Author Archive
March 23, 2016 by tomdalzell
The Ashby Corridor: April 3, 2016
On April 3, 2016, I led a Berkeley Path Wanderers walk along the Ashby corridor with a major excursion south on Shattuck. It was a beautiful April day. As was the case in my August, 2014 walk, we met at Adeline and Emerson. At Emerson and Adeline, you have perhaps seen the “Imagine” mosaic honoring […]
March 21, 2016 by tomdalzell
Melissa Mork and her Sheet Metal Origami
Melissa Mork made this mostly copper eagle. She is the daughter of Fred Mork who is the son of Walter Mork Jr. who was the son of Walter Mork Sr. Walter Sr. came to Berkeley after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and in 1909 started the business that is today Walter Mork Co., heating, cooling, and sheet […]
March 13, 2016 by tomdalzell
Sisters Two on Walnut
There are three sidewalk benches on the 1300 block of Walnut Street in North Berkeley. This is the oldest of the three. Penny Brogden lives here. She built the bench, featuring tiles she made. Tiles leaning against the house line the driveway leading to the gate to the back. Brogden made these tiles as well. They […]
March 6, 2016 by tomdalzell
729 Heinz Street – Artworks Foundry Sculpture Garden
Today: Yesterday (figuratively speaking): In the 1980s and early 1990s, the Magic Garden Nursery at 729 Heinz was one of my favorite nurseries in Berkeley. I have vivid memories of Jake and Julia there as young children. But then it closed. This is what the site looked like in March, 2013, when I first […]
March 2, 2016 by tomdalzell
A Twin Responds
You will remember that my friend sent three questions to the man claiming to be his twin. In response, he got three envelopes inside a bigger envelope. Question No. 1: My friend asked that the purported send a photo of him holding a sign saying the words that they constantly said to each other […]
February 28, 2016 by tomdalzell
Curtis Street – The Wounded Healer’s Home
I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church in seventh grade. I was told that by being confirmed I would express a mature commitment to Christ and received strength from the Holy Spirit through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop. (It didn’t last very long). On Sunday afternoons I went to […]
February 27, 2016 by tomdalzell
Wounded Healer / Blind Prophet
Frank Moore referred to himself as a wounded healer. This is a term used by Jung. If I write one more word about Jung it will be obvious that I know nothing about him. In Greek mythology, the centaur Chiron was first among centaurs and highly revered as a teacher and tutor. He is often pictured […]
February 27, 2016 by tomdalzell
Leonard Pitt – Structures and Paris and Detroit and Masks and Chocolate
Leonard Pitt calls this a structure. Here is the story of the structures. Pitt grew up in Detroit. After high school he attended the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He studied to become a commercial artist. He returned to Detroit after graduation and went to work as a commercial artist. Not for him! […]
February 27, 2016 by tomdalzell
Accordions and Paris
I asked the rhetorical question – what says Paris better than an accordion? I did not expect an answer to this question because I asked it asked in order to make a statement rather than to elicit information. But I got an answer – from Gabby. Wouldn’t you know? Gabby had been in Philadelphia and stopped […]
February 15, 2016 by tomdalzell