How The Grinch Saved Christmas! W
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4 • DECEMBER 2015 THE PETALUMA POST PETALUMAPOST.COM Arts How The Grinch Saved Christmas! by Sharon Feissel Snoopy and the Red Baron "Coast Live Oak" by Henry White "June 29, 1979" © 1979 Peanuts Worldwide LLC W ell, well. It seems the much-ma- ligned Grin- ch may not be such a bad guy after all. Widely accused of stealing Christmas, the poor fella’ may simply have been misunderstood. T’was a case of bad press, you might say. True, the story concludes with Grinch returning all the presents formerly absconded with, but here is where details matter: are they the same presents? Our investigative reporters have found that, while children still received the toys parents had picked, a number of adults were keenly surprised at what they found in their boxes--substitutions, it seems, made by Grinch himself. Thus Grinch saved Christmas from a boring rep- etition of the same old things (like sweaters, CDs, tools, etc.) and had boxed some tru- ly marvelous surprises, all of which seemed to have come from Petaluma’s own River- front Art Gallery! Imagine the joy! What delight there was as present after present revealed its treasure! Whoville walls have blossomed with beautiful paintings and photographs— even small nooks have something sized to brighten them, like Henry White’s mug paintings hanging in breakfast nooks. Dens are now graced by prints on metal from Karen Spratt, Andrew Potts, and others. Mary Mahler’s bowls, jars, and teapots are pressed into service daily. Desks now glow with imaginative lamps by Dan Melville, each one totally unique. Mantels display sculptures large and small by Edmund Price. Wayne Telford’s exquisitely- crafted boxes adorn many a table top. Whoville ladies beam when wearing their rings and necklaces by Stephanie Hamilton-Orovetz. Lilly Collis’s bird and butterfly coasters accompany nearly every meal. Well, you get the idea—options, options, options. Grinch did save Christmas and became a very popular fellow, wined and dined at Christmas dinner by all of Whoville. When our reporters found him, Grinch, with a tiny tear glistening in the corner of his eye, commented, “I couldn’t have so thoroughly rescued Christmas, my reputation, and my heart without Riverfront’s wonderful works of art!” Ah, the much-loved happy ending! Don’t disappoint Grinch or your gift recipients. There are small prints for as little as $20, even small original paintings for around $100, sculptures from $35, and of, course, there are major works for hundreds of dollars. While you are at the gallery, be sure to give attention to our Featured Artists for the Late Fall Show, Henry White and Lance Kuehne, as well as to the works of roughly 50 talented artists. Please note that Riverfront will have somewhat altered hours at Christmas. Although normally closed on Monday and Tuesdays, Riverfront will be open the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas and will be open on Christmas Eve until 4:00 PM. The gallery will be closed from Monday, December 28 through New Year’s Day. Riverfront Art Gallery is at 132 Petaluma Boulevard North in downtown Petaluma. For more information call 707.775.4278 or visit riverfrontartgallery. com. T hroughout the decades, Snoopy comically em- braced his fighter pilot role for delighted Pea- nuts© readers. As Snoopy envisioned himself soaring through the clouds in pursuit of his nemesis, the infamous Red Baron, he sat atop his doghouse, which he imagined to be a real British biplane known as a Sopwith Camel (Schulz once said, “Can you think of a funnier name for an airplane?”). He wandered through parts of Europe that World War I aviators genu- inely traversed, stopping in cafés to quaff root beers and flirt with French lasses. In everything he cartooned, Schulz strove for authenticity, a point made especially clear by his Flying Ace storylines. Beyond the comic strip, Snoopy as the Flying Ace prompted the manufacture of countless memorabilia items, including toys, games, music boxes, and even a root beer float-making kit. Fans dressed up their dogs in flying caps and goggles, and Air Force squadrons adopted Snoopy as a symbol of their patriotism. This most famous of all Snoopy’s personas continues to bring humor and nostalgic joy to Peanuts fans all over the world. “I don’t think there has been an animal character in a long time that has done the different things that Snoopy has done,” Schulz once reflected. “He’s an attorney. He’s a surgeon. He’s the World War I Flying Ace.”
Transcript of How The Grinch Saved Christmas! W
4 • DECEMBER 2015 THE PETALUMA POST PETALUMAPOST.COM PETALUMAPOST.COM
ArtsHow The Grinch Saved Christmas!
by Sharon Feissel
Snoopy and the Red Baron"Coast Live Oak" by Henry White
"June 29, 1979" © 1979 Peanuts Worldwide LLC
Well, well. It seems the m u c h - m a -ligned Grin-
ch may not be such a bad guy after all. Widely accused of stealing Christmas, the poor fella’ may simply have been misunderstood. T’was a case of bad press, you might say. True, the story concludes with Grinch returning all the presents formerly absconded with, but here is where details matter: are they the same presents? Our investigative reporters have found that, while children still received the toys parents had picked, a number of adults were keenly surprised at what they found in their boxes--substitutions, it seems, made by Grinch himself. Thus Grinch saved Christmas from a boring rep-etition of the same old things (like sweaters, CDs, tools, etc.) and had boxed some tru-ly marvelous surprises, all of which seemed to have come from Petaluma’s own River-front Art Gallery! Imagine the joy! What delight there was as present after present revealed its treasure!
Whovi l le wal l s have blossomed with beautiful paintings and photographs—
even smal l nooks have something sized to brighten them, like Henry White’s mug paintings hanging in breakfast nooks. Dens are now graced by prints on metal from Karen Spratt, Andrew Potts, and others. Mary Mahler’s bowls, jars, and teapots are pressed into service daily. Desks now glow with imaginative lamps by Dan Melville, each one totally unique. Mantels display sculptures large and small by Edmund Price. Wayne Telford’s exquisitely-crafted boxes adorn many a table top. Whoville ladies beam when wearing their rings and necklaces by Stephanie Hamilton-Orovetz. L i l l y Co l l i s’s b i rd and butterfly coasters accompany nearly every meal. Well, you get the idea—options, options, options. Grinch did save Christmas and became a very popular fellow, wined and dined at Christmas dinner by all of Whoville. When our reporters found him, Grinch, with a tiny tear glistening in the corner of his eye, commented, “I couldn’t have so thoroughly rescued Christmas, my reputation, and my hea r t w i thout
Riverfront’s wonderful works of art!” Ah, the much-loved happy ending!
Don’t disappoint Grinch or your gift recipients. There are small prints for as little as $20, even small original paintings for around $100, sculptures from $35, and of, course, there are major works for hundreds of dollars. While you are at the gallery, be sure to give attention to our Featured Artists for the Late Fall Show, Henry White and Lance Kuehne, as well as to the works of roughly 50 talented artists.
P l e a s e n o t e t h a t R i v e r f r o n t w i l l h a v e somewhat altered hours at Christmas. Although normally closed on Monday and Tuesdays, Riverfront will be open the Monday and Tuesday before Christmas and w i l l be open on Christmas Eve until 4:00 PM. The gallery will be closed from Monday, December 28 through New Year’s Day.
Riverfront Art Gallery is at 132 Petaluma Boulevard N o r t h i n d o w n t o w n Pe t a l u m a . Fo r m o r e information call 707.775.4278 or visit riverfrontartgallery.com.
Throughout the decades, Snoopy comically em-braced his fighter
pilot role for delighted Pea-nuts© readers. As Snoopy envisioned himself soaring through the clouds in pursuit of his nemesis, the infamous Red Baron, he sat atop his doghouse, which he imagined to be a real British biplane known as a Sopwith Camel (Schulz once said, “Can you think of a funnier name for an airplane?”). He wandered
through parts of Europe that World War I aviators genu-inely traversed, stopping in cafés to quaff root beers and flirt with French lasses. In everything he cartooned, Schulz strove for authenticity, a point made especially clear by his Flying Ace storylines.
Beyond the comic strip, Snoopy as the Flying Ace prompted the manufacture of countless memorabilia items, including toys, games, music boxes, and even a root beer float-making kit. Fans dressed
up their dogs in flying caps and goggles, and Air Force squadrons adopted Snoopy as a symbol of their patriotism. This most famous of all Snoopy’s personas continues to bring humor and nostalgic joy to Peanuts fans all over the world. “I don’t think there has been an animal character in a long time that has done the different things that Snoopy has done,” Schulz once reflected. “He’s an attorney. He’s a surgeon. He’s the World War I Flying Ace.”
