Fountain of truth

Mathis Winkler

BALBOA ISLAND -- Years ago, Nancy Heinz Russell passed along some

advice to her grandson, Ryan Kaltman:

“If you go out into the world, learn everything you can and give

everything your best shot, you will realize all of your dreams.”

A few months ago, 28-year-old Kaltman quit dental school to follow his

dream of becoming a professional magician.

Russell, affectionately known as “Honey” in her family -- taught her

grandchildren to do “what your heart tells you to do,” Kaltman said.

Last Thursday, he joined more than a dozen supporters in pleading with

the city’s Planning Commission to allow Russell to keep a bronze fountain

sculpture she’d put up in her frontyard without first getting the

required permits.

Russell’s neighbors had complained that the sculpture -- which depicts

five children climbing on a rock and stands 10 and a half feet tall --

partially blocked their view of the bay.

“Having grown up and raised her children here, [my grandmother] has

seen how the island provides a safe haven for children at play,” Kaltman

said as his grandmother calmly worked on a needlepoint picture she had

brought to City Hall. “Her hope is that the Balboa Island community will

continue to foster such a child-friendly environment. ... [She]

commissioned an artist to realize her vision in the form of a sculpture.

Let Honey share her fountain’s sweetness with the whole of Balboa

Island.”

While expressing concerns that approving the fountain might set a

precedent for others to make changes to their homes without first

obtaining proper permits, the commissioners unanimously voted to keep

Russell’s fountain in its place -- but not without telling Russell that

she should have waited to install the fountain until the city had signed

off on it.

“If you live on the island, somebody’s going to complain if you paint

your fence too thick,” said Commissioner Earl McDaniel, a Balboa Island

resident himself. “You should have [gotten the permits] ahead of time.”

Sitting on her bayside terrace this week, a few feet from her

fountain, Russell gladly told passersby about the outcome of the dispute.

“How did it go the other night?” two women asked as they approached

Russell’s yard.

“It’s mine now,” Russell responded. “My grandson made a speech and

there was not a dry eye in the house.”

“We love your fountain,” said one of the women, before moving on.

“It’s beautiful. I’m just so happy for you.”

Looking at the fountain, with water drops sparkling as they bounced

off the bronze sculpture, Russell said she’d been trying to fill the

empty spot in the corner of her yard for quite some time.

“I wanted something in the corner with the tree,” she said, touching a

pendant hanging on her necklace. The pendant, featuring little statues of

two children, represents her daughters, Gaye and Gillian. Russell said

she hasn’t taken it off for 50 years.

“I crossed my fingers and hoped that the [sculpture] would fit and it

fit right in,” she said. “It’s wonderful. Everyone really loves it.”

As she finished her sentence, another woman came jogging past on South

Bay Front. Tilting her head toward the fountain, she turned to Russell

with a smile.

“I guess you won, huh?” she said, getting an affirmative nod from

Russell in response.

“Yes!” the woman shouted, pumping her fist into the air before

vanishing out of sight.