photo by Tim Raiman

Volunteers sponsor new mural.

A new mural stands outside the
Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara
Hospital Orchard Cafeteria.

	Dedication of the Mural on June 30, 2008		Bronze plaque dedication
	Inspired by the extensive and lush cherry orchard that existed on the grounds that are now occupied by the Medical Center, Manuel Cruz (seen here on a "cherry picker")has depicted the scene that might have been observed sitting in the cafeteria patio before the Hospital was built.		Detail of Mural Panel

Artist Manuel Cruz III has worked for over 2o years with architects, designers and private clients allowing their artistic visions to come to life. Specializing in Trompe L'oeil, Cruz is also exquisite in creating portraits, old world faux finishes, children's murals, photography and custom canvas paintings. His works include both interior and exterior murals. Manuel inherits his artistic talent from both his mother and father and shares his abilities with 5 siblings, two of which are noted musicians. Originally from Oklahoma, Manuel studied with the renowned muralist, John Pugh, for 6 years before starting his own studio in Martinez, CA. He is also a skilled landscape designer and delights working in his own lush garden.

For more information about Manuel Cruz you are invited to visit his website, email or call him at (925)370-7774.

About the Orchard Before the Santa Clara Valley was known as "Silicon Valley", our beautiful region was known as the Valley of Hearts Delight." At the peak of agricultural activity, in the early 1940s, there were about 6,000 farms in the Valley. Almost all of them were small family-run operations covering less than 50 acres each, which together made up 80 percent of the county. About half of the planted area comprised the largest near-continuous orchard the world had ever seen: some 8 million flowering trees spread over 132,000 acres. As paintings, photographs, and old-timers attest, it was an amazing sight. And the fruits of the farmers' labor were like nothing you can get today at your local supermarket. "That asphalt there is covering some of the best land in the world," says Charlie Olson of Olson's Cherries, one of the last remaining fruit stands in the Valley. Olson's cherry orchards have all been replaced with residential and commercial properties: The Cherry Orchard Apartments on Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale and the historic Olson's Cherries produce stand on El Camino Real near Mathilda in Sunnyvale.

For new residents and students who may have not seen an orchard, the City of Sunnyvale has preserved a Heritage Orchard, which is an apricot orchard displaying the region's agricultural past, fruit drying, packing and canning. Each spring the Heritage Orchard harvests and sells Blenheim apricots at its site. The present Kaiser Permanente Homestead Medical Center is now located on almost 25 acres of cherry orchard. photos(unless otherwise noted) by James Vaughn