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Look What's Happening at the Valley Fair

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Contributed by: Marina Garcia on 6/18/2008

Talented Palmdale Wheel Chair Vet to Exhibit at The Valley fair

Whether making a ceramic vase or singing at the annual Veterans Creative Arts Festival, Vietnam air force vet James Bryant, 66, of Palmdale hasn't let a spinal cord injury from a 1983 car accident that has kept in a wheel chair from enjoying the things he loves most, working with his hands and raising his voice in song.

Bryant is among dozens of vets taking ceramics and horticultural instruction offered by the
Occupational Therapy Department of the VA Ambulatory and Nursing Home Center in West Hills.
Many of the vets will exhibit ceramic pieces and vegetables grown in the VA garden at the Valley Fair in Santa Clarita June 26-29 at Saugus Speedway, presented by the California 51st District Agricultural Association. Bryant won a blue ribbon at the fair two year's ago and will try for another with his latest ceramic art piece, an Elliptical Vase featuring an engraved floral design.

As a young man, Bryant wanted to be the next Johnny Mathis. He started singing in a church
choir , putting his singing ambitions on hold volunteering to serve in the Air Force in l964 during
the Vietnam War. He was stationed at Perrin AF base as an aircraft contact tracer and learned
to work with ceramics at the base service center as away to unwind.
He has continued his hobby
to this day and visits the VA Sepulveda facility several times a week for ceramic instruction using
their tools and kiln.

Bryant left his post war job with HUD in San Francisco in the 70's and came to Los Angeles where
he continued his voice lessons and found his penchant for classical music. He went on to attend the
California Institute of the Arts School in Santa Barbara earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in
Vocal Performance and made his professional debut with Opera Ebony in 1982 singing the role of
Mauricio in Verde's "Il Trovatore."

The accident was a set back in his pursuit of a singing career.
Just after the accident, he learned
the Metropolitan Opera wanted him to audition for "Porgy and Bess." When he started taking
lessons again, he found that one side of his larynx was effected by the paralysis that caused him
to cough when he reached a certain (note) level. Through rigorous vocal exercises and working his
voice, he was able to bring back elasticity to the larynx..

The last 10 years has been encouraging for Bryant. He made his east coast recital debut at
Shenandoah College and Conservatory, performed at the Bakersfield Symphony and Long Beach
Opera Company and produced a CD of Negro spiritual entitled " How The Spirit Moves Me." He also
has performed the past seven years at The National Veterans Administration's Creative Arts Festival
Shows. He has high hopes the new ceramic vase he'll exhibit the The Valley Fair will earn him
another blue ribbon.

FACT SHEET

EVENT: Valley Fair in Santa Clarita

DATES: June 26 - 29

LOCATION: Saugus Speedway 22500 Soledad Canyon

PRESENTED BY: The California 51st District Agricultural Association

HOURS: Thursday 4-10pm, Friday 4-11pm, Saturday - Sunday noon-11pm

ADMISSION: Adults $7, seniors and under 11 years $4

ATTRACTIONS: Non-stop daily entertainment includes 80's music icons
Ambrosia Saturday and country singer Juice Newton Sunday, plus Fleetwood
Mac, Journey, Queen and Eagles Tribute Bands, Lil Elmo & The Cosmos and
Riders of the Purple Sage.

Special feature: Amazing Rainforest Exotic Animal Exhibit, Wild About

Monkeys and Bengal Tiger Show, Family Fun Circus, plus MTV's "Pimp My
Ride" Cars, Video Game Pavilion, Kids tractor pulls, go car races and pony
rides, 20th Century Fox "Space Chimps" movie pavilion plus carnival rides,
home, art and livestock exhibits and international food pavilions.

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