Dolores Bridges Mote is 85 years young and although she humbly describes her aptitude for art and painting as just a hobby, it has been an enduring love that she’s nurtured through the years.
To illustrate, presently the El Cajon resident is finding her work generating admiration and a certain buzz she never quite envisioned possible. She is one of several artists spotlighted in an exhibit, on display at the Coronado public library through May 31, titled “Art through the Generations.”
Dolores Bridges Mote is 85 years young and although she humbly describes her aptitude for art and painting as just a hobby, it has been an enduring love that she’s nurtured through the years.
To illustrate, presently the El Cajon resident is finding her work generating admiration and a certain buzz she never quite envisioned possible. She is one of several artists spotlighted in an exhibit, on display at the Coronado public library through May 31, titled “Art through the Generations.”
“But it’s not about me,” Bridges Mote wants to clarify, adding, “It’s about Mrs. Hagstrom.” “Art through the Generations” pays homage to the legacy of Esther Painter Hagstrom and the students she influenced as a teacher at Coronado High School from 1939 until her premature death in 1951.
Bridges Mote is one of nine participating artists, all of whom were former students of Esther Painter Hagstrom during her teaching period.
“My graduating class, the class of 1945, consisted of 60 students, a small number by today’s standards, but it was unusually high for back then, and this was because of military service people moving in due to the war,” Bridges Mote recollects, adding, “Mrs. Hagstrom was a wonderful teacher. I just adored her. She started me on this path and I fell in love with painting. I love oils, acrylics and I love to draw. But I’ve always considered it just a fun hobby. I’ve never sold a painting.”
Yet, by her own admission, it’s proven to be a passion that she’s passed on. “My son now paints professionally. He paints on steel and my daughter paints on wood. They do beautiful work,” she added.
Esther Painter Hagstrom’s granddaughter Suzy Hagstrom, a Point Loma journalist, organized the exhibit in order to honor her paternal grandmother whom she never met. She is also donating her grandmother’s art work to become a permanent collection of the library.
“Connecting with her students was a way (for me) to get to know her. Now her students will have a chance to connect with each other,” said Hagstrom.
With its unique theme of showcasing a dedicated teacher’s works alongside those of the students she once taught, it makes for a living testament of how teachers can impact their students. It also highlights the importance of the arts in our public schools.
To this day, Bridges Mote continues to take art classes at the La Mesa Adult Enrichment Center.
“I’ve been taking classes there for the past 10 years. My teacher is Drew Bandish. He is a very well known art teacher who teaches all over the county. It’s still a thrill to be sitting down with creative people and continue to learn about art,” she concluded.
A reception is planned April 6 at 3 p.m. at the library, 640 Orange Ave. Visit www.estherpainterhagstrom.vpweb.com.
