Sybil Bolivar

 

I’ve always appreciated the arts – and the artists.  As a child I read about Egypt, all the gold and jewels, tall statues and sculptures, hieroglyphics and the treasures of the Pharohs and wondered about the artists and craftsmen.  How did they do this, what made them even think about this?  I was blessed to be able to visit and see some of what I read about in person – a dream come true.  I love to travel and always bring back objects that are unique to the country I visit – no tee shirts or cup souvenirs.

 

There was always music in my home.  My parents listened to a wide variety from The Platters, The Mills Brothers, Nat King Cole, and Frank Sinatra to Leontyne Price, Billie Holiday, Cab Calloway and even included classical music.  The idea of me as an instrumentalist entered my thoughts around the fourth grade when I was introduced to the cello. As I became more practiced, I made first chair in the San Bernardino Youth Symphony and was invited to play with the Riverside Symphony Orchestra – my first paying musical gig.  As a senior in high school my family relocated to Barstow, California and, although delighted to receive monetary recognition as a cellist, I resigned - since it didn’t cover gasoline expenses for rehearsals.  I needed to study piano to broaden my musical skills – something my parents couldn’t afford at that time.

 

As an adult, my exposure to music broadened as I was introduced to Jazz – Coltrane, Miles, Monk, Mingus and Ella Fitzgerald, Joe Williams.  I became a radio announcer for the jazz station in my town.  I saw a quote attributed to the National Rhythm and Blues  Music Society Incorporated which best tells my feelings about music – “Music speaks what cannot be expressed, sooths the mind and gives it rest, heals the heart and makes it whole,  and flows from heaven to the soul”.

I became a member of AAFTA  as a Supporter through my fascination with the paintings and craftsmanship of several members – the works of whom  I proudly display on the walls of my home and wear with my “special occasion” attire. I am now retired and hope to devote more time to the arts -study the piano, dabble with jewelry,maybe even join a Writers’ Group.

 

 

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