Spoken like an artist

Whether it be sentimental or philosophical, every once in a while

an artist makes a statement that becomes memorable. Here is the best

of what was said in the Datebook pages of the Daily Pilot in 2002.

“A photograph is not a reality. What our society views as ideal or

normal is actually a perfect or nonpersonal view of the female form.”

-- Wendy Marvel, artist, whose show exploring images of women in

the media was displayed at Orange Coast College in April

“It’s important to remember this is a living practice. Composition

is a wonderful thing to do if you’re a musician.”

-- Alan Terricciano, who took part in the Composers Concert at UC

Irvine in April

“I tell you, I’ve conducted choirs all over the world. But I have

the most wonderful group of singers that have come together and that

have believed in the mission of the group. I wouldn’t trade this

choir for anyone.”

-- John Alexander, on celebrating 30 years of conducting the

Pacific Chorale in May

“When he’s playing the violin, he’s the most sensitive, emotional

guy. When he played hockey, that all went out the window. He’s just

an animal.”

-- Elizabeth Schumitzky, on her husband, Robert, who plays the

violin for Pacific Symphony Orchestra and hockey for an elite league

team at DisneyICE

“I’m so aware that these are my last days in the studio. This is

going to be my last time to shine onstage. My last time to be under

the lights.”

-- Eloisa Enerio, 38, on her last performance with Ballet Pacifica

in June

“It’s fun to play mean, and the reason why it’s fun to play mean

is because it’s hard being nice every time, in normal everyday life.

To be nice to everyone with whom you come in contact with is

incredibly difficult. Somebody’s going to do something to irritate

you.”

-- Leslie Williams, on playing the evil Miss Minchin in Trilogy

Playhouse’s “A Little Princess” in August

“I just want to make people laugh.”

-- Joe Sullivan, the 36-year-old producer and emcee of a weekly

comedy show at the Blue Beet Cafe, in August

“When I was younger, I always acted like a dog. And whenever

someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said a dog.”

-- Alexa Safran, 10, who played Toto in Newport Beach Theater

Company’s August production of “The Wizard of Oz”

“Who takes out the garbage is the hard part of a marriage. So many

people, once they have their first fight, say, ‘Oh, the bloom is off

the rose.’ But no. That’s where the fun starts. That’s where the

relationship deepens.”

-- Joe Bologna, who with wife Renee Taylor performed “If You Ever

Leave Me, I’m Going With You,” a self-written play, at OCC in

September

“Music is a language between the nations and it’s the unified

language between the nations. We’re trying to be a part of that

network and send our message across as musicians from another

culture.

-- Kayhan Kalhor, translating for Hossein Alizadeh, the vocalist

and the Iranian lute player of The Masters of Persian Music. The

Masters performed at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in

October as part of the Eclectic Orange Festival.

“I really love Shaw. I always find him so compelling because he

always writes about really interesting issues in a really personal

way. He never makes you feel there’s a really easy answer. You end up

feeling very confused, which is how I feel life is.”

-- Nike Doukas, who played the title role in George Bernard Shaw’s

“Major Barbara,” seen at South Coast Repertory in October

“But you can’t just write 20 hit songs. It takes 10 years for that

to evolve, if you’re any good at writing songs. ... That’s when I

realized that we had to be ABBA.”

-- Rod Leissle, co-founder of the ABBA tribute band Bjorn Again,

on coming up with the idea for the band with John Tyrrell. The band

performed at OCC in October

“You have to sit down and think of the moment you felt most

restricted or like a slave, and then he comes in and frees you. And

the gratitude you have comes through in the opportunity to express

this musically.”

-- Tim Warfield, saxophonist, on playing with jazz trumpeter

Nicholas Payton. They performed at the Center in October.