e n i Imag
COVER
Stick figures
around town keep the magic alive
Just one of the boys — not. This two-by-four figure lines up with the other motorcycles people smile. BY JERRI PANTAGES LONG
JERRI PANTAGES LONG
One stick figure drills while another leans over precariously to hammer in a nail atop the Richert Lumber booth at First Wednesday. Page 12ÊUÊAugust 13, 2010ÊUÊPleasanton Weekly
Imagine. That single word has been the credo of Gary Winter, and he wants others to adopt it, too. Artist, designer, inventor and entrepreneur, Winter also is a man with the message: “Use your imagination!” To help people do just that, he has transformed “stick figure” sketches into life-size statues made of two-by-four lumber, Gorilla glue and wood screws. These are appearing at different places around town. If you happen to glance up at the historic tower on the east end of the Pleasanton arch sign, you can glimpse a window washer leaning out of the second-story window. Drive by a Victorian home, and you may catch sight of wooden figures mowing the lawn and trimming the hedges. “If I can get a person to do a double-take, then I know I’ve jolted their imagination and gotten them out of their rut for that instant,” Winter said. “Especially in these times, we need something to smile about.” Sitting side by side on a Main Street bench might be one “person” reading the Pleasanton Weekly next to another sending text messages. While farmers market is in session on Saturdays, some of Winter’s life-size stick figures can be viewed outside of the Berry Patch shop at the corner of Main and Angela streets. A skateboarder crouches, going full speed, with his dog keeping up. A cowboy leans against a post, hat tilted down over his face. Wryly noting that “art is the first thing to go” when the economy hits a downturn, Winter decided to devote his creativity to helping others “dream wisely” — one of his favorite sayings, and one he often signs on his artwork. “I’m trying to create some fun, to keep the magic alive,” he said. He began transforming sketches to sculptures last winter, even before the announcement of the 11 Seward Johnson bronze life-size figures coming temporarily to town. “I was trying to think of something I could make my son for Christmas,” Winter recalled, “and the idea of the skateboarder just came into my mind, in full detail. That was the beginning.” Winter said he began creating the whimsical stick figures not to sell — although two have been ordered — but to inspire.
He has a website, www.SNG tivate and Inspire,” which lists help people translate their d The site even provides a sam song entitled “Get your SN Ge sung by his friend, Michael W The “S” stands for “success the site. “SNGear is a concis for staying focused on succes Winter believes that “ther gears in life: Forward, neutra “Any time spent in worry, do negative thought is like shiftin reverse.... Learn to throw you away, and leave the fear behind Winter knows from person well-meaning friends and fam be too quick to say that a cre “impossible.” He has had su would have dreamed possibl riers into challenges, asking, that?” He hopes to speak in offer lessons to entire families how to imagine a better day, “People come up to me and do that? I could never think that.’ But that’s not true. All o imagination. Unfortunately, stop using that gift,” said W ideas that float by, without ev by pencil and paper and tur plans. I want to help turn th my small part to stimulate t right here in my hometown.” Winter has a profound l of the world. He is proud generation Californian. His grandfather, Frank Moniz Ba to California from the Azor establishing what became t company in San Francisco. “He had these horse-dra would go down to the Emb the ships and offload the redw was brought down from the Winter. “His wagons would h rectly to the building sites,” i of the mansions being built o The horses had to plod a streets, so the teams had to b them time to rest and recov rett’s main home was in Alam