Seeing beauty all around

All 112 seats at the Fallbrook School of the Arts were filled for the Healthy Woman Ladies’ Night Out on Friday, March 27. More than 20 attendees signed up for the Healthy Woman program that night, bringing the total number close to 1,050 members.

The evening’s refreshments were provided by Silvergate Retirement Residence, one of 30 business sponsors for the program. Given its location, the evening’s theme was beauty in art.

Fiber artist Karen Cunagin spoke on “Eye Spy: The Beauty in the Details” with one of her quilts as an example. Inspired by a gift of numerous flowers, “Las Mananitas” is a self-portrait that uses symbols and different methods of quilting.

As an art instructor, Cunagin encourages her students to tell their stories with their quilts and to “use what you see in front of you.” She also told her audience to “share what you love with the people around you…and let the details lead you.”

Dr. Lisa Garbutt of Inland Eye Specialists gave a talk on “Can ‘Eye’ See the Beauty?” in which she used four famous artists as examples of how visual perception is affected by eye conditions.

She explained how the eye sees and the symptoms of different diseases of the eye. Then, through samples of their artwork, she showed the effects of Monet’s cataracts and Degas’ retinal degeneration on their paintings and drawings.

Also through artwork, Dr. Garbutt diagnosed possible eye conditions that would explain Van Gogh’s affinity for the color yellow and night halos, and the elongation of El Greco’s figures.

She ended with details of the latest treatments for sparse eye lashes and hyperpigmentation of the skin.

There will not be a Ladies’ Night Out this month as the ladies will be busy planning Healthy Woman’s second anniversary dinner for Tuesday, May 26, at Pala Mesa Resort. More details will be released in the next few weeks.