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Dear Friends:
Fall is here at last! After unusually summer-like weather this month, the forecast is for cooler, fall-like temperatures just in time for Waynesboro, Virginia’s, Annual Fall Foliage Festival and my October Barn Show and Museum Open House this weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing all my old friends, meeting some new ones, and releasing my new print Blue Ridge Haze. This year’s Christmas print A Star to Guide Them and my new snow globe, Dancing Santas will also be available as well as this year's new porcelain ornaments. The new ornaments will be available from your local Moss gallery by the end of October.
My special print for this weekend’s Barn Show and Museum Open House is titled Blue Ridge Haze. For more information, please contact the P. Buckley Moss Museum at 540-949-6473.
Sweet Land of Liberty ornament
$40
4-3/8 x 2-1/2 ins.
My Country 'Tis of Thee ornament
$40
4-3/8 x 2-1/2 ins.
Let Freedom Ring ornament
$40
4-3/5 x 2-1/2 ins.
And There Were Angels ornament
$45
4-1/8 x 2-3/4 ins.
And the Greatest of These ornament
$48
4-1/2 x 3-7/8 ins.
Last weekend in Omaha, Nebraska, was full of excitement and pleasant surprises. Ginger’s Hang-Up Gallery’s owner Jeff Bosiljevac and his wonderful family of staff, friends, and collectors made my visit so much fun.
Jeff and I shared many laughs.
What a wonderful chemistry this group of staff, family, and friends has! Pictured L to R are Frankie Kopecky, Robin Johnson, Tim Smith, Mark O’Leary, me, Jeff, and Katrina Swanson.
Friday’s show wasn’t scheduled to start until 3:00 p.m., so gallery assistant Robin Johnson and her husband John took me to the most breathtaking church. The Holy Family Shrine is located on a high hill in the bluffs overlooking the Platte Valley. From the distance it looks a little like a huge corncrib on the top of a hill, but it is truly one of the most architecturally interesting buildings I have ever been in.
This church is truly amazing. The black line in the middle of the sidewalk is actually flowing water that is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
The visitors’ center features a sheet metal sculpture hanging from above. It represents the shroud of Christ, and water drips from it into a pool below. From the pool the water, symbolic of the Holy Spirit, flows northward and seems to exit the building. It flows through a forecourt to the chapel and on into its interior, all the way to the altar, where it forms a pond. The altar appears to float above it. It is so lovely!
Here you can see a portion of the sculpture that drips water into the pool below. Standing with me are L to R: shrine docent Anna Louise Micek and Ginger’s Hang-Up’s Robin Johnson. The idea for this church originated with Anna Louise after she visited the Cooper Chapel in Arkansas.
This picture really doesn’t do the interior of the shrine justice. Not visible is a beautiful image of the Holy Family etched into the large window above the cross.
The flowing water and the light, airy atmosphere together with the breathtaking view from atop the hill make this shrine to the Holy Family a truly serene and peaceful place for worship and reflection. I didn’t want to leave!
One of my very happy surprises, that wasn’t really a surprise because they are so faithful and come to so many of my events, was that Scott and Tami Buchwalter from Highland, Illinois, came to the show. Scott takes wonderful pictures and is responsible for most of the ones that have been in my newsletters lately, including this one.
Scott and Tami Buchwalter are like a couple of my kids--#7 and # 8!
I can truthfully say I never autographed a car’s sun visor until now! I was delighted when the car’s owners Tom and Roxie Ullrich of Sloan, Iowa, asked me to autograph the driver’s side sun visor. Tom had the honor of driving Rudy Giuliani when he was campaigning in Iowa recently, and he autographed the passenger’s side visor! So, my signature was in very good company.
Another special treat for me was going to Robin and John’s house to look at the stars and the planets through his wonderful telescope. John is the Outreach Coordinator for the Omaha Astronomical Society, and he told me so many amazing things about our solar system and our universe! One of my favorite things was getting to see Jupiter and its four bright Galilean Moons. After seeing constellations, double stars, and a dying star and learning about light years, we all went inside for carrot cake and strawberry-rhubarb pie—yum!
I had the most fun stargazing! Pictured L to R are Robin, Tami, me, and John.
I made another four-legged friend at Robin and John’s house. Their darling Chihuahua is named Aja.
When I returned to Mathews this week, I got to see my dear friends Margaret Moser and her son Michael. They closed The Moser Gallery in Fairfax, Virginia, on September 30, and I’m so glad I was here to see them when they came to return some originals they had on consignment. After 35 years in business, Margaret deserves to retire. Their excellent customer service and framing will be missed very much in Northern Virginia, but they will always be part of my extended Moss family!
There are no goodbyes among friends!
After this weekend’s Barn Show and Museum Open House in Waynesboro, I’m off to Italy for a group tour with collectors and friends. I’ll be there for just over two weeks, and I hope to have plenty of pictures to share with you.
Ciao!
Pat
The Moss
Portfolio
74 Poplar Grove Lane
Mathews, VA 23109
(800) 430-1320
©P. Buckley Moss 2005