This ambitious creche project was placed into Pa-tricia Ancona’s hands after being taken on by the Si-

erra Madre Friends of the Arts. Over the last two and one half months Ancona has been working with three other artists from thre Sierra Madre community Carol

Adams, David Em and Jeryd Pojawa.

The much needed re-pairs and work became an all-consuming activity, from sunrise to sunset, rain

or shine, every weekend, holidays and a “few hooky days from work” said Ana-cona. The deadline is fast approaching as they hope to have the completed figures

in time for Dicken’s Village celebration next weekend in Kersting Court.

With the blessing and

The day after Thanksgiv-ing is known as Black Friday and is the busiest shopping day of the year. It is even said to make some businesses suc-cessful. i.e. operating in the Black rather than the Red,

Rose Queen Drew Hel-en Washington, 16, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, and Rose Princesses Morgan Eliza Devaud, 18, La Canada High School; Stephanie Grace Hynes, 18, Maranatha High School; Cynthia Megan Lou-ie, 17, La Salle High School; Kimberly Victoria Ostiller, 17, Flintridge Preparatory

Kings Row Gastropub teamed up with Union Sta-tion Homeless Services in Pasadena to feed hundreds of people on Thursday No-vember 17.

The free lunch for the homeless, taking place dur-ing National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week (November 12, 2011- No-

vember 20, 2011), featured some of King’s Row signa-ture dishes including Pulled Pork sandwiches, White Chocolate Mac and Cheese and Cornbread.

“We are thrilled that K-ing’s Row is joining forces with Union Station Home-less Services on November 17, 2011, during National

Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week.” said Rabbi Marv Gross, Union Station CEO. “It is this kind of generosity from the peo-ple and businesses of Pasa-dena that reinforce to the homeless in our community that others care about them

Volume XVI, No. XXXXVIICommunity News, Arts & Opinions Since 1996Thursday, NoVemBer 24, - deCemBer 1, 2011

By Terry Miller

By susan MoTander

By Terry Miller

Please see page 2

Please see page 6 Please see page 7

Please see page 6Please see page 4

Patricia Ancona works on Nativity Scene for Kersting Court in Sierra Madre. -Photo by Terry Miller

Check out Beacon Media’s New Food & Dining Section

Brought to you by Howie’s Ranch Market & Alexander’s Prime Meats and Catering

Kings Row Gastropub Helps Feed Homeless

Local Antique Dealers Say Monrovia Cops are Tops

Local Artists Painstakingly Restore Beloved Holiday Tradition – Nativity Scene Receives Renaissance TouchNativity Scene of Sierra Madre artists Patricia Ancona, Carol Adams, David Em and Jeryd Pojawa work to get ready in time for Dicken's Village this weekend in Sierra Madre

On a recent Wednes-day in the newly opened Antiques Off Fair Oaks in Monrovia, an alert dealer in the consortium sold what he thought was a vase for $120 cash. The man who sold the vase thought something may have been suspicious about

the sale and he asked for the tag from the new owner of the vase. Jamie Rio also took down the license plate, just in case. After the customer left with his extremely well dis-counted 19th Century Chi-

The price tag was switched on this $28,000 vase to $125 - Photo by Terry Miller

on page 9

Rose Queen and Court Deliver Some Holiday Cheer to Those Less Fortunate

Small Businesses Fight Back Against Black Friday

monroviaweekly.comMonrovia Weekly

NOVEMBER 24, 2011 - DECEMBER 1, 2011 7 BEaCONMEDiaNEws.COM

Continued from page 1

Patricia Ancona works on the nativity scene figures that she and a few other artists have been restoring for the holiday. –Photos by Terry Miller

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Local Artists Restore Kesting Courts Nativity Scene

some funding from the Chamber of Commerce, Bill Coburn alerted Beacon Me-dia to this amazing project last week.

Upon initial examination of the figures from the creche, the process had to start from the original layer of plaster that had been the outer layer of the figure pulled from a mold. Over the years their last painting, moisture had seeped up through this layer causing shrinkage and weak-

ness. The sanding was done all by hand requiring the use of mask and goggles. Then each figure was repaired, filling missing surface areas, rebuilding broken fingers, de-sign elements, then covered with gesso.

Upon the repair of the first figure, Ancona was stunned to discover the amount of detail and design elements that had been lost under the previous three lay-ers of color.

Found also was that one of the angels was actu-ally missing a trumpet. The ever-resourceful Ancona ( who also happens to work for LACMA) managed to track down a replica and a local retail store in Pasadena.

Two of these layers had been added after these fig-ures arrived in Sierra Madre. The gesso figure was similar to the Greco Roman sculp-tures that we now see as white marble. Beautiful flow-

ing robes, facial expression and textile patterns, inspired Ancona to think of the paint-ings so common during pre and early Renaissance times. During historical times the painting most often called the Adoration of the Magi was a particularly popular theme. In her research Ancona re-alized that the important characters, Mary and Joseph, wore specific colors of gar-ments the details of which had been lost or painted over

in some cases. Mary’s inside robe was

red with an outside layer of blue, Joseph wore a blue-green inner robe with an outside layer of orange, and the angels sported multi-color wings, like a rainbow.

Beacon Media visited Ancona in action on Satur-day afternoon . Her entire driveway was filled to capac-ity with Biblical figures rep-resenting the birth of Jesus. One could see the passion

in Ancona’s eyes as she showed how the details have been lovingly restored and subtle colors return to bring life to the timeless nativity scene.

Ancona and the other artists are being helped with costs incurred for supplies by the Sierra Madre Cham-ber of Commerce as well as some local churchs such as St. Rita’s; Church of the Ascension; Congreational Church and Bethany.