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Art & Artists

Artist: Albert

I'm Albert, I feel O.K. I do drawings of people. They are people from my past. I was in Sonoma State Hospital for 37 years. I'll be 77 years old on September 23—it falls on a Sunday this year. I'm a good artist. Drawing keeps me happy.

Autumn Concept The JudgeMr. Jones was a man and he had kids. He drove a four-door model A Ford. I sat in the back seat. He had his wife with him. She drove. They were taking me to the State Hospital. Mr. Jones was a judge. I went to court with him. I don't know why I went to court. I musta done something bad at my mother's place. My mom and my real father were at court. Mr. Jones said, "Order in the court." I was dressed up as a little sailor. My mom took my picture. I had a football in my hand.
Autumn Concept Mr. ButlerMr. Butler only gave us good food on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every other time it was terrible. He took over for Dawson. He was a bad superintendent. He didn't do nothing about the hitting. Mr. Butler let the technichians put me on the block. The block was a block of wood with a handle on it, hinges and everything. You'd put a blanket under it. I shined the floor with beeswax and the block. It came in a coffee can, the wax. It took a long time for me to wax the floor. He was the one who had the technicians cut tenant's hair off. Butler made the guys wear State dresses from the girl's side. Butler left the State Hospital and became a cook in Sonoma City.
Autumn Concept Marina MushPete Dixon is head cook of the kitchen. Packer Pollard was second boss after Pete Dixon. Pete worked guys over in the icebox. He was a good cook. He cooked potatoes—mashed potatoes. Pete Dixon worked on the pot side of the kitchen. He was the man who made Marina Mush. His wife worked in the tenant's dining room. Marina Mush was made of water. I guess a whole stack of sugar was in it. John Fierra worked on the pot side of the kitchen too. When Pete Dixon died, John Fierra was head boss. Pete Dixon was picking apples and fell off the ladder. He died. His wife called the hearse. I felt bad when he died-- he was a good cook.
Autumn Concept Chewing TarThis story is about me chewing tar. I got the tar off the roof when it was dripping off the roof. Contractors was putting tar on the roof. I washed the tar off and put it in my mouth. It taste good. Can't chew tar no more—I got dentures. Burton and Marvin McFarlin chewed tar too. Benedict chewed too. We'd chew tar together. That was the good ol' days. Freeman chewed it too. I chewed wax up there too. We all did. Now I chew some gum. It is hard to chew gum because of my dentures.
Autumn Concept The Golden Gate BridgeI know about the olden days of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was built in 1938. I was at the State Hospital when it was built. Men, constructors, contractors built it. It opened up in 1939. When they was building the bridge some people fell off and lost their lives. Marion McDougal lost his father when they was building the bridge. He fell off. I knew Marion from the State Hospital; he was on the same unit I was. Bain Annex 14. It was the baby ward. It used to be a barn one time.