Maggie Blackwell's art was chosen as the poster art for the 2003 Saratoga Rotary Art Show, so it will be showing up on T-shirts, coffee cups and posters, including fine arts posters this spring.

Blackwell works in watercolors and chalk pastels these days. Her work is representational, very realistic. A current focus is closeups of subjects, such as old machinery or corners of buildings, which she calls vignettes. Blackwell also paints large watercolor landscapes. Her work is showing at Cooper-Garrod Winery in Saratoga and at the galleries Four Winds in Santa Clara and Chapman's in Carmel. She designed a wine label for Rappahannock Cellars in Virginia, a winery owned by Lisa and John Delmar, former Congress Springs Winery proprietors.

Luisa Claeys designs holiday and note cards from her photographs, which are primarily of flowers. In addition gives talks titled "Ten Tips to Create Great Images" and "How to Make Cards from Your Art Work" to local groups. This year she'll be included in a book on creativity edited by Paul J. Rickey.

"My floral images have an ethereal quality that nourishes and soothes the soul," says Claeys. "Through research, experimentation and intuition over 15 years I've developed my own photographic language. I generally prefer a quiet mood obtained with a soft gray background. I like black or dark green backgrounds to create contrast with the flowers."

Judith Sutton has won honors from the Pen Women for the third year in a row. Earlier, she was recognized for the poetry class she started at Saratoga High three years ago and the fact that her students' work has won prizes and publication in literary journals and other periodicals.

Her own book of poetry will be out this spring, and she was named "poet of the year" in a National Authors Registry competition. Along with Bill Peck, Sutton also co-founded VITA, a summer Shakespeare theater company in operation for 15 years.

Another achiever in letters is Susan Landauer, curator of the San Jose Museum of Art. She is renowned for her work in making art accessible—even to those who think they're not interested in art.

Author Betty Auchard of Los Gatos, too, is an achiever in letters. Her work has appeared in an inspirational book series, and she lectures on bereavement—surviving and thriving after losing a spouse.

Nahda Balaa is another honoree in art. From San Jose, she has been in the Saratoga Rotary art show for some years.

FILLING THE STOCKING: Tyler Brodrick was one of the tiny, lucky recipients of the Christmas stockings that two Saratoga High seniors made for all the babies born the week before Christmas at Good Sam. Tyler was born Dec. 22, joining sisters Paige, 5, and Madeline, 2.

He is the son of Rona and Scott Brodrick of Saratoga and weighed 7 pounds, 2 ounces at birth. Scott works for Apple Computer; Rona works at a PR agency, Citigate Cunningham, in Palo Alto when she's not on maternity leave.

GROUNDHOG ALERT: Punxsutawney Phil, a 6-foot groundhog, will be part of the Groundhog Day celebration Feb. 1 at Rancho Shopping Center, Los Altos, 11 a.m.­2 p.m. The sponsor is the Groundhog Club of Silicon Valley, comprised of 200 former Pennsylvanians who keep their home-state traditions alive and raise funds for charities.

The club has raised more than $25,000 for charity during the past 14 years. On Feb. 1, the first 100 families who donate $10 or more to Second Harvest Food Bank will receive the new Beanie Baby, Punxsutawn-e Phil. Another $4 will yield a groundhog cookie cutter and recipe.

On Feb. 2, the party will be at Clarkes Restaurant, also at Rancho. For more information, call Jack Mallory at 408.252.7447. Tickets are $24 for members and $27 for nonmembers.

SISTER ACT: Sisters Yoon Kwon and Min Kwon will present a concert Feb. 2, 2:30 p.m., at Los Gatos High School. Violinist Yoon was the youngest winner of a Julliard School competition at age 17. Pianist Min has a doctorate in music from Julliard, where she also taught.

The sisters have been soloists on four continents and won international awards. Tickets will be available at the door or by calling 408.377.1106.

CELTS: A Celtic concert featuring the Prince Charles Pipe Band will take place Feb. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Los Gatos High School. Highland dancers, Irish dancers and the Celtic band Molly's Revenge will also appear. Tickets are $15, $12 for seniors and students. For more information, call Margaret Hokeness, 408.356.1747.

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