John Hershey writes... These shots were taken over five days (Oct. 10, 11, 12,13, 14) at the the Bodega Bay Grange evacuation center and the Doran Beach evacuation supplies center.

Meals for evacuees were supported and funded by Waves of Compassion Foundation; CERT, and private donations.

In the current political climate, I did not photograph evacuees for their safety, as many among them might be undocumented.

Ceres of Sebastopol, Bodega Harbour's Bluewater Bistro, and Forestville's Backyard Restaurant provided food for the evacuees.

Some of these photos show some of the many free hot meals; cots for temporary lodging; free clothing, toys, and supplies: and the tireless volunteers who made it all happen.

Joshua Meador had two careers: he is best known for his special animation effects work at The Walt Disney Studios for nearly 30 years and, away from Disney, he established himself as a major California landscape painter.

In the midst of the Great Depression, Josh graduated  cum laude from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1935. One of his fellow students at the Art Institute was Disney Legend, Herb Ryman. Ryman dared Josh submit his portfolio to “that animator in California.” Josh and his young wife Libby packed up and headed west. When Josh arrived at The Walt Disney Studios in 1936, Walt liked what he saw in Josh and hired him on the spot. His first key (though uncredited) assignment was as an animator on The Old Mill, after which he moved on to Walt’s greatest challenge to date, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Josh proved to be an imaginative filmmaker, helping raise animation from cartoons to high art. Josh contributed to Pinocchio (1940), and in the 1958 “Disneyland” television episode “Tricks of Our Trade,” he recreated his role as animation supervisor for the “Rite of Spring” segment of Fantasia (1940), developing the technique of using bubbling mud to simulate the lava. He animated on most Disney features and numerous shorts of the 1940s and 1950s, including Dumbo (1941), Bambi (1942), Salludos Amigos (1943), and created animation effects for Song of the South (1946).

Josh's son Philip explained his father's two careers, saying, “In the early days at the Studios, Josh gave it all his energies, but when there was a long weekend or a hiatus, Josh, Libby and I would load the wood-paneled station wagon and teardrop trailer, and off we would go to the Northern California Coast or the Eastern Sierra or the Desert Southwest. Once there, Josh would paint all the time while Libby and I busied ourselves on long walks and such.”

As Josh was coming up to his twentieth anniversary with The Walt Disney Studios, he wanted to dedicate more of his energies to his fine art painting. Walt prized Josh's services, and did not want to lose him. In 1955, Walt called Josh into his office and negotiated a compromise. Josh would be free to paint full-time, but when Walt needed him, Josh would remain under contract on an “on-call' basis. Both men grew to like the arrangement. Under it, Josh did some of his most memorable work.

Throughout the 1950s, Josh worked on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), Sleeping Beauty (1959), and The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and Son of Flubber (1963) with Fred MacMurray, who collected a number of Meador's paintings. Josh did the animation effects for Darby O'Gill and the Little People (1959), and was one of the sequence directors for Donald in Mathmagic Land (1959). He also worked on “Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color” and assisted with plans for Disneyland. At one point in the mid-1950s, Walt loaned Josh's animation services to MGM for whom Josh created the famous “Monster of the Id” for that studio’s 1950's legendary sci-fi classic, Forbidden Planet (1956).

In 1958, Josh was one of the four artists featured in the “Disneyland” television episode, “An Adventure in Art.” Walt himself introduced them: “Here at the studio we have many artists who achieved national reputation as painters in addition to their accomplishments in the field of animation.” The show featured Marc Davis, Eyvind Earle, Walt Peregoy, and Joshua Meador discussing their individual contributions to the animation of Sleeping Beauty, and then explaining their thought process as they demonstrate their personal approach to painting the same tree, which Walt described as “a fine old live oak.”

With Josh's “on-call” contract in effect, Josh and Libby moved to Carmel Highlands in 1955 and later near Mendocino in 1960. His paintings were featured in major galleries in Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.

He participated in juried art shows and had many one-man exhibitions. He received favorable reviews by art critics, including Arthur Millier of the Los Angeles Times and Alfred Frankenstein of the San Francisco Chronicle. In 1958, he was guest speaker for the prestigious California Art Club, and often gave art talks and painting demonstrations.

Recently, my wife Linda and I traveled to Disneyland to meet with Joe Cosgrove, Meador's good friend from the early 1960s. Today, Joe is in his 80s, an active member of Disneyland's Club 33 and a true enthusiast. Joe met us at the park's gate and ushered us onto Walt's private railroad car, the “Lilly Belle.” As we rolled around the park, Joe told us story after story of Josh's career.

New to us was Joe's story of Josh's uncredited participation in Mary Poppins.With great energy, Joe related, “Walt called Josh to the studio to assist with the Dick Van Dyke dance scene with the penguin waiters.” He explained, “Walt needed to have live actors interacting with animated figures. Josh told me that the studio put up a blank screen, what they call a ‘sync screen” and an empty stage with marks. Josh had to be there for the shoot, making certain Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews hit their marks, because the animation was already in the can.”

Joe said that Josh's official credits at the Studio are legendary, but lamented that Josh did many things which remain uncredited. He added, “Josh didn't mind; he was part of a creative team. He loved working with them.” He then added, “When Walt needed him, Josh was there.”

Walt appreciated Meador’s personal art, and purchased paintings to hang in his homes. One of these paintings is currently being exhibited in the lobby of The Walt Disney Family Museum. Josh Meador worked for Walt from 1936 until his passing in 1965.

Daniel Rohlfing owns Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery and proudly features the works of Joshua Meador. In the 1950's, Josh and his family frequently visited Bodega Bay, one of Josh's favorite painting locales.

But this year, the fires! Everyone in the entire region was affected. Within the Art Trails community, seven artists lost their homes, their art, and their studios.

Art Trails artist Bill Gittens lost his home, paintings and studio in Fountaingrove. He has been interviewed for an article in KQED's Art Blog. Bill and his wife have now relocated, renting space from a friend. Their time has been spent filing insurance claims, change of address forms and bureaucratic etc etc etc. But Bill is resolute, re-establishing his studio. When asked if the destruction would affect his art, he said, "I will paint Santa Rosa as it needs to be, and that is with fall leaves at this point, greens and yellows and oranges, oak trees that still have 60 shades of green.” Bill's website is BillGittins.com

Artists, like the rest of the Sonoma County population, swung into action. Beyond assisting neighbors who lost their homes and those evacuated, artists debated what to do about Art Trails, their long-scheduled and planned-for event supposed to begin the weekend following the onset of the wildfires. After much discussion, it was decided to postpone Art Trails for one week.

So, preparations were made, refreshments were shopped for, displays were put up, signs put out, social media was posted and the doors opened.

Most artists reported that their attendance and sales were smaller than in the past. But many artists experienced how art was part of how people were healing. Visitors to Open Studios shared their stories. As Linda Sorensen put it, "Art Trails was well attended by everyone who was there."

One gentleman, an Art Trails regular over the years, viewed one of Linda's paintings and

mentioned that the piece would have looked great in his bedroom. He had just the perfect place for it. But then he revealed he had lost his home in the fire. This opened the door for him to tell his story.

And so it was for many artists in Art Trails. Art is therapeutic. It has the capacity to evoke the deepest hopes and feelings we possess and helps us deal with the fortunes and misfortunes confronting us in life.

paintings in the forest is magical. Painting there benefits from the quiet, the air, the moderated weather, the tall dark and bright greens and rusty reds -- even if a painting of waves at sea is in progress.

Although ART TRAILS 2017 is over, sales are still open. Linda's paintings are on display at Corrick's on 4th Street in Santa Rosa and at the Bodega Landmark Gallery in the inland town of Bodega. You may also contact Linda by email or phone.

lindasorensen@earthlink.net
707-875-9284

Newly published Biography of Milford Zornes

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery friends Maria (Milford Zornes' daughter) and Hal Baker announce the release of a new biography of Milford Zornes, Warm Color in the Shade. Learn of Milford's fascinating life and travels, with anecdotes of conversations he had along the way. Here's the link to order.

Purchase Warm Color in the Shade online
Milford Zornes Website | our gallery's Milford Zornes page

Linda Sorensen's paintings currently showing:

Bodega Landmark Gallery Collection,
located inland in the town of Bodega, west end of town a half block from the Casino, and just across from the General Store and the Bodega Volunteer Fire Department.

Corrick's "Art Trails Gallery,"
located in downtown Santa Rosa on 4th Street, just steps from Santa Rosa's newly reopened town Square.

Linda Sorensen now rents an artist's cabin/studio, located in Monte Rio, overlooking Dutch Bill Creek among redwoods -- near the Russian River.

She reports plenty of company from the mallards and mergansers on the Creek. This was the location for her Art Trails Open Studio 2017.

Salmon Creek Art Walk is Saturday and Sunday, Nov 4 & 5, 10:00 - 4:00. Stroll the streets of this marvelous California Coastal neighborhood and discover the work of photographers John Hershey and Francesca Scalpi, sculptor Lillian Lehman and painter Robin Hale plus many more.

Bodega Bay Heritage Gallery is taking a break from conducting a "brick and mortar" storefront gallery, but continues as an online gallery. You may make arrangements to view specific artworks by emailing or calling us. Contact us by by phone 707-875-2911 or email us at Art@BodegaBayHeritageGallery.com. We continue to host our website and Linda's site, LindaSorensenPaintings.com, and publish our online newsletter every month.

Bentonville, AR
Crystal Bridges
Museum of American Art