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| OHCC LIVING | DECEMBER 2023 | 31 Art Lovers "An Evening in Egypt" was a fascinating journey into the art and culture of Egypt reported by Ernie and Susan Pick. e couple who spent nine days traveling to the most famous sites of this ancient land presented an informative and entertaining slide show to an attentive gathering of nearly 90 OHCC guests. With 109 million people, Egypt is the largest populated country in the Middle East with 9 ½ million living in Cairo, the capital. eir trip to the ancient sites began in Giza where they saw e Great Pyramid built by King Khufu 4500 years ago. Pyramids were built by farmers who loyally worshiped the pharaohs as gods so they would live in the Aerlife. Images of sphinxes, heads of humans and bodies of lions, were created to guard the pyramids. Aer a relaxing cruise on the River Nile and a visit to the Aswan Dam (completed in 1970 to relieve extreme flooding of the Nile), the Picks toured the temples at Abu Simbel. ese temples built by Ramses II were cut out of rock and dedicated to himself and his favorite wife, the beautiful Nefertari. e four colossal statues of Ramses in front of the main temple are spectacular examples of ancient Egyptian art. By means of a complex engineering feat in the 1960s, these temples were salvaged from the rising waters of the Nile River caused by erection of the Aswan High Dam. A fund- raising campaign was initiated by UNESCO in 1959. Between 1963 and 1968 a workforce and an international team of engineers and scientists, supported by funds from more than 50 countries, dug away the top of the cliff and completely disassembled both temples, reconstructing them on high ground more than 200 feet above their previous site. In all, some 16,000 blocks were moved at a cost of 40 million dollars. Other temples the couple visited were the Temple of Horus which is the best preserved of all the temples. e extravagant design and sheer size of this temple is an indication of Egypt's prosperity at the time. e Temple of Queen Hatshepsut enshrines Egypt's longest reigning female ruler. Our ever-popular Holiday Champagne Luncheon will be held on Dec. 5 at the Shadowridge Golf Club with a distinguished speaker. For updates, please visit our website, https://ohccartlovers.wixsite. com/art-lovers or contact Susan Pick at (760) 805-8907. Written by: Rita Montjoy Wishing everyone healthy and happy Holidays. Attention Appreciators of Art! Come see the current exhibit of outstanding art in the Art Studio! We are delighted to feature the work of Pat Battles, Betty Anne Kreutziger, Bonnie Krichbaum, Michael Layne, and Bruce Taylor. Several of the pieces are quite large (for our usual displays), so we especially appreciate the help of Michael Layne with installation. All of the works are vibrant with color and are created using mediums ranging from acrylic, to plein air, pastel, watercolor and oil. We continue to be so pleased with the very talented artists in our community, some of whom are new to the pleasure of painting. ey will certainly appreciate your feedback. If you would like to display your art, please contact Judy Harris or Lainy Vinikow. Written by: Judy Harris and Lainy Vinikow Art Studio Temple at AbuSimbel built by Ramses II Ernie & Susan Pick Nefertari, wife of Ramses II