BEARDEN SHOPPER-NEWS • SEPTEMBER 17, 2012 • A-3
Linda Zollinger of Johnson City and Pat Maddux of Spring City use San Do’s step-by-step technique to paint portraits.
World-renowned painter is West Hills regular
Garden Club of America Gail Hendryx of the Garden Club of America (GCA), Carlton Long of the Knoxville Garden Club (KGC), Ijams Executive Director Paul James, KGC president Anna Ford, and Tempe Thompson of GCA show off a sign marking the new Arboretum Trail at Ijams. The trail, sponsored by KGC, features identification markers that will help visitors understand of the rich diversity of trees throughout the park. KGC helped establish the original Ijams Nature Park in 1965. Photo submitted
Porcelain painter San Do teaches classes all over the world, but he feels right at home in the West Hills home of Ruth Widener. He has taught so many classes in Ruth’s studio that they’ve both lost count. During last week’s five-day class, students used San’s step-bystep technique to paint beautiful portraits on porcelain.
Wendy Smith
He has an amazing story. He knew no English when he came to the U.S. to escape the Vietnam War at age 17. He learned by watching “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” “I love that man,” he says. While he came from a family of porcelain painters, he had no idea that his skill could translate into a career in the U.S. But when he en-
Citizens can be scientists
Danny Busler works with San Do during a weeklong porcelain painting class held at the West Hills home of Ruth Widener. rolled in a ceramics class, his classmates were amazed at his abilities, and he was hired to paint tiles for a popular Ybor City, Fla., restaurant. He soon opened a studio and began teaching. His prestigious commissions include portraits of the King and Queen of Thailand. Ruth, who is 90, teaches classes three days a week at her in-home studio and invites three guest teachers each year. She has to book
San a year in advance, but he’s worth it. “He could teach anyone, even if they haven’t painted very much at all,” she says. San teaches classes all over Asia, but says there’s more talent in the U.S. “They don’t have to work as much. They have more time to paint, so they’re more dedicated.” For information on porcelain painting classes, call Ruth at 693-0865.
With design boards as a backdrop, Pellissippi State interior design student Jennifer Talley and Margaret Ann Jeffries, department head of Engineering and Media Technologies, showed off the work of the interior design students at the college. Photo submitted
From page A-1
■ West Knox Lions Club meets 6:30 p.m. each first and third Monday at Sullivan’s in Franklin Square, 9648 Kingston Pike. ■ West Knoxville Kiwanis Club meets 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday at Shoney’s on Walker Springs Road.
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Shop-a-holic?
Evening stars and dreams for the future, which many guests commented was a special treat. Cherokee provided a bountiful buffet of heavy hors d’oeuvres, and the pièce de résistance was an array of desserts passed out by the college’s culinary students. In the ballroom, guests were treated to musical numbers and selections from the drama department, including a raucous and comic sword fight. The Chinese Dragon and Lion Dancers performed to a hypnotic drum beat, weaving their way through the rooms, leading all guests back to the ballroom for desserts and a live auction. The auction featured services provided by different departments at Pellissippi, with the winner receiving web design, photography and interior design services. To check out the college’s season, The Arts at Pellissippi, visit www.pstcc.edu or call the college, 6946525, and a brochure can be mailed.
When nonscientific folk help with scientific research, it’s called citizen science. Those who participate accomplish two things, says Tiffany Beachy, Citizen Science Coordinator at the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. They learn, and they collect a lot of data. Beachy spoke to the Sierra Club’s Harvey Broome Group last week. She explained how anyone can help Tiffany Beachy, Citizen Sciwith ongoing projects ence Coordinator at the Great at the institute, like Smoky Mountains Institute at salamander monitor- Tremont. Photos by Wendy Smith ing and phenology, which is the study of how plants and animals change with the seasons. Tremont also collaborates with the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. So if you like to count critters, learn more at www.gsmit.org.
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