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Santa Cruz bronze artist Sean Monaghan and concrete virtuoso Tom Ralston install solar-powered bronze lanterns that Monaghan hand-crafted in his Santa Cruz foundry on the “Chinese Arch” at the entrance to the pedestrian bridge over the San Lorenzo River connecting San Lorenzo Park and River Street. A community-driven effort to commemorate the city’s historic Chinese neighborhoods, and actualized by Ralston, Monaghan and mosaic artist Kathleen Croscetti. The arch will honor the city’s Chinatown neighborhood which stood until the middle of the last century on the site where DNA’s Comedy Lab and the Galleria now stand. The project is in part a vision realized with the help of local businessman and philanthropist George Ow Jr., who lived his earliest years, from 1943 to 1948, in the last of Santa Cruz’s four former Chinatown neighborhoods before it was destroyed by flooding in 1955. A mosaic-covered concrete dragon will be installed atop the arch Sunday morning. Ow and Ralston also were behind the creation of a commemorative monument honoring deceased Chinese residents which stands at Evergreen Cemetery. (Shmuel Thaler — Santa Cruz Sentinel)
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This advertisment appeared in the Winter 2019 issue of Santa Cruz Magazine displaying the wonderful monuments Tom Ralston Concrete has been honoured to produce with and for the community. They are:
- The Santa Cruz Wharf Roundabout 2015
- Pleasure Point Park 2012
- Three Princes Plaque Monument 2010
- Indian Burial Memorial 2016
- Chinese Gate Memorial 2014
- Fallen Officer's Memorial 2014
- Cowell Botanical Garden 2012
- Waldemar Memorial 2014
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Tom Ralston’s All Star 15-piece band will be playing at The Rio Theatre on December 1st 2018 at 7pm. Tom will be playing his original songs from each of his 2-CD’s Ruminations and Nomads and Nightingales. In addition the Band will play some songs on the 3rd CD Written in the Stars to be released in 2019.
You can get a good gist of Tom’s music and the fabulous musicians who play with him on Facebook. Follow us!
Background music in this beautiful video courtesy of Tom Ralston.
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(Note: TRC has won 17-national awards in 20-years…just sayin :) )
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Local artist Terra Dawson and Casey Coonerty Protti of Bookshop Santa Cruz cut the ribbon on a new community bench donated by the local bookshop, constructed in San Lorenzo Park by Tom Ralston and painted by local artist Terra Dawson.
DAN COYRO — SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL
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On Sunday August 28th Videographer Peter McGiddeon called Tom and asked if he would say a few words on video for the Santa Cruz time capsule that was to be buried for Santa Cruz’s 150th Birthday and unearthed in 50 years.
Tom said “sure” and was among other interviewees including George Ow Jr., his son William Ow, former Senator Bruce McPherson, The Great Morgani and the owners of Hoffman’s Restaurant.
As part of the production, they were going to make dry martini’s that are famous at Hoffman’s to toast with. Tom expressed that he hasn’t had a drink since for almost 29 years so could they please use water in his martini glass instead of Gin.
In the video, Tom spoke about how grateful he is to be a Santa Cruzan, and how incredible it was that he has been asked to do so many milestone projects around Santa Cruz. He was asked about the picture used at the Gail Rich Awards and also on his first CD cover showing Tom half in concrete and half in a black tuxedo. Tom also said hello to his children (daughter Rachelle, sons Matt, Zach and Anthony; and Grandchildren Kailey and Tytus) and then said “let’s toast.”