Angela Cartwright stars in photography exhibit at Descanso

The lush landscape and vivid colors found at Descanso Gardens are

an inspiration for actress Angela Cartwright. A photographer since

her parents gave her a Nikon camera on her 16th birthday, she now

creates hand-painted photographs, enhancing black-and-white images by

applying transparent oil paint.

Following a successful career in television (“The Danny Thomas

Show” and “Lost in Space”) and movies (“The Sound of Music,”) she

took some time off to raise her children. She didn’t stop working,

however, but instead opened Rubber Boots, a unique gift shop in

Toluca Lake. It allowed her flex time to perform her new role as

Mommy, packing lunches and sharing carpool duties.

Now that the children are older, she plans to return to acting and

is enjoying a second career combining photography and art.

“My own two children gave me tremendous experience in capturing

children spontaneously and candidly, which is how I like to

photograph them,” she said. “I have photographs from all of my

travels around the world.”

She discovered the serenity of Descanso Gardens when she began

driving her son to high school in La Canada Flintridge. After

dropping him off at school, Cartwright would walk the gardens and

soon started bringing the camera along.

Some 53 pieces of her work will be displayed this month in her

“Reflections” exhibit at the Boddy House Art Gallery. An artist

reception will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. “Reflections” is a

compilation of settings found throughout the gardens, from the

International Rosarium and Japanese Tea Garden to the desert and

chaparral areas.

Others exhibiting are Joanne Bruckner, featuring paintings in oil;

Patricia A. Wiley, displaying watercolors; and ceramic artists

Maryke Brannin and Karen Lafler.

“What I love about the gallery is they have artists from the area

and they are very good,” Cartwright said. “It’s nice to have these

different artists show their works.”

The exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and continues

until Aug. 29.

Descanso Gardens is at 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge.

The gardens are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily except Christmas

Day. Parking is free. Admission fees are $5 for adults, $3 for

seniors and youths 13 to 18, $1 for children 5 to 12 and free for

members and children 5 and younger. For more information, call

949-4200.

For more information on Cartwright’s career, go to

www.angela-cartwright.com. View her online gift shop at

www.rubberboots.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS

MARION ROSS STARS IN ‘A LOVELY NIGHT’

Marion Ross, nominated twice for Emmys for “Happy Days,” will star

in the next installment of the Falcon Theatre’s Garry Marshall

Presents series, continuing each Sunday in August.

Ross will perform in “A Lovely Night,” a one-woman show written by

Dorothy Stickney that celebrates the life, loves and poetry of one of

America’s most beloved poets Edna St. Vincent Millay. The work

contains selected verses from many of St. Vincent Millay’s

best-known poems, including those written for the Saturday Evening

Review.

Ross’ stage credits include the Broadway and touring productions

of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” co-starring fellow TV legend Jean

Stapleton, and “A Long Days Journey Into Night.” For her work in

television, she received the Best Actress in a Comedy Series Award

from Viewers For Quality Television for the CBS television series

“Brooklin Bridge.”

Show time is 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $25. Parking is free.

The Falcon is at 4252 Riverside Drive in Burbank. For more

information, call 955-8101.

RESIDENTS CAST IN ‘THE KING AND I’

Local youngsters are experiencing what it’s like to perform in a

real musical as the Foothill Summer Theatre presents “The King and I”

at 2 p.m. today in the auditorium of La Canada High School.

Under the direction of founder Marlys Marsteller, the production

features in the lead roles Jonny Acker of Pasadena as The King, Holly

Kerker of La Canada Flintridge as Anna, Julie Adams of Burbank as

Tuptim and Saro Badalian of Glendale playing Lun Tha.

Tickets are $10 and $15. The high school is at 4463 Oak Grove

Drive in La Canada Flintridge. Tickets are available at the door. For

more information, call 236-2666.

VALLEY THEATRE SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULED

Thorin Alexander hopes to increase the popularity of local theater

by bringing together playhouse owners and audiences to exchange ideas

at the free Valley Theatre Symposium from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Barnes

& Noble Booksellers in Burbank.

Alexander, the marketing and press-relations representative with

The Falcon Theatre, is organizer of the event. There will be set

questions that the panel will be asked and a chance for audience

members to ask questions also.

Sitting on the panel will be Hope Alexander, artistic director of

The Company Rep in North Hollywood; Barbara Beckley, producing

director of The Colony Theatre Company in Burbank; Maria Gobetti,

artistic director of The Victory Theatre in Burbank; Barry Lynch,

artistic director of the Celtic Arts Center in Studio City; Kathleen

Marshall, producer of The Falcon Theatre in Burbank; and Suzanne

Tara, associate producing director of Deaf West Theatre in North

Hollywood.

No reservations are necessary for the event, but Alexander said

early arrival is suggested to get seats close to the panel to ensure

a better exchange with the speakers.

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is at 131 N. San Fernando Blvd.,

Burbank. For more information, call 468-3064.

SMOOTH JAZZ AT THE STARLIGHT BOWL

Smooth jazz is explored when Joyce Cooling and Jeff Lorber take

the stage Sunday at the Starlight Bowl.

Since the late 1990s, jazz guitarist Cooling has recorded three

CDs, with many of the songs becoming hits on the charts and earning

her several jazz awards.

Jazz keyboardist Lorber recorded his first album in 1977 and

instilled in it sounds from groups he admired like Earth, Wind & Fire

and Tower of Power. His work did much to inspire the adult

contemporary sound popular today. He played for many years with his

group Jeff Lorber Fusion, which featured little- known sax player

Kenny G, before he went solo in 1993.

The concert begins at 6:30 p.m. and gates open at 5:30 for

picnicking. Tickets are $5 and $3 for children 4 to 12 and seniors

60 and older. Parking is $2. The Starlight Bowl is at 1249 Lockheed

View Drive in Burbank. For more information, call 525-3721.

* If you have press releases for the 48 Hours column, please

call JOYCE RUDOLPH at 637-3241 or e-mail joyce.rudolph@latimes.com or

fax them to 241-1975.