P. Buckley Moss e-newsletter

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Dear Friends:

I spent Memorial Day weekend at my home in Mathews, Virginia. It was peaceful and quiet, and I took the time to "reclaim" my house after being away so much the first half of the year, first in Florida and then in Italy.

I am so excited about my Collectors' Convention that will be held in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, June 11-12. It's going to be such fun! Friends are coming in from all over; Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, the Carolinas, New York, and Maryland, to name a few. Williamsburg is such a treasure, and we in Mathews are blessed to be so close by.

I'm especially looking forward to our Jimmy Buffett-themed Dinner Dance and Auction that will start at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 12. We're going to have a barbeque buffet, music, dancing, and auctions. There will also be a hand bell performance by Diane Grant. We'll also have goodie bags that can be purchased for $20 each. All the bags will contain donated gifts and P. Buckley Moss gift certificates. One lucky bag will contain a certificate entitling the bag's purchaser to one of my framed miniature originals, which may be redeemed during the Dinner Dance. Proceeds from the Dinner Dance and Auction will be donated to the P. Buckley Moss Foundation for Children's Education.

This exquisite quilt was made by Don Bunce, left, of Hardy, Va., who is a member of the Moss in the Valley Chapter of the P. Buckley Moss Society. The quilt features one of my hand-painted fabric centerpieces, and it is one of the items that will be auctioned during the Dinner Dance to benefit the Foundation.

Tickets for the Dinner Dance and Auction are $45 each and available from The Moss Portfolio, 1-800-430-1320. Please let us know soon if you would like to join us for a night of fun and camaraderie, as we have to give The Williamsburg Hospitality House a head-count for the buffet. All Dinner Dance/Auction attendees will receive the complimentary black and white print Tropical Friend, pictured below.

To make the Convention run smoothly, we are requesting the help of Moss collectors. We are welcoming volunteers to assist with walk-in ticket sales, staff the information and sales tables, sell raffle tickets, and any other unforeseen tasks. Any volunteer who fulfills his or her commitment will receive a special black and white print as a thank-you. We have always had a lot of fun with our volunteers; and, if you are interested, please contact Cathy Williams at 1-800-430-1320 or 804-725-7378 or e-mail at cathywilliams@pbuckleymoss.com.

I will be available throughout the Convention hours to sign purchases and meet collectors. I'm very much looking forward to meeting everyone. We'll also have a slideshow presentation about my life and art that will be given by Bonnie Stump, Curator of the P. Buckley Moss Museum; a costume parade-dress up like a character or scene from your favorite Moss print; a framing competition; a cross stitch competition; and a second hand bell performance by Diane Grant. I can hardly wait!

Colonial Garden is a special giclée on paper that I created for this Convention. It features the detached kitchen at the John Blair House at Colonial Williamsburg. Collectors do not have to attend the Convention to purchase Colonial Garden. Giclées may be ordered from your gallery prior to the event for $200; after June 12 the price will be $300. Giclées per collector are not limited; however, the edition size of this giclée is 250. Colonial Garden will also be available for purchase during the Convention.

Each attendee may purchase two copies of the giclée on paper Garden Visitors ($60 each) for me to personalize at the Convention. After the convention, this giclée will be available for $80.

All attendees will receive the complimentary black and white print Bruton Parish Church.

The Sir Christopher Wren Building features what is perhaps the most famous building on the campus of The College of William and Mary. This limited edition giclée on paper will also be released during the Convention.

In the meantime, I'll be showing this Friday and Saturday, June 4-5, with Medlin Art, Ltd., in Leesburg, Virginia, and with Framecraft of Warrenton, Virginia, on Sunday, June 6. Please note that Framecraft's show will not be held in Warrenton. Instead, it will be held at Saint Thomas' Parish in Hancock, Maryland. The show is being held in celebration of Saint Thomas' Parish's 175th Anniversary.

Call to the Hunt will be released as a limited edition giclée on paper during my show with Medlin Art, Ltd., in Leesburg, Va., June 4-5. For more information, please contact the gallery at 703-771-8696.

Winter at St. Thomas' will be released as a limited edition giclée on paper during my show with Framecraft, which will be held in the Parish Hall of St. Thomas' Parish in Hancock, Md. For more information, please call Framecraft at 540-341-0001.

Andrew the Church Cat will also be released as a limited edition giclée on paper during my show at St. Thomas' Parish. This print is in honor of the life and dedicated service of Andrew, who lived at St. Thomas' and was a much loved member of the church staff and congregation.

I am so proud to be able to announce the recipient of this year's Anne and Matt Harbison Scholarship. This scholarship is administered by the P. Buckley Moss Society and awards $1,500 to one high school senior with a certified language-related learning difference who is pursuing post-secondary education. The Anne and Matt Harbison Scholarship is near and dear to my heart, as I have struggled my whole life with dyslexia. As a result, I understand how important it is to recognize and reward the achievements and hard work of children with learning differences.

This year's recipient is truly a remarkable young man. Taylor Bohon is a senior at Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, who plans to major in pre-law at Hampden-Sydney College. Taylor has long-term goals of becoming a lawyer, running for elected office, and possibly becoming President of the United States one day. Of his future plans, Taylor says, "I want to bring my history, my passion and my determination to my career. Today, so many are apathetic with our leadership. I can certainly see why. There is a selfishness that leads and divides our representatives. I think this is the greatest country in the world and I want to only carry the agenda of the people, not my own. Many told me all my life, that college would never be possible for 'someone like me'. I beat those odds and I believe that 'someone like me' can become the leader of this great country."

Taylor has been diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and an additional disability that relates to visual perception (1 of 9 diagnosed in the country). Although he does not have any physical sight issues, Taylor sees in mosaic and does not see letters and numbers in their entirety. This combination of learning differences led to Taylor's being misunderstood by many of his teachers.

Taylor Bohon is the 2010 recipient of the Anne and Matt Harbison Scholarship.

Instead of giving up hope or losing faith in himself, he worked hard to succeed. Taylor has developed coping skills and uses computer programs to assist in writing, spelling, and reading. He learns largely by what he is taught verbally. Taylor has a strong work ethic, dedication, and perseverance. Among his achievements are membership in The Beta Club (a club for students with a grade point average of 3.6 or higher), a current grade point average of 3.9, a ranking among the top 8% in the country on the ACT test taken by seniors to submit to colleges for admission consideration, and induction into The National Society for High School Scholars (this organization recognizes "superior academic success").

Taylor has served for two years as captain of his school's cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track teams. Taylor credits running with relieving his stress and anxiety from the academic school day. Participation on the teams and serving as their captain have taught him strong leadership skills and ethics. Taylor works full-time in the summer and part-time during the school year at a cattle farm and has worked there for four years. He loves spending time with his family, enjoys church, and values opportunities to help his elderly neighbors and spend time with them. Taylor's role model is his grandfather, who valued honor and integrity in people above wealth and position. "He reminded me daily of how wonderful I was. He saw my weaknesses, but taught me that honor would be obtained in how I allowed it to limit and define me...One doesn't buy honor, you have to earn it by the way you live your life...I intend to grow and live my life with honor and strive to never compromise my morals or integrity."

We wish Taylor continued success in all his endeavors-he has my vote!

Love,
Pat

I'd like to share with you a poem that was written for my birthday by my friend Frances Dunn of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Thanks, Frances!

Birthday Doors for Pat!

May 20, 2010

Many doors
are open for you!

You prepare
for each one!

With a glow
you pass on through

like a butterfly
on its skyward run!

Have a lovely Birthday, Pat!

Frances Y. Dunn

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