Artistic Sisters Put Their Mark On Area Walls

Izar Gorrindo paints on the walls all the time, and her mother, Julia, just smiles.

What other Hayden Lake home can boast such a huge and flawless copy of Van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” especially signed by a 15-year-old?

“I was just amazed at what she could do when she was still small enough to work from a booster chair,” Julia says. Izar ducks her head to hide behind her long dark hair. Talk of being a prodigy embarrasses her.

No one else noticed Izar’s talent until kindergarten. Her classmates drew stick figures; Izar drew, freehand, a happy, round side view of Snoopy with perfect proportions.

“I was proud because it had some shape,” she says.

Private art lessons refined Izar’s skills and confirmed her talent. At age 6, she sketched a wine glass and instinctively shaded it to give the illusion of depth. No one had taught her about shading yet.

As Izar’s drawing and painting skills blossomed, her older sister, Maite, discovered her flair for sculpture. Maite’s works were as emotional and full of life as Izar’s were graceful and elegant.

The sisters decided to unite their talents three years ago. They produced hand-painted tiles, sink backsplashes, tile pictures and table tops for a booth at Coeur d’Alene’s Art on the Green.

Maite, 20, saw the opportunity for exposure and pushed production. Izar produced - but under protest.

“It almost made me rebel against art,” Izar says. “I like doing things for fun.”

The girls’ work delighted shoppers. One family hired them to paint a Southwestern mural on their kitchen tile work - a three-month endeavor that wore out the sisters and ruined several of Julia’s kitchen tools.

They painted a scenic mural on an office building Julia owns at Coeur d’Alene’s industrial park. Last summer, a teacher hired Izar to paint a mural of African flora in her son’s bedroom. Izar personalized her own bedroom wall with Van Gogh swirls.

Maite thrives on the attention, but Izar just wants to lose herself in her paintings.

“I dream of moving to Spain,” where her Basque relatives live, she says. “I want to take pictures of the buildings there and paint them. I love to paint.”

Single squared

Coeur d’Alene’s Sue Ferguson encourages singles in a rut to try something new. Years ago, her friends dragged her along to go square dancing, against her better judgment. But at the old IvaLee Hall, Sue met her future husband - and learned to do-si-do.

Farewell friend

Bob Two Hawks floated into Coeur d’Alene six years ago like a gentle breeze and shared his haunting flutes, pounding drums and dreams for a cultural music center. Remember the skinny guy with long, dark, curly hair in the Coeur d’Alene Marimba Band? That was Bob doing what he liked best.

Bob was only 44 when he died last week. He had so much music left to share. Bob was one of the few people in the nation who handcrafted Indian cedar flutes. The flute helped him discover his Indian heritage and find peace. In that respect, Bob was a lucky man.

It’s so hard to let some people go. …

Saturday night fever

If you can’t afford a tour of Europe, do the next best thing. Go watch the Vela Luka Croatian Dance Ensemble at Prairie View School in Post Falls on Feb. 22.

All we hear about is the sadness from that part of the world. These Croatian dancers offer a whole different view. Call 777-9278 for details.

In what parts of the world have you found people acquainted with North Idaho? Stretch your memory for Cynthia Taggart, “Close to Home,” 608 Northwest Blvd., Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene 83814; or send a fax to 765-7149, call 765-7128 or send e-mail to cynthiat@spokesman.com.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo