Avocations

Jane Ellis, SD'83, assistant professor, poses with a painting of a koi pond that won first place in the 38th Annual National Art Exhibition sponsored by the San Bernardino County Museum of Art.

The practice of dentistry to many who join its ranks is often both a vocational and avocational choice-not just a career, but a passionate hobby, with volunteer time spent in mission service, dental professional organizations and societies, research and educational offerings.

There are many, too, who find that their careers in dental practice are complemented and nurtured by avocations or hobbies that allow their creative natures to be refreshed and their inner spirits to shine through. Jane Ellis, SD'83, assistant professor at the School of Dentistry, has found renewal in her dental career through capturing the spirit of others and the world around her in watercolors.

Dr. Ellis, recently winning first place at the 38th Annual National Art Exhibition sponsored by the San Bernardino County Museum of Art, admits that learning to let loose in art is rather difficult for the self-described perfectionist, and that the technical perfection so necessary in dentistry doesn't work in art.

Dr. Ellis' foray into the world of painting began after a cancer diagnosis more than seven years ago and the subsequent difficult treatment regimen, including a bone-marrow transplant, left her a survivor in need of the rebuilding of her own spirit.

Having always enjoyed working with her hands, the challenge that, according to Dr. Ellis, "what you sit down and start out with, isn't necessarily what you end up with," has helped tremendous healing and personal growth.

A portrait of Dr. Carla Lidner's young twin daughters as an example truly captures the spirits and souls of these young lives. Currently Dr. Ellis is working on a book of poetry with paintings that are expressions of this journey of survival.

After working for LLUMC as a pulmonary physiologist and director of the Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory, Dr. Ellis describes her desire for a career "plan" change to dentistry as greatly influenced by her grandfather, a dentist, as well as a younger sister, who was in dental school at the time. Dr. Ellis is a faculty member of the School of Dentistry with the Proposition 10 Dental Grant Project, working with Carla Lidner, SD'90, MS. Much of her responsibilities are for dental health education for the underserved children and their parents through the County of San Bernardino, an opportunity that Dr. Ellis finds both challenging and rewarding.

The practice of dentistry, too, is both challenging and rewarding in our world today, and actively pursuing outside interests can lead to more satisfaction in your professional life. We return to our work lives refreshed with new vision, perhaps allowing us to see those that we serve in our practices with more insight and understanding.

If you know of a colleague or fellow dental professional with an interesting and rewarding avocation, please let us know by e-mailing Julie Sugita at jasugita@aol.com or Nancy Yuen at nyuen@sd.llu.edu. We'd love to hear from you!