User:Circacalifornia/sandbox

Don was born in Alhambra, Calif. in 1934. Grew up in South Pasadena and graduated from South Pasadena, San Marino High School in 1951. He received an Associate of Arts degree from John Muir in 1953, attended University of California, Santa Barbara College in 1954 and later graduated from Los Angeles State College with a B.A in History. Taught High School History and Social Studies at Brawley Union High School, La Habra High School, Wintersberg High School in Huntington Beach and finally La Cuesta High School in Santa Barbara. While living in Carpinteria in the 1970's he served as Chapter Chairman of the Los Padres Chapter of the Sierra Club. In the 1980s he gave up teaching, moved to Ventura and entered the antiques and art business. Along with his partner Dolores Fisher, he established the Old California Store and  became the pioneer dealer in Monterey Furniture. The pair were guest curators of the first exhibit of Monterey Furniture held at the Santa Monica Heritage Museum, now known as the California Heritage Museum in 1987. Later he was curator of an exhibit in Malibu entitled: "Macaws & Marlins, The Art of Tile, Southern California Style". at the Santa Barbara Historical Museum. in 1996. Beginning in 1990"s Shorts became active in Historic Preservation. He served on the Historic Preservation committee of the city of Ventura and later on the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board. In 1999 he  received an award from the California Preservation Foundation for his part in saving the murals at Casa Romantica in San Clemente.

California Heritage Museum: