Gilbert R Loza

You Can't Stop an Artist

I have a friend in Pelican Bay State Prison.  He is an amazing artist, and an amazing man.  Until very recently, he has not been allowed to have any art supplies, because of security restrictions.

But Gilbert is an artist.  He scraped magazine pictures to get little piles of pigment and then mixed them with peanut butter oil.   "Brushes" he made from rolled up toilet paper.  He created works of art on the soft paper allowed in the security unit where he is confined.

This is the first picture of Gilbert’s I saw.  It was in a letter to my daughter.  They write to each other because he is taking Scientology courses by mail from the church where she is an instructor.

I snapped this photo with my iTouch, and asked my daughter Julia to let Gilbert know how much I admired his art.

A Surprise in the Mail

Soon after I moved to Idaho, Julia forwarded a letter to me.  Gilbert has asked Julia what her mother liked.  Julia answered, “I know she loves Jesus.”

Here is what Gilbert Loza sent me:

I wrote back to Gilbert, and we have exchanged a few letters now.  Something immediately “clicked” between us, and we are able to write to each other like old friends.

I told him I had family and friends who would love to see more of his work, and he gave me permission to share his drawings on the Internet.

To him that hath, more shall be given!

This week he told me that he has just been approved to buy pastels and pens from the prison canteen.  He sent me a new picture, and told me that with my skill as a poet, I could turn it into a Valentine's Card.

I look forward to teaming with Gilbert.  But for this post, I think I will let the card speak for itself.

Please SHARE this post if you admire Gilbert’s talent and would like to see more of his art!

oOo 

Honey, I Volunteered...

The Sign-up Sheet

Last Sunday the sign-up sheets went around in Relief Society.  I happily signed up to make brownies for an upcoming fundraiser.  I passed on donating to the silent auction.

And then I did something a little "out there" for me.  I signed up for the Decorations Committee for the Sweetheart Ball.  I joked to myself that if I were on the committee, my husband would have to take me.  It's been years (and I mean YEARS) since we've been to a church dance.

I grew up in the era of crepe paper streamers and cut-out construction paper hearts.  Maybe some glitter, but that was about it.

The ladies here in Paradise Ward had something a little different in mind.

The Committee

Thank goodness the committee was chaired by someone with a little more experience.  The sweet sister in charge had experience transforming cultural halls into romantic venues.  She bought out all the sparkly tissue paper in the local Dollar Store, and brought it to my home this morning, along with a big spool of curling ribbon.

So from 10:00 a.m. to noon, two neighbor ladies and I sat around a card table and folded layers of pink, white and red tissue into fan shapes, which we will fluff in to giant pompoms and hang from a false ceiling of white lights on the day of the dance.

My Date for the Sweetheart Ball

Not only is my husband taking me to the dance next week, he's offered to transport pompoms and hang the lights.

He told me that when he saw the announcement in the church bulletin, he immediately thought, "I've got to take Sue to that dance."

Seems I didn't need to trick him into helping me with the decorations after all.

oOo