Acclaimed Dr. Seuss' work lives on through statues at Hotel Del By Julian Burrell In life, Theodor Geisel, better known as "Dr. Seuss," was a best-selling children's author, causing millions to fall in love with his combination of diverse worlds and quirky style. In death, Geisel is still remembered in many ways, not the least of which are his sculptured characters on display at the Hotel del Coronado. Geisel had been a longtime resident of Southern California, living La Jolla for almost 20 years. San Diego and the Hotel Del had been dear to the storyteller's heart (as evidenced by his painting "I Dreamed I was a Doorman at the Hotel del Coronado"), which is why the hotel was seen as the perfect location for the first stop for the statues. The stories that feature characters on display include "The Cat in the Hat," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "The Lorax," "Green Eggs & Ham," and "Yertle the Turtle." The Dr. Seuss statues will be on display on the Windsor lawn at the Hotel Del until June 30, when they will be moved to other locations around the world. "We didn't even know it was here," said 46-year-old Tracy Wallace, while viewing the statues on her vacation from Las Vegas. While many may not have known of the statues upon checking into the hotel, it is clear that all the residents quickly became very familiar with the figures as they toured the garden where the statues were stationed. These statues also represent a window back to the spectators' childhood. "I used to be able to recite 'Green Eggs & Ham'," said tourist Sharon Bushong, 45, proudly declaring her love for Geisel's work. "I remember that all the rhymes were really cool," said Stephanie Watkins,24, as she posed with the "Lorax" figure. Geisel's influence does not stop at memories; his artistic style has inspired people such as illustrator and puppeteer Rosa Pojawis, 35, to have similar visions of uniqueness. "He's seriously one of the top five people who have influenced my artwork…He just has such a wonderful and wonky style about him." Pojawis is an illustrator and puppeteer whose love of the author was among the deciding factors for her to start her own form of children's entertainment at her Web site. "Kids are way more open to [the drawings] than adults are." Geisel is gone, but as long as there are still Christmases to be stolen, trees to be spoken for, and children that need to have fun on a rainy day, his infectious rhymes and iconic artwork will continue to thrive. Powajis said, "I used to imagine I was in [his worlds]. I don't think I ever left [them]." • • • Vox is the newspaper of the 2009 CCNMA-San Diego Multicultural Journalism Workshop. Return to index | See also: Vox on Blogspot