Friday's Finds: What I've learned this week!

The "at-your-fingertips" part.  See below.

  Today's list of what I learned this week covers far and near and at your fingertips -- literally!

Far -- but still within driving distance: The Art Institute of Chicago will exhibit its entire collection of John Marin's works Jan. 23 to April 17. "John Marin's Watercolors: A Medium for Modernism" includes 120 paintings covering his early traditional work through his later more abstract works. Mark your calendar now for a winter trip to Chicago, but for now check out the AIC Web site at http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/exhibition/Marin.

Near: Tonight is the last Gallery Walk of 2010. Head to downtown Bloomington between 5 and 8 p.m. Hop on and off the Gallery Walk shuttlebus or -- better yet -- stroll around admiring the holiday lights as you make your way to 10 galleries that are ready to welcome you.  Buy local for the holidays!

At your fingertips: While working on Artist Trading Cards with friends earlier this week, Jeanne Dutton demonstrated this really handy gadget for cutting. You hold it like a pencil and the blade cuts wherever you point your finger. I sure wish I had known about this tool when I was handcutting Hebrew letters for dreidels. View a product video at http://store.scrapbook.com/f-12-6305.html.