Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 7, 1995                   TAG: 9502070072
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RAY REED
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TAXPAYERS DIDN'T FUND EGG ARTIST

S.B., Blacksburg

A: No more than it would cost to sit out this national event. Artist John Barber's only reward was recognition.

Everyone behind the venture already had an established interest in the egg industry, starting with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The first lady is from Arkansas, where the egg is big business and a big political contributor. It was her idea to get an egg from every state for an Easter display in the White House.

Last year, the display had the contribution of another Virginia artist, P. Buckley Moss, who not only painted an egg but also designed promotional materials for the egg-stravaganza.

It was "a beautiful display, just lovely," says Cecelia Glembocki, executive director of the Virginia Egg Board, which exists to promote eggs.

The group runs on a nickel tax from every 30 dozen eggs produced in the Old Dominion.

Under that arrangement, the brainstormers would have been paid even if they didn't come up with a good egg.

Glembocki's asked several egg crafters and artists to submit their work.

Barber, who grew up in Danville and has a deep commitment to telling the Chesapeake Bay's story through his art, had an old Virginia history book that shows three ships landing at Jamestown and virtually founding the United States on the bay's shore.

Using acrylic paints, Barber presented the three ships on a hollow grade-A-large egg shell reinforced only with a paint undercoating.

His pay is the honor of having his work shown during April in the White House - which isn't a new venue for Barber. He was asked by the National Geographic Society to do a painting for President Reagan in 1985.

The Clintons aren't the first to have eggs in the White House. Reagan had cartoonists draw on eggs for a display during the Easter egg roll on the White House lawn.

Virginia artists whose eggs weren't chosen for national recognition received calendars, wisks and recipes as the egg board's thanks for their time.

Mail-order fishing

Q: Why can't we order fishing licenses by mail instead of going to a store for state, trout and national forest licenses?

R.L., Salem

A: Fishing licenses ARE available by mail. (Hunting licenses aren't.)

You can get on the computer at the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries by calling (804) 367-1000.

They'll send an application listing several kinds of fishing licenses, including saltwater.

Send a check for the ones you want, and you'll get licenses good through December. Each year, the department sends renewal notices.

People who renew by mail like the convenience, but surprisingly few chose to participate when this program was introduced and promoted in 1990-91.

Got a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.