Honoring David Hostetler

David Hostetler is the creator of a series of captivating and original works in exotic wood and bronze honoring and celebrating the female form.  Inspired by goddesses and celebrated women of historical significance, Hostetler has based his life’s work on capturing the spirit, romance, and earthiness of “woman.”

For 68 years, David Hostetler’s reputation as a celebrated sculptor has grown exponentially.  His works appear in over twenty-five museums and galleries, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, New Jersey, and the DeCordova Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts.  Hostetler’s pieces grace numerous public collections from New Mexico to Nantucket to the Netherlands, and have been featured in films, on television, and in newspapers and magazines.

“The Duo”, Hostetler’s most visible installation, located at Trump International Hotel and Tower is a 13-foot outdoor sculpture in NYC. The city is also home to IKON, a 13 foot bronze, commissioned by The Sheffield located in a pocket park on West 57th Street.

Hostetler’s unique treatment of the feminine form has earned him wide acclaim. Most of his “women” begin as single logs, which he carves by hand into sculpture.  These woodcarvings form the basis for cast bronzes.  In the 1960s Hostetler rose to national prominence with his “American Woman” series of sculptures.

Born in Beach City, Ohio and raised in Massillon, Ohio, David Hostetler’s Amish grandfather profoundly influenced him both personally and artistically.  After serving in World War II, Hostetler went on to receive his Bachelor of Arts from Indiana University.  He obtained his Masters of Fine Arts at Ohio University.  Hostetler served Ohio University as a teacher and mentor for 38 years, achieving Professor Emeritus.    His students include a number of accomplished artists, such as Jim Dine.

Although Hostetler is renowned as a sculptor, his experience was indeed diverse.  He trained, as an engineer for a brief time, worked as a farmer and salesman, owned his own commercial pottery company, and created an art commune.  Hostetler’s longtime appreciation of religions inspired his study of Judaism.  A constant pursuit of intellectual growth and development of new skills resulted in learning to spin wool, build furniture, and create stained glass.  Intellectually, Hostetler studied women’s history, shamanism, the history of jazz music and musicians, American farm and craft, tools, folk art, and American history and culture of the land.  His wife Susan runs their gallery and winters in Athens

Hostetler Gallery, P.O. Box 2222, Nantucket, MA 02584     (508-228-3117)

Hostetler Studios, P.O. Box 989 Athens, OH 45701         (740-593-8180)

www.davidhostetler.com/

Honoring Robert “The KiD" Yaniz

Born January 15th 1962 Miami Florida Died September 8th 2014

Youngest of 5 siblings: Josefina (Fefa), Tony (Fat), Carlos (Chiqui) , Barbara (Babelyn)
As the youngest of five, he acquired the tag “The Kid” almost at birth. Our family lived in a very poor area of Miami after leaving Cuba in 1960

He attended Buena Vista Elementary School, and Robert E. Lee Jr. High School, and Miami Senior High.

Although Robert never had a formal higher education, he became extremely adept at figuring out the angles and getting to the heart of the matter. He worked in the hospitality industry in Coconut Grove after High School and then moved to Key West for a couple of years and then moved to Orlando where he continued in the same industry. At age 25 he was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and had to go on disability. He lived with the illness for almost thirty years. During the last two decades of his life he dedicated himself to helping other of his friends and acquaintances navigate the maze of government red tape as well as the medical ones. Whenever someone hit a road block, someone would say “Go see Robert, he will show you how!” He never developed full blown AIDS, partially because he lived on a regimen of a bagful of prescriptions every day and perhaps because he was one of those who were able to fight the full effects of the disease.

He had a green thumb and when it came to Orchids, he was known as the “Orchid Whisperer”.  Even when it seemed that the orchid had died, he nurtured it until it came back to life.

Two years ago he moved to Miami to live with his sister Barbara, who nursed him for many months as his health, both physical as well as psychological was deteriorating.  After a few months he wanted to go back to his home in Orlando. A week later he was found dead of coronary heart disease. 

The last time I spoke to him a couple of weeks before his death I told him to try to look at the glass half-full. He laughed and told me, “It’s neither half-dull nor half-empty, there is no glass, and everything is gone. The loves of my life are dead, my best friends are dead, and although I know have a family that loves me it’s getting harder to want to wake up every morning!”

He had a deep love for his family and for Key West. Today his name is inscribed at the AIDS Memorial at White Street Pier, Robert “The Kid” Yaniz. I’m sure he would approve.

He was a good man, a good friend and a great brother. May he Rest In Peace.

Honoring Mary Josephine DeSilva

Mary Jo was born in Point Loma, California on January 10, 1938. She passed away in Key West on August 8, 2011.  She was survived by her son Matt Thue, two brothers, Lionel and August, and a sister, Deolinda.

Mary Jo loved dancing and was a avid supporter of live music and our local musicians. For her 70th birthday, former owner and very good friend, Mark Barack gave her a birthday party at La Te Da.  Matt surprised his mom by showing up to help celebrate with her many friends.  She was loved by all.

Honoring Ophelia Rios

Read by Ricardo Escobar at Flor y Canto para Ophelia, May 15, 2015

Ophelia was originally born in Edinburg, Texas and travelled

with her father and uncles, since her mother died when she was

3 years old. They worked while moving through New Mexico, Arizona, and landed finally in the valley.

As a tiny girl Ophelia was the “water girl” that provided water in a wood bucket at the end of the rows of cotton. She was proud of this. People came to her for water and drank from a ladle.

She worked picking cotton. She was known for picking a lot of pounds of cotton, that no one could believe, a young woman could pick and carry.

She packed dried fruit baskets.

She worked as an elevator girl in the only store in Merced that had 2-3 floors.

She learned how to drive at the age of 13.

Her father Gilbert taught her and her sister  how to shoot rifles at the same age, in order to protect themselves since he was gone most of the time.

Ophelia made tortillas for her Grandfather, her father, her brother, and her Uncle in Merced. She rolled out the “masa”/the dough with a Pepsi bottle for all the men.

O was very proud that she was working and bought furniture for the house.

Ophelia married Justino Balderrama in 1957 in Merced, California.  They moved immediately to Los Angeles, where her daughter Sandra was later born. Although Justino and Ophelia divorced in 1968, Ophelia kept the name Balderrama because she thought it was so lovely and unique.

O blossomed in Los Angeles and later in San Francisco where she

went back to school and obtained her 8th grade diploma, her high school degree, went to City College and then obtained her Bachelors in Sociology at San Francisco State University.

While in school she worked part time at the Jewish Community Center teaching art and at the Capp St. Senior Center, working with Seniors. She befriended so many people. She conducted oral histories and studied the Gypsies in the United States.

She was a founder of the Mission Coalition Organization and led pickets against slumlords in San Francisco, against Safeway for selling grapes and Gallo wine, and against the owners of a theatre that had replaced Spanish language movies with pornographic movies.

After getting her degree she worked many years as a Community Health Worker for San Francisco General Hospital and worked with newcomers to the United States and people who were homeless. She worked with the Asian Pacific Islander Project and worked with Laotian, Vietnamese, and Samoan families.

At the same time, while accomplishing all this, Ophelia raised Sandra as a single parent. 

She served as President and long time member of the Singletarians, (a chosen family of single men and women in San Francisco)  and she met Abe Davis, her soul mate..

O and Abe marched for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender rights.

She marched against the USA Invasion of Iraq.

She marched against anti-immigration legislation in Phoenix, Arizona.

O wanted to be alive to see a woman be elected to be President of the United States.

Throughout her life, Ophelia,  painted, did pastels,  sculpted, did collage, created pottery, and created much of her recent work from items she would find in the street. She had an eye and heart for rescuing things and people.

Honoring Nancy Conger

Beloved wife, mother, and grandmother.