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Dear Friends:
My warm reception in Collinsville, Illinois, this past weekend more than made up for the wintry weather that joined me on my visit to the St. Louis area. In fact, I think my plane left St. Louis Sunday morning for my return trip home just in the nick of time. They did have to deice the wings before we could take off, though.
It was wonderful seeing so many of my old friends. Thursday evening I had dinner with Dr. Charles Kilo and his wife June; long-time collector and friend Sallie Kratz; and Paul and Carolyn Welch, owners of The Art Loft Gallery. Dr. Kilo, together with Dr. Joseph Williamson, created the Kilo Diabetes & Vascular Research Foundation in 1972 to study the effects of diabetes on the vascular system and begin a search for a cure of diabetes. The Foundation is located in St. Louis, Missouri. I got to know the Kilos in the late '80's when I published the print edition Winter Solstice to raise funds for their foundation. I was very honored that the Kilos drove six hours to have dinner with me and overjoyed to learn that Dr. Kilo had just been notified that he has been given a Leadership Award from the 2008 Outstanding St. Louis Scientist Awards Committee for his work with diabetes. He really deserves it!
What fun it was to see old friends and reminisce about good times! Top, L. to R.: Dr. Charles Kilo, Sallie Kratz, and Paul Welch. Bottom, L. to R.: Pat, Carolyn Welch, and June Kilo.
Friday morning I enjoyed breakfast at the Blum House with the members of P.B.'s Pals Chapter of the P. Buckley Moss Society. P.B.'s Pals hosted the breakfast to raise funds for two local food pantries, the Collinsville Food Pantry and St. Vincent DePaul's Food Pantry. They held a raffle that raised $1,114.00. Scott and Tami Buchwalter donated my print Chores, which was framed by Carolyn Welch. I drew black cats on the glass. It was auctioned for $225.00.
Scott and Tami Buchwalter donated this print to benefit local food pantries. L. to R.: Tami Buchwalter; me; Scott Buchwalter; Connie Murphy, President of P.B.'s Pals Chapter; Paul Welch; Carolyn Welch; and Dan Murphy.The nicest people volunteered to help during the show, and they all wore their red, cat T-shirts. One of them, Jan Wheat, is a quilter and an educator, and I had the most fun talking to her about quilting and two upcoming quilting events that I will be participating in. One of them is the 21st Annual Quilters' Heritage Celebration, which will be held at the Lancaster Host Resort & Conference Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, March 27-30, 2008. I'll be the guest speaker at the luncheon on Saturday, March 29, and I'll talk about my quilting prints and the meaning of quilts in my art. The Moss Portfolio will have a booth at the convention, and I will have a new quilting print available for sale there. I was so happy to meet Rita Berber, who is producing the Quilter's Heritage Celebration, while I was in Collinsville. We had breakfast together Saturday morning before the show, and I was thrilled with the quality of her work. She is a fantastic quilter, and I'm looking forward to participating in her event.
The other quilting event I'll be participating in is Quilt Camp at Sea's 2009 New England 9-Night Cruise for a Cure. This cruise sails round trip from Baltimore, Maryland, August 21-30, 2009, and is a fundraising event on behalf of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I can hardly wait!
The Art Loft's owners, staff, and volunteers are among the most dedicated, friendly, and helpful people I have ever worked with.
L. to R.: Me, Jan Wheat, and Paige Todd. Jan made this gorgeous quilt as a wedding gift for her son and his new bride. Jan gave me some valuable background information for my two upcoming quilting events.
I have just learned that RiverBarge Excursions has a waiting list for space aboard our barge for our 2008 P. Buckley Moss Society group trip and will start taking away some of our reserved cabin space at the beginning of the year; so, if you are interested in going with us on what promises to be a fun-filled and exciting trip on the Ohio River next October, please contact Judy Schick at Tidewater Travel, LLC, at 804-725-1222 or 1-866-804-4041, tideh2o@wildblue.net.
I have two more signing events before Christmas. This weekend I'll be back at The Barn in Waynesboro, Virginia, Saturday and Sunday only to sign for collectors. Then, I'm off to St. Petersburg, Florida, for a celebration of The Finn Gallery's new location the weekend of December 22. For more information, please contact Tim Finn at 727-894-2899. The new gallery is beautiful. Please come see it if you're in Florida and enjoy the sunshine!
I'll spend the winter months in St. Petersburg, and I'll be working on many painting projects, including illustrations for the book Reuben and the Hot Air Balloon and a special print for Rotary International. Another thing I want to do is join everyone else in the computer age. I've been challenged and goaded, so I'm going to get a blackberry and I'm going to learn how to use it! Wish me luck!
Let us count our blessings and remember all the people who are not living in the comfort of a warm home, food, and family and the security of knowing peace around them.
With love to you all,
Pat
I missed putting this picture in the newsletter when I was in Italy. I wore my Columbus Blue Jackets jersey while I was there in October, and everyone begged me to put it in our fundraising auction. I refused; that jersey is mine! It was given to me by members of the team when I was in Columbus, Ohio, for a show with Gallery Art Center this past July. The Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation's Hats for Heroes Program is dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the two show prints True Heroes-Together We Fight and Fun Time on the Farm was donated to them.
The Moss
Portfolio
74 Poplar Grove Lane
Mathews, VA 23109
(800) 430-1320
©P. Buckley Moss 2005