Wilcock Gallery host “Giving Thanks” Artist Show and Reception

(Press Release) November Excelsior Mn.: Local Minnetonka artist Ashley Dull will be at Wilcock Gallery in Excelsior on November 29th from 10:00am to 12:00pm for an artist reception, to launch her new art show “Giving Thanks”. Ashley’s art show will include original oil paintings and giclees (computerized prints), and will run at the Wilcock Gallery until December 6th.

Giving Thanks is a theme that reflects the appreciation Ashley has as an artist for the mentors that have influenced her throughout her life.
“Without positives mentors in my life, I would not be where I am today” says Ashley.

For this reason Wilcock Gallery and Ashely Dull are donating a portion of the art show sales to Kinship of Greater Minneapolis. Kinship is a non-profit organization that partners children ages 5-15 with positive adult mentors. Mrs. Minnesota Wendi Russo will be making a special appearance during the reception to support Ashley, and answer any questions about becoming an adult mentor with Kinship.

Every painting of Ashley’s contains a hidden spiritual message that the viewer is encouraged to find. “I want my art to bring joy and touch people’s lives” says Ashely. “It’s important to me that people see the spiritual message within my art.”

Guests will be treated to European Pastries by the soon to open “Patisserie Margo on Water Street” during the reception from 10:00am to noon on the 29th of November. For more information on the artist reception and show contact Wilcock Gallery at 952-401-8118.

Barack Obama

Mario Cuomo, the former governor of New York and an insightful and effective public servant, once said “You campaign in poetry, but you govern in prose.”

Barack Obama put together the best campaign I’ve ever seen. His ability to connect with audiences is god-given. His ability to navigate his positions and messages in a way that steers clear of trouble shows a highly skilled and calculated politician. The fact that so many people – from the majority of major newspaper columnists, to the working poor in metro areas, to Warren Buffett – jumped on board his campaign is a testament to his charisma and ability to connect. That he received a clear mandate (53%)from the American people in the popular vote is good for the country. It is time to move forward from this hard-fought campaign.

And for a moment last night, I stopped thinking about all the little policy things that I like or dislike about his platform, and enjoyed the fact that we had elected a candidate who could not have been elected a generation ago because of their race.

On January 21, Obama will take an oath to “protect and uphold” the Constitution of the USA. When he does, a new era will begin in America. Will it be great? Will it be a disaster? I don’t know, and neither does anyone else. What I do know is that Obama, while highly intelligent and articulate, is a leap of faith. I know that he is a great campaigner. But campaigning is to governing what interviewing is to performing on the job. Let’s hope we just hired a great worker, not the guy who has spent his time simply becoming an expert interviewer.

A leap of faith is not a bad thing. Americans decided yesterday that they didn’t want the known quantity. They decidedly said that they wanted freshness and excitement in office. Obama has engaged many people in politics, and that is good no matter which side of the aisle you are on. Obama has proven he learns quickly, and adapts to his constituency. This should help him govern from the center, something he will need to do if he truly wants to end the partisan bickering as he promises he does.

So here’s to wishing our President-elect luck and success. I hope he is the right person for these times. And I hope his prose is as good as his poetry.

Excelsior Parkland Initiative

Excelsior residents voted overwhelmingly -- by 84% to 16% -- to preserve the Excelsior Parkland, next to the Commons, as a space devoted to City-operated uses and never to be developed privately.

Local Races Decided

Election Night is over, and here are your local results, starting with Ramstad's Congressional Seat (I'll always fondly call it his seat).

3rd CD Congressional: Erik Paulsen (R). Paulsen won by 7.5 points - a much larger margin than I expected.

State House Dist. 33b: Connie Doepke (R). By winning 59-41, Doepke keeps 33b a safe Republican district.

Hennepin County Commissioner, ward 6: Jan Callison, 59-41

Deephaven: Paul Skrede, Mayor. Keith Cask and John Wheaton, Council.
Excelsior: Nick Ruehl, Mayor. Greg Miller and Mary Jo Fulkerson, Council.
Greenwood: Deb Kind, Mayor. Thomas Fletcher, William Rose, and H. Kelsey Page, Council.
Shorewood: Chris Lizee, Mayor. Jeff Bailey, Laura Turgeon, Dick Woodruff, and Scott Zerby, Council.
Tonka Bay: William Labelle, Mayor. Anthony Marceau and Gerry De La Vega, Council.

No Endorsements

I had considered the idea of endorsing candidates in this election. I then asked myself, "Who am I to suggest who you vote for?" As the anonymous author of a harmless community blog, the least I could do is tie my identity to endorsements and stand behind my choices.

But since I wish for this blog to remain anonymously authored with the focus on community dialogue, I won't sit here and tell you who to vote for.

I will, however, leave you with an excellent article on how a divided government (one in which both or all major parties share power) is the best for our nation and is how our government was designed to run. Good reading, and as close to an endorsement as I will write on this page.

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2008/11/02/2008-11-02_heres_my_dream_ticket_why_divided_govern.html