Community Guide 2017

The San Geronimo Valley Community Center

Marty Meade, once again, came up with a beautiful design for our community to enjoy in a huge fused-glass piece at the upstairs lobby of the Loft. She took as her inspiration a beautiful old oak tree. She and her student helpers assembled colored glass squares which were fused in a kiln and then assembled on a grid to form the image of the tree. Some of the squares include the names of those who participated in constructing the piece. You can glimpse the glass glowing through the front windows of the Gym on evenings when the lights are on in the Loft. Inside the Loft hangs a series of wonderful fabric por- traits. These were created by students ages 11 through 17 under the guidance of Lesley Gray, a Lagunitas resident, teacher and artist. Most of the students created self por- traits, although some made portraits of family or friends. Some are dramatically realistic, inspired from actual pho- tos. Others chose a more whimsical or fantasy approach to creating their image. They are delightful and add life to the vibrant space. The Center is proud to have another Art Rogers photo- graph, “The Opening of the San Geronimo Valley Gym,” in the Gym hallway. It depicts our new gym full of excited and proud children and adults. Also in the hallway is a col- orful collection of posters from events hosted over the years by the Center. San Geronimo resident Lila Friday made a selection of these posters and got them framed and put on display for all to enjoy. At this writing, the Center is busy sprucing up the East Room (formerly the home of Zoila’s Afterschool Care— now operated by the Center on the school’s upper cam- pus). In the works are plans to showcase Valley history on the walls of this space. The Center has a series of black and white photos from the early 1900s from the collection of Chuck Ford. While you are in a historical frame of mind, take a look at the 1961 San Geronimo Valley Master Plan. With free- ways, homes for 20,000 residents, shopping center, and heliport, it’s a cautionary tale of what might have been! There is so much “heart” on display in the Commu- nity Center where artists have left their marks, even in something as small as electrical switch plates! The switch plates in the offices were hand-painted by Miriam Stafford in 1984. One shows an agricultural scene and the other depicts grazing deer. The Center’s latest physical addition is Central Park in Woodacre. As trees are planted and benches and tables are built for the park, you can be assured there will be some- thing in the way of art there as well. As you come to the Center, the Gym, and the Loft to participate in the many activities here, please take a moment to look at the art on display and appreciate the history, life and beauty that these many works add to our enjoyment of the Center and our community.

The Road Kills in West Marin by Richard Lang for Sterling

A gold and black lump, a levantine tapestry abandoned by a female mallard, a gown shrugged off in a heap by the blasé sultana.

Sergeant skunk headed back to camp, his insurrectionary foray strewn purple, I’m breathing through the last embers of his burning leaves. A three spike buck with two vultures riding tandem— twin surfers hanging ten while the colossal tsunami of Shiva rolls under. The raccoon’s one paw lightly lifted in stop motion, salutations from the shining pool at the end of time. Everyone is so restless in the fall.

From “Commuter Poems,” a series written while on the road, mus- ing, during my daily drive from West Marin to San Francisco.

Tom Tabakin at 2017 Spring Art Show (Photo by Donn DeAnglo)

I love the opportunity for the artist and the art.

Tom Tabakin

19

50 th Anniversary

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