saddened when the gallery closed and morphed into a pizza parlor that, no, doesn’t have the same monthly getting-together soirées.
Robert and Heidi Gruetzemacher decided to pick up the slack and have every-now-and-then events in their Frame Gallery in the mall anchored by CVS at Clark and Bradley.
On Friday night, April 10, they opened the gallery to feature the art of Jill Targer, who exhibits her bold and beautiful (sounds like a soap opera, doesn’t it?) paintings on silk at the Frame Gallery.
Targer is well known and appreciated also for her hand-painted silk scarves, which are coveted by our local fashionistas.
About 30 people turned out for wine and cheese and the oh-so-important schmoozing.
Wanda Acquistapace and Pat Cusak, Caroline and Ed Woods, Leona Doidge, and Pastor David and Lynn Brogren came to admire the art, not just by Targer, but also from Larry Kappen, Hattie Stoddard, Betsy Jones, and others.
Sally Buchanan and sister Mary Jo Hernandez (whose Chic Sac handbags are featured at the gallery) dropped in, as did Deborah Hildinger, whose eye-catching hand-painted gourds are on sale there.
Heidi told me that she and her husband have sponsored past events for nonprofits like VTC and Domestic Violence Solutions: “Lots of people came,” she said. “They were spilling out onto the sidewalk. We charged $15 for entrance, which included a raffle ticket for a piece of art.” Proceeds went to the host nonprofit.
There was no entrance charge for the April 10 event.
Where were your ancestors in 1863?
History buff Barron Smith came to Shepard Hall at the Santa Maria Library on Saturday, April 11, to talk about Central Coast residents who were in the Civil War, for the Historical Society’s monthly Santa Maria Valley Speaks series.
This topic—still hot after 150 years—attracted about 100 people, many of whom, like Smith, had great- or great-great-grandfathers who served in the War Between the States.
Cindy Ransick, executive director of the Historical Society, brought along a Union officer’s knee-length frock coat (uniform jacket), which is authentic: “There aren’t too many of these floating around,” she said. “They are valuable.” The fact that the Historical Society owns the coat of former Lt. Moses Davis (from Santa Maria) is a real feather in the Society’s cap.
Ransick also brought a framed copy of the April 15, 1865, NY Herald from the Historical Society collection. The paper contained news about Lincoln’s assassination. She gave me some background on the newspaper article. This Arkansas native is no slouch when it comes to Civil War history.
Retired teacher William Peterson (like his wife, a descendant of Civil War veterans) brought a shadow box of Civil War insignia—some authentic and some reproductions. Well versed in Civil War history, he told some amusing anecdotes about his ancestors.
Ana Artiaga was in the audience, as were Joey Wilson, Gordon Smith, and Joe Berkebile.
Turn-of-the-last-century Santa Marian Minerva Thornburgh, for whom the local Minerva Club is named, will be the topic of the next Historical Society event, set for Saturday, May 9.
If you want to hobnob with Helen, you may contact her at helenthom232@yahoo.com.
This article appears in Apr 16-23, 2015.
