October, 2008: The London Knitting & Stitching Show Featuring
Michael Swaine and 'Mending for the People goes Door to Door Darning'

Michael Swaine is a ceramics arts instructor based in San Francisco, California, and a lifelong mender. Once a month Michael travels to San Francisco's neediest neighbourhood, the 'Tenderloin' where he offers all-day free mending, friendship, and conversation. His mending is not only about the clothes -- it is about the community, the people in it, and his own needs to find comfort in a world that is so used to throwing things away.

In October, 2008, Michael brought his one man road show to the world's largest knitting and stitching show, The London Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace, in London, England. Michael expands on his journey of mending by going door to door in London in this unique social project which has captivated the hearts of his community and the American public television audience.

Filmed and edited by Studio Galli in San Francisco, the film has been provided to the Arts Council (England) and Creative Exhibitions for use on their website and for broadcast purposes.

We are grateful as well to Michael's many London hosts for their support for this project.

September, 2008: Puccini's Madame Butterfly
Hakone Gardens & Estate, Saratoga, California

In 1921 San Francisco socialite and philanthroper Isabel Stine played hostess to Gaetano Merola, Founding Director of the San Francisco Opera from her home in Russian Hill, San Francisco. Mr. Merola was fundraising to raise the capital needed to found a west coast opera company. Mrs. Stine was a fan of opera, and of Japanese culture and life. After seeing the manificent pavilion of the Japanese people at the 1915 Pan-Pacific Exhibition, Isabel ventured to Japan (pictured above) to plan the design for the construction of a private family retreat in what would become Hakone Gardens & Estate in the city of Saratoga, California.

Her love of opera, support of Mr. Merola and devotion to Hakone came together in a once in a lifetime event, the West Coast premiere of Giancomo Puccini's Madame Buttefly, performed at her summer home in the hills above modern day Silicon Valley.

Lon Saavedra (seen inset), Executive Director of Hakone welcomed guests from Silicon Valley as well as the Japanese Consul and his wife from San Francisco in a celebration of that event on September 5, 2008. With perfect weather and a perfect sunset, the hills of Saratoga provided the lighting and ambience for a wonderful selection of songs from several Operas by singers from Opera San Jose.