After 10 years of restoration involving 40 volunteers and countless hours of painting, reshaping and sanding, the carousel was almost complete, except for the bare panels that lined the inside of the carousel. To decorate the space, head volunteer Jim Sugai decided to recruit local artist Barbara Frese.

It took Frese two months to paint all 24 panels, which top off the plethora of original artwork on the carousel, from stenciled flowers winding around the beams to circus animals peering out from the center hub. Working at her kitchen table every night, Frese says, she sometimes stayed up until 2 or 3 a.m. if she was "excited about a certain panel. When I paint, I lose track of time. It's a nice adventure for me."

Sugai suggested lighthearted themes fit for children, including clouds, kites, birds and rainbows. "Anything you could look up and see," he instructed. In addition to painting clouds and kites, Frese crafted colorful scenes of hot air balloons, mountains, angels and unicorns.

The themes suggested by Sugai worked perfectly for Frese, who prefers nature for her inspiration. "Jim allowed me to do whatever I wanted, but I had to make sure it was nice. I had to keep it bright but not too intricate, and nothing too modern," she says. "I feel very grateful for the opportunity. A lot of artists could have done it. Twenty-four panels is a lot, but it was a joy to work on."

Once the panels were complete, Sugai took several months to set them in their place, securing each one carefully with molding. He says it has been a long journey getting the carousel finished in its restoration. "We did the best we could," Sugai says. "It was all done by donation, and we are lucky to have what we have. It's a dream to complete it."

The carousel is one of only a few historical carousels in California. The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad Corporation of Los Gatos purchased it in 1980 from a warehouse in San Francisco. The carousel, which had been retired at the warehouse since 1967, was originally built in England in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

Frese has taken several rides with family and friends since the completion of the carousel. "They were thrilled," she says of her guests. The art "just makes it fun. It's worthwhile to have something you love and to share it," she says.

The W. E. "Bill" Mason Carousel is open until June 15 from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. From June 15 to Sept. 1, the carousel is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information or to schedule group rides, call 408.395.7433.