Cheers to Roland Kramer for installing holiday decorations!

I met with local resident Roland Kramer a couple of days ago at the main entrance to Marbella and took this picture as he was installing holiday decorations on the entry walls. The Board of Directors had authorized the project after a presentation by Roland in which he showed computer generated images of what the entry walls would look like adorned with garland, lights and red bows. Numerous passers-by, including my wife Marilyn, stopped and volunteered to help Roland with this task, but he graciously declined their offers and did it solo. (Click on photo to enlarge)

Roland is an interesting man. After the photo was taken, I asked him to email me some information about his background. He supplied the following:

John, nice to have met you, to put a face with the website. Well, I try to give you a short story of my past.

I emigrated to the United States in 1956 (legally), from Germany. Lived for a short time in Altoona PA, then moved to Syracuse NY, worked and saved my money to be able to go to school.

In 1962 I went to Chicago to attend an Artschool where they taught mostly art as it applies to commercial art. I then got a job as an artist in advertising with an art studio and worked in a number of this kinds of companies for 37 years, all in Chicago. The last 8 years I had to switch over to computer, which actually was very satisfying and a lot of fun.

In 2003 we moved to Marbella where we are very happy. My hobbies, besides a lot of home improvements and gardening, are decorative-artistic painting and a particular type of wood carving called Chipcarving. I am also an Amature Photographer.

That about wraps it up.

Thanks, Roland