If you've driven through Arundel Hills lately, you've probably seen seen a very large bust of President Clinton sitting on a front lawn.
Cheung Foo Wong, who came here from Hong Kong about three years ago, created the 5-foot likeness of the president. I spoke to him about this work through an interpreter, Sammy Yau.
Mr. Wong, 71, is a retired artist who sculpted, painted and did wood carving in China, where he received commissions for his work from businesses and churches.
Mr. Wong decided to create the sculpture of President Clinton as his way of showing how happy he is to be in the United States.
He started the project about a month ago, shaping the basic cast from an old TV satellite dish and chicken wire. He then filled the cast with crumpled newspaper before applying layer after layer of cement. All together, he used 10 70-pound bags of cement and spent a week working on the project.
"He is always doing something. He cannot stand still," Mr. Yau said.
Mr. Wong splits his time between gardening, making small garden sculptures, painting and creating miniature Oriental sculptures. He lives with his wife, Shui Ping.
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"The Nutcracker" is being presented by the Performing Arts Association of Linthicum at 3 p.m. Sunday at North County High School in Ferndale.
Please note this is a different day and time than previously announced.
The full-length classical ballet in two acts will feature soloists and the company from the Ballet Theatre of Annapolis along with 100 local students from area dance schools.
Sizzling sets, sparkling costumes and a familiar story combine to make this a perfect production for the holidays.
For a subscription price of $20 you can see "The Nutcracker" and four additional concerts.
On Jan. 21 at 8 p.m., you can attend a performance by the Warsaw Wind Quintet with Michiko Otaki, pianist. The Charlie Byrd Trio will perform at 8 p.m. Mar. 11, and the Operatic Quartette is scheduled for 8 p.m. April 8.
The season's last concert will feature pianist and impersonator Ted Brown, performing at 8 p.m. May 13.
All performances are scheduled at North County High School. The auditorium is accessible for the handicapped and has a listening system for the hearing impaired.
Linthicum Woodcarvers will exhibit their works during intermission.
For more information or tickets for the series, call 636-2579 or 859-8047.
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Get some new ideas for your holiday decorating at the popular annual Christmas Show of the Ferndale Garden Club.
It will be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Michael's Eighth Avenue.
The program, "A Galaxay of Christmas Design," will feature floral designers Marty Baikaukas of Cedar Hill Florists and Stephen Formwalt of Flowers Extraordinaire. They will demonstrate using fresh greens to make a variety of arrangements for the home.
Diane Cooper, owner of Betty's and Betty's II Florists, will comment on the arrangements. Learn about gathering and keeping evergreens fresh from David Hitchcock, commercial urban agriculture agent with the University of Maryland. Lydia Waldo will entertain on the piano with a selection of Christmas music.
Refreshments made by club members will be served before the show.
Door prizes will be given away. Advance tickets are $3, or $4 at the door.
For tickets, call 761-8045 or 761-1716.
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The Black Eyed Susan Smocking Club, a group whose goal is to create heirloom items, is sponsoring a series of needlework classes. Ten different techniques will be taught from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday at North County High. Participants should bring a brown bag lunch. The club will provide dessert and drinks.
Classes are offered in basic smocking, duplicate stitch embroidery on sweaters, shark's teeth, shadow embroidery on the backside of a mat, reversible quilted table runner, beginning French machine sewing, pin-tuck vest, silk ribbon embroidery, traveling tote bag and granny nanny paper impressions, a method of machine work on paper. Everyone attending classes should go home with a finished project or with enough know-how to finish the project at home.
Advance registration is necessary.
Please call Kathy Allen at 747-0411, Ramona Jimeno at 636-4134, or Betty Stern at 242-3189.
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On Nov. 6, the Linthicum Elementary School Jogging Club participated in the Baltimore Road Runners Kids Cross Country Classic Race at Goucher College. Thirty-seven Linthicum Elementary students ran the 1 1/2 -mile course around the campus. A total of 250 racers from the Baltimore metropolitan area competed in the race.
Joe Wojciechowski, a third-grader, placed second in the age 9 and under boys' race. He also set a course record of 9:45 for 8-year-old boys. Fifth-grader Danny Anacker finished second in 1/8 1/8 TC close race in the boys' age 10 to 12 category. Jamison Peeling finished sixth in the age 9 and under category, Keith Wegner finished ninth in the boys' age 10 to 11 category, Danielle Muller finished ninth in the girls' age 9 and under category, while Aimee Scardina finished 11th.
Other students who participated in the race were; Matt Allis, Tim Bernheimer, Zachary Biller, Megan Brodie, Justin Brown, Kim Brown, Jon Coleman, Andrew Craft, Kurt Cwiek, Jon Dixon, Donny Dodson, Gregory Engel, Timothy Engel, Matt Hauf, Scott Hose, Melissa Howard, Carrie Leach, Rachel Lowerey, Marie Lumsden, Page Macey, Amanda Makarovich, Nareneh Manokian, Andrew Mannion, Kelly Martini, Krisiti Martini, Johnny Scardina, Joe Trail, James Trevillian, David Twist, Tommy Wellham and Jason West.
Since the beginning of the school year, these students have been training under the direction of Art St. Martin, physical education teacher.
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Parents are encouraged to attend the St. Philip Neri Home-School Association meeting at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in the school hall.
Final planning for the fall festival will be discussed as well as an update on other activities and events. Refreshments will be served afterward.
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A Close Knit Group will meet at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow at the Linthicum library. Members will have an opportunity to see a knitting machine in action when Leslie Poff demonstrates several techniques on her electronic machine.
For information on the club, call 837-2970.
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This week is Children's Book Week at the Linthicum library. Children who would like to celebrate can make their own bookmark with craft materials supplied by the library.
Baseball cards, courtesy of Dominica Pasqualucci, will be displayed this month at the library, in the 400 block of Shipley Road.
If you would like information of your neighborhood or school activities to appear in this column, please call Rosalie M. Falter at 859-3569.