While summing up the year in our annual Christmas letter it took me by surprise how much new work I'd done this in 2010 and how many shows I'd participated in. In addition to the live painting at Norm's at Halloween, and getting my art displayed at Lizzard's Gallery, Duluth, and Art Dimensions in Carlton, I had a very satisfying five shows in 2010.
On January 1 I set up my Dylan show at the Superior Library. The library has a small showcase which head librarian Nora Fie has devoted to showcasing the works of local artists. I "wallpapered" the space with pages from a 1938 London Times and displayed fifteen of my favorite Dylan paintings and drawings including the large acrylic based on the album cover The Times They Are A-Changing. Included in the display was my collection of Dylan clippings and other memorabilia. 
Simultaneous, I also had my work on display at the Starbucks in Duluth, which is also devoted to providing visibility to artists. It was fun seeing and hearing all the positive reactions to the pieces as I hung them that weekend. Both of the these shows remained throughout the month of January. Two weeks into the year I hung more of my work at the Thirsty Pagan, a brewery in Superior one block from where I work. Steve, the proprietor, graciously welcomed by filling many of his walls with paintings. My Sitting Bull received many comments and I sold two giclee reproductions of the piece. In some ways this Sitting Bull painting, which I produced around June 2009, was the beginning of what has been an exceedingly fruitful eighteen months of painting faces in a deliberate and new way.
While these three shows ran simultaneously I had also placed my painting A Postmodern Man in the members show for the Duluth Art Institute, a high profile event at the Depot.
There were no shows through mid-summer till the July show at Beaners Central. It was a wonderful event, as Jason Wussow has created a museum quality space for local artists. Though I sold no paintings at the show, I did sell quite a few art cards (ACEOs) for charity. Many people helped make the opening a success, especially friends from our philosophy club and the Prins who drove up from Minneapolis to be there. 
The response to those art cards led me create three printed sets of Art Cards which I made available for sale at the December show at Goin' Postal. Encouraged to do the show by Andy Perfetti, owner of the local packaging and shipping franchise, it proved especially delightful despite adverse weather. The Art Cards are essentially the same size as baseball cards, reproduced and they make great stocking stuffers. Prices for ACEOs (Art Cards, Editions and Originals) vary widely on the Internet, but I have been selling my current ones for $5 each. (Right: With guest at my opening December 9.)In addition to these I have been creating work for my art blog, The Many Faces of Ennyman which I started near the beginning of 2010. I've uploaded nearly 350 images this year, naming and uploading a new painting every day, mostly faces until I tire of this theme.
Hope your year has been a fruitful one. And that your holidays will be very special. It's probably too late for you to purchase my art cards for stocking stuffers, but keep it in mind for next year. This is probably not our last Christmas.
Photos courtesy Andrew Perfetti: Top center, Mark Anderson entertains guests at Goin' Postal in Superior at December opening. Left middle: Dogs of War, two Lincolns and The Worker at Beaner's show.
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