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Remembering Our Friend Pat Sanchez (1942 – 2016)

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Pat-Sanchez

Pat Sanchez (Tracy, CA) was a truly special and memorable member of our community. Ms. Sanchez served as a nurse for 20 years, including caring for terminally ill children. Since 2007, Pat worked as a gourd and pine needle weaving artist.  She began exhibiting professionally at the Grand in the fall of 2010, and quickly became a gallery favorite.  Pat also offered a series of workshops in the Arts Education Program, patiently teaching hobbyists and artists alike how to work with her preferred materials.

Pat was highly supportive of the Grand Theatre Center of the Arts and her extraordinary loyalty and contributions to our programs will be remembered and celebrated. Before her passing, Pat donated one of her signature gourds to the City of Tracy – Civic Art Collection.  It will remain on display in the Grand Galleries for the remainder of the 2015-16 Season in her honor.

 

Remembering Our Friend Rowland Cheney (1943 – 2015)

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STATUE AT ROUNDABOUT3 (12-06-13) Rowland Cheney runs electrical wiring through his ÒHarvest of ProgressÓ statue before it is raised over a platform at the center of the Sixth Street-Central Avenue roundabout late Dec. 5. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press

Rowland Cheney (Clements, CA) was a prolific member of our creative community. He and his fiance, Mary Doucette of Lodi, were among the nine people lost in a plane crash near Ketchikan, Alaska in June of 2015.

Mr. Cheney was a celebrated Emeritus Professor of Drawing, Painting and Sculpture at San Joaquin Delta College, professional artist and an important member of the Kiger Mustang community.  The Tracy community worked with Rowland for three years to create the largest work of his career, the monumental 20′ landmark sculpture Harvest of Progress, at Central Avenue and 6th Street in downtown.

The photo (courtesy of the Tracy Press/Glenn Moore) to the left shows the artist hard at work on the cold night of December 5th, 2013, when Harvest of Progress was installed.

Remembering Our Friend Bill Williams (1932 – 2015)

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bill-williams

Bill Fulton Williams was a celebrated artist and educator for 30 years, teaching at Stockton College / San Joaquin Delta College with esteemed colleagues, Rowland Cheney, Bruce Duke, Stephen Gyermek, Jim Lewis and Pat Nakamura among others.  For many years a Scholarship Award in Drawing has been presented during the annual Student exhibitions at the DCA LH Horton Jr Gallery in his honor.

Mr. Williams retired to his home state of Colorado but would often drop by the Grand Galleries when back in California.  Not only will he be remembered for his generosity as a professor and mentor of fine art, but also for his kindness, tenacity, critical eye and sense of humor.

Remembering Our Friend Steve Mudge (1953 – 2015)

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steve-mudge

Steve Mudge (Modesto, CA / Santa Fe, NM) was a talented man of many accomplishments, funny and smart, and a celebrated metal sculptor.  He exhibited in the Co-Op in the South Gallery and worked with Mark Knize (Tracy, CA) creating two 4′ x 16′ plasma-cut steel relief sculptures, Arrivals and Departures, on display in the main lobby of the Tracy Transit Station.

Steve (left) and Mark (right) are pictured here during the late night installation at the Transit Station in 2010.  Both smiling after an exhausting day of work.