Can you believe it - another year has passed, and another calendar to be filled with... what? What will this year, this new decade bring to us? I write this with acute awareness of the disaster happening now in Haiti, and the realization of how tenuous life can be, and how thankful we must remember to be for our many blessings, and opportunities.

   If the first few weeks of the new year are any indication, my life this year will be busy creating art, and being involved in many community, family, professional and faith-based activities. Allow me to tell you (briefly) about some of them. 

   Community first: I've been having a wonderful time being artist-in-residence in Davie County, where I reside. Teaching the history and the how-to of scrimshaw in six schools so far has given me a whole other appreciation for what teacher in elementary and middle schools do! What a delight its been; the kids are just wonderful! Their attention to what I'm saying is just super, and their questions are excellent, and sometimes hilareous. And there are seven schools to go. (www.daviearts.org)

   Jo and I are looking forward to traveling back to Milwaukee (my home town) this June for the wedding of our Grandson, Jason, a wise young man not to get married in February. It'll be a wonderful reunion, I'm sure.

   I'm the Vice President of our Muddy River Arts Association this year, and that entails being program chairman. I've chosen a program series called "Art as seen throught the eyes of..." and filled in all of the blanks. How greatful I am for all of the speakers who said yes to my request to present their vision with us. (www.muddyriverart.org)

   At Centenary United Methodist Church, we have a most excellent Faith and Arts Ministry that does so much for both our congregation and the Winston-Salem region (www.centenary@w-s.org). I'm chairman of the Visual Arts Committee, and find terrific help from committee members in our task of producing quarterly fine art exhibitions in our church building. There are more than 80 artists on our mailing list! Thanks Team!

   My scrimshaw work is finding its way into five galleries at present, and my goal for the year is to have representation in five more. I attended a fine workshop in Charlotte on Saturday, January 16. It was presented by Jason Horejs of Scottsdale, Arizona, and it dealt with gallery representation issues, and selling more art. This could be fun! Is there a gallery near you that you might feel would be a good "fit" with my work? Let me know, and I'll see if I can successfully approach them, using Jason's tips.

   Last item - I promise! Jo and I were invited to a meeting of the Mocksville Women's Club meeting on Wednesday, January 13. Needless to say, I had a ball! I presented a program on the history and practice of scrimshaw - and they applauded at the end! As I said at the beginning of my talk, seldom have I heard of so few doing so much for so many - they are a great group of women. Thanks to Sidniee Suggs, Director, Davie County Arts Council for the invitation!
   
   The Commercial: For my latest, check out this link:  www.communityartscafe.com/gallery/members/pdriscoll. (I just learned that the links will be easier to open if you  download the html version). I must give credit to the Gallery of the Arts for a great job in putting this together - be sure to visit their website at www.communityartscafe.com.  Thanks!