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Dear Friends:
I am blessed to have so much beauty in my life. The world around me is a great source of inspiration, and I love sharing it with people. The Shenandoah Valley was glorious this past weekend during my Museum Open House and Barn Show. Everything is blooming both there and here in Mathews, Virginia, at my home on the Chesapeake Bay. The many subtle shades of color are a delight to me.
This was my view all weekend long at The Barn in Waynesboro, Virginia.
My home in Mathews is also surrounded with the beautiful colors of spring.
My weekend was exciting and fun, and I was surrounded by friends. I was delighted to see Camelia Elliott again. She came to The Barn the day before the show started and surprised me with a wonderful gift of a hand-quilted wall hanging that she designed and made herself just for me. Camelia is a quilt designer and author. Her book Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains will be released soon and contains an endorsement by me. Camelia shares my love of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and her book tells stories of Virginia culture, traditions, and everyday living common to all mountain families. I’m looking forward to its release.
Camelia Elliot designed and quilted this wall hanging herself. What a precious gift! Note the Museum, the Memorial Walkway, and the two geese.
My special treat Thursday evening was going to see my granddaughter Chiara sing in a regional chorus of all the schools in the district. I went with my friend Al Sandstrom. Many of you know Al from Barn Shows, Conventions, Society trips, and gallery shows. Al is a wonderful friend, not only to me but also to the “World of Moss” in general. He never hesitates to lend a helping hand or donate something special to one of our fundraising auctions. Thanks for everything, Al, but especially for being you!
Among the students on the stage was my granddaughter Chiara. What wonderful voices they all had!
I’m very excited about the new poster I’ve been working on for Rotary International. The organization is dedicated to many humanitarian projects around the world, including the eradication of polio and the provision of clean drinking water, disaster relief, and other forms of aid. The poster will help raise funds for Rotary International, as will a print, an ornament, and possibly a plate based on the round inset image that is included within the poster. Dr. Tracy Aitcheson of Waynesboro, Virginia, is the District Governor-Elect for the Rotary district that includes Waynesboro, and he invited me last year to provide the artwork for this fundraising project. I was delighted to be able to participate. We met this past weekend at the Museum in Waynesboro, and I showed him my progress on the paintings. These two paintings, along with the illustrations for Merle Good’s book Reuben and the Balloon, took a large portion of my winter painting time in Florida.
L. to R., Corrado Gabellieri, Director of the P. Buckley Moss Museum; Dr. Tracy Aitcheson, Rotary District Governor-Elect; Judy Aitcheson; me; and Past Assistant Govenor Jim Ridenour.
This painting for Rotary International is symbolic of the organization’s slogan “Humanity in Motion,” bridging the continents and bringing people together in peace in an effort to help everyone enjoy better, healthier lives. It will be released as a poster.
Peace Through Rotary Service will be released as a print, an ornament, and possibly a plate. It shows Rotarians in action around the world as they fulfill their mission to eradicate polio, provide clean water, and promote literacy. This image also appears as the round inset in the poster.
Saturday morning we held the unveiling of this year’s special fundraising print for WVPT. WVPT is Harrisonburg, Virginia’s, public television station, of which I am proud to say I am a supporter. For the past 27 years I have donated a special print edition, and the proceeds from the sale of the prints (over $1 million) have helped the station provide culturally enriching adult and children’s programming. Mama, a.k.a. Gran Liz, said how much the programming meant to her while she was living in the cottage next door to The Barn in Waynesboro.
WVPT General Manager David Mullins and I at the official unveiling of this year’s special fundraising print Winter’s Peace. The unveiling was held at my Museum in Waynesboro, Virginia.
WVPT will celebrate both its 40th anniversary and my 75th birthday this year with a live broadcast and airing of its documentary about my life and my art, P. Buckley Moss: The Lady Behind the Brush. The event will last from 7:30-11:00 p.m. on May 15 and will include the airing of the documentary, live appearances by myself and others, and an auction of this year’s print Winter’s Peace. For more information, please contact WVPT at 540-434-5391.
’Til next week…
Love,
Pat
The Moss
Portfolio
74 Poplar Grove Lane
Mathews, VA 23109
(800) 430-1320
©P. Buckley Moss 2005