Lisa Kimmel
Gabby LaLa
Gabby La La knew that she wanted to be a musician and performer since she was five years old!
She began singing songs from her favorite movie “Annie” and soon started taking piano lessons.
Some children play doctor, or chef, but Gabby played “superstar” and used the ends of her curtain rods for microphones!
After learning piano for several years, Gabby picked up the accordion, guitar, and then settled on the sitar.
Gabby Studied North Indian Classical Music at the Ali Akbar College of Indian Music for 4 years and then continued her training at The California Institute of the Arts where she received a BFA in Sitar Performance.
Gabby La La’s style has been described as “Kooky and Spooky”, “Experimental”, and “Unusual” but no matter what you call it, La La’s music will always bring a smile to your face.
Gabby’s first album “Be Careful What You Wish For…” was released in 2005 on Les Claypool’s Prawn Song Records.
She is currently performing and writing new music and working on a mini graphic collection of her songs.
Gabby La La has performed with Les Claypool, Buckethead, Bernie Worrell, Rat Dog, P Funk, Snoop Dogg, Weapon of Choice, Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra, The Benevento Russo Duo, and J Boogie’s Dubtronic Science, to name a few!
“Be creative, be courageous, be careful what you wish for, and most importantly… BE YOURSELF! ” -Gabby La La
Michael “BUG” Deakin
Petaluma has such a significant and accessible geographical location in the bay area, with an excellent combination of urban and ag, and an intriguing blend of the arts, sustainable intent and community outreach!
Michael “Bug” Deakin, a British Columbia native, built his first home out of reclaimed materials in 1970, and that was just the beginning. Along the way he has planted trees, designed, built and remodeled custom homes, boats, movie sets, rock walls, gardens, parade floats, tree forts, dog houses, ship models, furniture and a splendiferous array of art forms from repurposed materials.
As a member of Ivy Deakin’s story telling family of 10 children, everything was re-used and recycled, especially all the great stories. Bug takes to heart the story and origin of the buildings, people and materials that make their way in and out of the Petaluma yard. With relentless focus on sustainable enthusiasm and talking story, Heritage Salvage has become a center of creativity and sustainability.
As he waltzed his way through years of planetary wanders and events of wonder, he learned from many teachers and was affected by design without limits. From an Amazon Tree house to a Japanese Teahouse, a Balinese Birdhouse, a Driftwood Palace and the pleasing decay of a Western Barn, every nuance notched its niche.
Bug’s passion is the art and reward of re-purposing, re-using, and recycling as a part of a sustainable way of life. Teaching others to see the beauty in what is here, sharing treasures and stories of the past, and sharing the joy of turning old, sometimes falling down, structures into beautiful new things fuels each day.
Just as in the Deakin family, there is always enough to share, and Heritage Salvage goes out of it’s way to help those that need it and those that help others.
Michael Bug has a sprawling enthusiastic family in British Columbia, including a fabulous Daughter Suzy and two grandsons in Salmo!
Jude Mooney
I am happiest when I am making my art, taking pictures. I spend many sleepless nights making pictures in my head,
imagining the photos. Of course the beauty in making photos is they never turn out how you imagine them.
I strive to make beautiful, natural looking images. Light is very important to me and shadow is equally important.
There’s really only a few minutes of perfect sunlight each day, the rest of the time we work in the shade or backlight everything.
I would describe my pictures as timeless, sensuous, earthy and moody. Early photographers have a tremendous impact on my vision.
Edward Steichen, Julia Margaret Cameron, Bellocq, Annie Brigman.
I see portraiture as the study of human expression.
Maria do Céu’s
Maria was born on the island of San Miguel in the Azores, which is part of Portugal. She moved to the U.S. with her family when she was 8 years old, and grew up in Benicia. After high school, Maria entered an apprenticeship in auto repair and worked as a mechanic for 15 years before opening her own shop in Oakland. She moved to Petaluma in 1995, opening Out West Garage, and the rest, as they say, is her story.
