Plein Air Paint-outs
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Participation is free. Come every time or once in a while. You do not have to book a space. There is no formal instruction. Just check the email for directions and contact information, show up at the destination, and look for the easels. Normally our events are from 9:30 to 1:30, or so. We cancel for inclement weather. We love to post images of members' plein air paintings, whether done with the group or on your own. |
September 2024
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2024 at the Opera Hall
Susan Kendall
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 Carla Johnson, Rana Ford and Maureen Carden
A bunch of us painted en plein air outside the Opera Hall during the Fine Art Show in April. We had a blast and drew attention from people passing by. |
Paintings by Maureen, Carla and Rana
June 2024
We head up the mountain when it starts to get hot. Carla, Maureen and Rana went to Pinecrest. We've painted there so often, but we never get tired of it. We beat the heat and the crowds by going early and on a weekday, but when school is out it'll be a different story.
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Carla Johnson painted the marina.
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May 2024
We went to the Old Schoolhouse site in Columbia! It was a beautiful day and the old building and beautiful surroundings were a treat to paint. Carla Johnson did this sun infused study of colorful shadows.
Claire, Maureen and Karen in Coffill Park, under Washington Street. A new site for us!
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December 2023
Sketch by Maureen Carden
We painted in Columbia near the old School House on two beautiful December days. On December 14 MLAA member Tony Pooler, in the photo on the right, drove up from Modesto with his watercolor outfit. We were serenaded by a team of CalFire chainsaw operators clearing brush nearby but we were were not deterred.
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November 2023
On November 2, we went to Teleli Golf Club which is located on Lime Kiln Road just a couple of miles from the intersection of Hwy 108 and Washington Street in Sonora. It has a restaurant which is open to the public. There are wonderful paintable views over the lush greens and lakes and the nearby, austere foothills. Many thanks to manager Frances Vega who gave us permission to paint at the clubhouse and opened up the covered outdoor dining area for our use. on a beautiful late fall day!
Claire Chateauneuf
Claire Chateauneuf, completed painting
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John Sharum
Barbara Young
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Maureen Carden
The big thing about this destination is the contrast between the very "designed" and irrigated golf course and the harsh late-summer natural landscape.
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October 2023
Susan Kendall
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Maureen Carden
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Claire and Karen on the beach
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We went to Pinecrest Lake on October 20. This is always a popular destination and we had a good turnout in spite of concerns about smoke from forest fires and controlled burns nearby. We left when the surrounding mountains started to vanish in the haze. But we got some good work done. Maureen and Barbara returned to Pinecrest on October 26; it was grey and chilly. Probably our last Pinecrest session of 2023! Follow us as we move downhill.
The group went to Lyons Dam on October 12. We had a great session despite nonstop overllights by a PG&E helicopter which was airlifting flume components to and from the helipad next to the parking lot.
Lyons Dam with the orange boom, by Maureen Carden
Rana Ford
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The lake above the dam
Carla was captivated by the sinuous tree trunks
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We painted in the PG&E Day Use area on South Fork Road in Twain Harte. There are several options: the Ditch, the trestle , the forest, the tiny pond which is all that remains of a golf course. The trestle is a challenging subject. Great painting weather.
Trestle, by Maureen Carden
The Ditch at Twain Harte
The trestle, with Carla Johnson's painting
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Rana Ford painted the Ditch
Barb Young painted the little pond and included fellow plein air painter John Sharum
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September 2023
September was a great month for plein air this year. The weather was perfect and we went far up the hill to Donnell's Vista. Later in the month it was cool enough to revisit Columbia! We've had good turnouts and have attracted new members to our plein air grouip. We're always on the lookout for new sites. Please tell us about your favorite spots!
Rana brought a grandchild
Barbara painted at the other end of the street and the rest of the group never found her. This is a hazard of plein air painting
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Carla Johnson painted at Donnell's Vista. Wow! Look at the sense of depth
Maureen was also painting at Donnell's
Rana painted the wagon
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July-August 2023
High summer in the Motherlode was crushingly hot, as usual, but we headed up the hill for cooler temperatures and mountain scenery. We enjoyed wonderful weather and beautiful views in locations old and new to us. Check out the photos below!
From left, Rana, John, Maureen, Barb and Caramel, Eva Walker took the picture
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Fahey Cabins by Rana Ford
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Our final outing before Labor Day: Fahey Cabins! This group of three tiny, weathered cow camp buildings, way back in the Stanislaus National Forest, dates from 1870 or so and is set in a meadow backed by deep forest. It's a beloved destination for painters.
The Frys, painting by the river
 Maureen Carden
The next stop north of Pinecrest, on Highway 108, is Strawberry. Strawberry Meadow and the bridge on Old Strawberry Road are favorite subjects.
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The old bridge on Old Strawberry Road, by Barbara Young
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Fraser Flat, on the Stanislaus River, was a new destination for the group and deserved two sessions. The weather was perfect both times.
Watercolor by John Sharum
Maureen Carden
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Barbara Young
Rana Ford
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June 2023 Claire and Maureen
Courthouse Square in downtown Sonora was a great place to paint this June, with the unusually cool temperatures.
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John Sharum
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Usually it's too hot to paint outdoors in Columbia in June, but today was cool. Columbia is easy to get to and there's a painting everywhere you look, plus there are bathrooms and places to get food and coffee, so five of us took advantage of the break in the weather.
Judie Cain
Monika Stattner
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Maureen Carden
Claire Chateauneuf
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Claire Chateauneuf
We had a great plein air outing on June 1. We were welcomed several new members to our group as we painted in Tuolumne City again! Several people rendered the same building, with interesting results.
John Sharum drew the deceptively simple Veterans' Memorial Hall
Eva Walker
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Carla Johnson
Maureen Carden
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May 25, 2023
Tuolumne City is a great place to paint and this week, the weather was perfect. Pretty soon it will be too hot to paint outdoors at this altitude. Sun protection is key for outdoor painting in California and our members have varied solutions.
Karen Olsen's hat offers good neck protection
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Susan Kendall with her dachshund umbrella
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May 17, 2023
We painted in Jamestown on Wednesday, May 17.
Rana Ford's preliminary sketch, left, and developing painting, right
Maureen Carden set up in the bandstand and painted the park and the view up Seco Street.
Barbara Young sketched the old jail
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Linda Happel's watercolor of a garden scene
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November 15, 2022
Red House, oil, Maureen Carden, October 2022. You have to look for the red house.
You can't go wrong with the Red Church as your subject, espcially when it's surrounded by brilliant red fall foliage. John Sharum set up on the top floor of the parking structure on Washington for a different viewpoint.
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 The Red Church, watercolor, John sharum, October 2022
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We went to Tuolumne City on October 30. Left, Barbara Young.
October 23, 2022
Claire Chateauneuf, oil
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Susan Kendall, oil
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Linda Happel, watercolor
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Watercolorist Celia N. paints out of the trunk of her car.
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New member Shelly T
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Barbara Young, Caramel and Maureen Carden, chatting
We had a wonderful second session in Columbia on Tuesday morning, October 23. The weather was great and we had a record turnout of friends old and new. Everybody can find a subject in Columbia, it's easy to get to, and the amenities are all there. There are no crowds on a weekday, there's ample free parking and you can set up just about anywhere.
All members receive an email notification of upcoming plein air sessions. No fee, no reservation is needed, just show up and look for the easels. We welcome suggestions for new venues. Email Maureen Carden at cardenmaureen@gmail.com if you have questions about our plein air activities.
All members receive an email notification of upcoming plein air sessions. No fee, no reservation is needed, just show up and look for the easels. We welcome suggestions for new venues. Email Maureen Carden at cardenmaureen@gmail.com if you have questions about our plein air activities.
On the Road Again: New Plein Air Season opens October 13!
Susan Kendall
We painted in Columbia on October 13, 2022. The weather was gorgeous, temperatures heading downwards towards comfort levels. We'll be sending out email notices to members announcing upcoming plein air events. No reservation necessary -- just show up.
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Maureen Carden sketched in Jamestown on October 5. It was hot even early in the day. Monika Stattner and Susan Kendall went up to 5600 feet at Strawberry on August 23 to paint in cooler conditions. Linda Happel painted outdoors at Virginia Lakes.
Strawberry Meadow, oil, Monika Stattner 2022
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Game Trail, Strawberry, oil, Susan Kendall 2022
Virginia Lakes, watercolor, by Linda Happel, 2022
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Maureen Carden visited Quebec in June
This summer's exceptional hot weather, and intermittently smoky conditions, haven't made for great plein air activity. We'll resume our weekly sessions as soon as we can. We'll be emailing all members in advance of the session. Meantime, if you can stay cool, nothing prevents you from painting on your own, and work from photos, from your deck, or looking out the window also counts! We'll be happy to post your work on this page.
Aspen Meadows Pack Station, June 9, 2022
Oil by Claire Chateauneuf
Value sketch by Barbara Young
"The Outhouse", watercolor, Barbara Young
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Wonderful sense of distance in Susan Kendall's landscape
Hot weather sent us up the hill again. The drive's a little bit of an adventure but it was worth it! Six artists were captivated by the horses, the group of wooden buildings, the meadow, the trees . . . the outhouse.
Watercolor by John Sharum
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Pinecrest Lake, May 26, 2022 and June 2, 2022
Monika Stattner at work
Pinecrest Lake, oil, Susan Kendall, June 2, 2022
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Pinecrest Lake, oil, Claire Chateauneuf, June 2, 2022
Pinecrest Lake, oil, Maureen Carden, June 2, 2022
Pinecrest Lake never disappoints! A different painting wherever you look. Pleasantly cool temperatures. Hardly anybody else there because school isn't out yet and we went on a Thursday morning. One drawback: no cell reception. So the first time we went, we mostly couldn't find each other. Next time, a predefined meeting place helped. The first day was bright and sunny, the second, overcast.
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Pinecrest, oil, Maureen Carden, May 26, 2022
We find we enjoy painting at one site twice in a row. The second painting, even if it's of a different view, builds on the first. Problems are identified and solved.
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Pinecrest, watercolor, by Claire Chateauneuf, May 26, 2022
Pinecrest, May 2022, oil, Susan Kendall
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Hwy 108, May 19, 2022
This overlook on Highway 108, above Twain Harte, is a summer destination for the plein air group. At around 4500 feet it's usually a lot cooler than Sonora, and the vista is incredible. Shelly Keith, new member Monika Stattner, Maureen Carden, Celia Niemerow and Susan Kendall painted the same view in very different ways.
Shelly Keith
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Monika Stattner
Maureen Carden
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Morgan Chapel, May 12, 2022
This was a new destination for the Plein Air Painters. The Morgan Chapel, dating from 1880, is a few miles out of town on Wards Ferry Road in lovely countryside. Maureen Carden, John Sharum, Susan Kendall and new member Claire Chateauneuf made the trek.
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Clockwise from top left: Susan Kendall, John Sharum and Maureen Carden
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Courthouse Square, May 5, 2022
Sycamore in Courthouse Square, Susan Kendall
Courthouse Square off Washington Street is a great location to paint, with a choice of subjects. We painted there two weeks in a row. Left, and below right, Susan Kendall and new MLAA member Shelly Keith focussed on a dramatic .tree in the Square. Maureen tackled the old courthouse. We were very happy to welcome some new members to our group!
Maureen started on the old Courthouse
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New MLAA member Shelly Keith with her painting of the sycamore
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March, 2022
Maureen Carden finds the limestone rocks in Columbia are an interesting challenge.
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 Green building in Columbia, watercolor, by Celia Neimerow
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In March, we linked up with the Watch Resources Art Guild. We're looking forward to making art outdoors with this group on a regular basis!
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Left to right, Izzy, Alec, Ashley and Maureen
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Jamestown, February 17, 2022
Li Ching Accurso
Painters in the park! We returned to Jamestown this week. We're thrilled to have newcomers to our group this season! We've taken full advantage of this spring's prolonged dry spell to paint in destinations which will be crushingly hot later in the year.
It's always interesting when several painters render the same subject, and that;s what happened this week. Everybody was drawn to the view up Seco Street to the church. Participants painted in watercolor, gouache and oils.
It's always interesting when several painters render the same subject, and that;s what happened this week. Everybody was drawn to the view up Seco Street to the church. Participants painted in watercolor, gouache and oils.
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Above, left to right, Seco Street by Maureen Carden, Susan Kendall; John Sharum with his watercolor outfit; below left, Seco Street in a tiny vivid watercolor sketch by Li Ching Accurso.
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Jamestown, February 10, 2022
We tried out a new destination! Jamestown is three miles west of downtown Sonora. The old town , located between Highway 108 and Main Street, features a wealth of subjects, plus free parking and clean restrooms. On the left, fast work by Maureen Carden, Susan Kendall, Linda Happel and Rana Ford.
A big plus of painting in a group is watching how other artists develop their paintings. Rana focuses on color and design and often selects a small feature as her subject. Below, a study of a doorway on Main Street becomes a near-abstract exercise in color harmony.
A big plus of painting in a group is watching how other artists develop their paintings. Rana focuses on color and design and often selects a small feature as her subject. Below, a study of a doorway on Main Street becomes a near-abstract exercise in color harmony.
Stages of a painting by Rana Ford. Plein air, oil on archival board
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Columbia, February 3, 2022
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 Linda Happel
We returned to Columbia on February 3. Once again, fine weather meant a good turnout! On the right, Linda Happel painting Columbia's iconic rocks; left, top to bottom, work by Rana Ford, Celia Neimerow, Maureen Carden
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Paint Out in Columbia, January 27, 2022
Seven artists turned out to paint in Columbia on January 27. Our 2022 season is off to a great start with three new members showing up to paint outdoors. Left to right, Susan Kendall, John Sharum, Maureen Carden.
January 20, 2022: Tuolumne City
Tuolumne City Street Scene by Susan Kendall
Susan, Maureen and Celia painted this quirky street scene in Tuolumne City.
"Street Scene", watercolor, Celia Niemerow
Susan's friends in Columbia
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Susan Kendall painted in Columbia at the paint-out in honor of Susan Lea Hackett
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Susan K
March 12, 2020: another great spring day in Columbia, where the trees are in bloom. On a Thursday afternoon there were few visitors and the charms of this old Gold Rush town were fully apparent. There's a painting everywhere you look here. Whatever the artist's style and no matter what their preferred medium, the Gold Rush era buildings provide wonderful subjects.
Building in Columbia State Park, CA.
March 3, 2020. We need rain . . . but the sunny and warm weather is so alluring. The plein air group was in Columbia for our first session of 2020. Columbia State Park was the perfect destination, with its traffic-free streets and gorgeously ramshackle buildings. The still-bare trees revealed new paintable scenes and garden trees were in bud or bloom. We made art. We had fun. We made plans to return on March 10, if it doesn't rain. Anyone can join us. All skill levels and art media are welcome.
The plein air artists, Columbia, March 3, 2020
January 6, 2020: It's winter, but we still get beautiful weather for outdoor painting. It's harder to schedule regular paint-outs, but we're still working outdoors. Susan Kendall painted on Washington Street in downtown Sonora (left), with the iconic Red Church. Maureen Carden painted the cypresses in the old City Cemetery (right).
Barbara Young painted at Crystal Falls Lake (below). She stencilled leave shapes onto water color paper and developed her sketch over that.
Barbara Young, "Crystal Falls Lake", watercolor, one color over leaf stencils, 2019
Paint-Out at the Twain Harte Canal, 11/12/2019
The Twain Harte Canal area offers a range of subjects for outdoor painters: the canal itself, the imposing trestle, woods, fields, a pond and, on this date, spots of brilliant fall foliage. The painters scattered. Different viewpoints -- and different painting styles -- always lead to different outcomes! That's part of the fun of plein air!
Pond, by Maureen
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Pond, by Rana
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Paint-Out at Sierra Glen, 11/5/2019
Plein Air coordinator Susan Lea Hackett organized a special treat for the plein air group on November 5, 2019. Sierra Glen, formerly an apple orchard and berry farm, is situated high up in the foothills off Big Hill Road in Twain Harte. A record number of painters showed up in perfect fall weather to be inspired by the lovely setting and the paintable outbuildings and farmhouse. Below: works in progress!
Rana Ford
Susan Kendall
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Celia Niemerow
Maureen Carden
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Plein Air Painting by Susan Kendall, Artist
Susan Kendall
Blue Oak Farm. Art above, Rana; below, Susan Lea Hackett
Painting in the Red Hills
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 Maureen and Celia at Pinecrest
A little bit about the show and our group. The Mother Lode Art Association has been hosting events for over 60 years. It is a very active group and one of the most active is the “Plein Air” painting group. What is plein air painting? “Plein Air” was a term coined by the impressionist artists meaning in the open air. Artists set up their equipment, hence a little studio on location. They paint in the open air and usually complete, or complete most of, the painting on location. The paintings as a result look fresh and capture a moment in time. The media used in our group are watercolor on paper, oil on canvas or board and pastel on paper. “Plein Air” painting has been gaining in popularity ever since the French impressionists, and their California companions have been showing up to do this. California in particular has a huge “plein air” community, not only because of the beauty of our state but because of the sunshine and favorable conditions for painting “en plein air”. The Motherlode, Sierra Foothills and Sierra are particularly brilliant for this type of painting because of the limitless vistas, interesting western towns and vibrant terrain. Our group, also known as “The Merry Band of Painters”, usually meets Tuesdays on location. We call our meet-ups, “Paint Outs”. Currently, Susan Leah Hackett of Strawberry is leading our “Paint Outs” and setting up our venues to paint. We paint ensemble for several reasons: safety, helpful critiquing by fellow painters and because we genuinely like each other and like working together. Some of our locations include, Columbia State Park, The Red Hills, Strawberry, Pinecrest, the 108 corridor, Indigeny Reserve, Sonora, Tuolumne City, Riverside Park, Fahey Cabins in Long Barn, Sonora neighborhoods and more. What is fun to look at in this show will be how different artist interpret the same location. The diverse styles are like a signature or thumb print for each individual artist. |
Merry Band painted outside the 2018 Art Show in downtown Sonora. L to R: Susan Kendall, Susan Lea Hackett, Rana Ford, Celia Niemerow
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By Susan Lea Hackett
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Barb Young
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