Fresno native on `The Island`

THURSDAY JULY 2 2015
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Life
TV & RADIO
BY RICK BENTLEY
Fresno
native
on ‘The
Island’
It’s not surprising that
the thing Fresno resident
Dr. Alton “Buck” Parker
missed most when
dropped on the deserted
island for the NBC competition show “The
Island” was his cellphone.
It’s what he missed second most that’s a surprise.
“For the first few days, I
kept reaching for my cellphone to take pictures of
what was going on,” Parker says. “But after that, I
missed having a comfortable seat.”
Parker and the other 13
participants spent a month
on the island with only a
few supplies. Their struggles to find shelter, water
and food have played out
over six episodes that
wrap up Monday.
The rocks, logs and
ground that filled in for a
seat were so painful for
Parker that he either had
to stand or lie down.
Parker, a trauma surgeon who lives in Orlando, was born in Fresno
and stayed here until age
12 when his family moved
to Wyoming. Parker still
has a lot of family living in
the Fresno area, including
his grandparents.
He grew up spending a
lot of time outdoors, but
usually not for more than
five days. He auditioned
for the show to test himself and see if he could
last the full month. Parker
says the time he spent
outdoors before doing the
SEE BENTLEY, 12C
ARTHOP
Threading the line
between paint
and embroidery
BY DONALD MUNRO
[email protected]
At the Jewel fm Gallery,
curator Marc Blake asks:
“Is it a painting or what?”
He’s talking about the
finely detailed embroidery
work of Dina Kassel, who
says she loves “being able
to capture favorite paintings or familiar scenes in
thread.” Blake says the
smooth, tiny stitches look
so much like a painting
that you have to see it to
believe.
Kassel’s work will be on
display 5-8 p.m. today, as
part of ArtHop, the
monthly open house of
galleries and studios in
the downtown Fresno and
Tower District neighborhoods.
The Jewel fm space is
offering what Blake calls a
“triple ArtHop.” In addition to Kassel’s work,
8C
mosaics by Kathy and
Larry Myatt and works by
Jessica Lynn Stuart are
featured.
Details: Jewel fm Gallery, 1415 Fulton St.
www.kjwl.com, (559)
497-5118.
OTHER ARTHOP PICKS
A Don’t miss the impressive “Some Alum 2015,” a
group exhibition at 1821
Gallery & Studios. The
show features 16 alumni
who have previously exhibited at the gallery, and
it’s a powerhouse lineup
that includes lively works
from Edward Gillum,
Jerry Scott, Robert Weibel,
Evany Zirul, Adam
Longatti and Bibi Bielat.
SEE ARTHOP, 12C