The first in this series will be taught by watercolorist Diana Liebe, who has frequently shown her work at the gallery and is currently showing at the cottages in Lucerne.

Beginning as well as intermediate painters are welcome to attend and explore a varied range of watercolor techniques.

Liebe will demonstrate various techniques and provide individual guidance each week and fun and success are guaranteed.

The first class will start on Monday, Oct. 5, will run from at 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be ongoing each Monday thereafter.

A list of supplies and recommended places to purchase are available at the Main Street Gallery.

Classes will be $10 per student per session.

Come once, come often, enjoy the camaraderie and experience the fluid movement and expression of this expressive and versatile medium.

For more information and to register for the class, please call the Main Street Gallery at 707-263-1871.

The gallery is located at 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

The movie will be shown on Oct. 11.

This high-impact documentary could change your life – or the life of someone you love.

When former US Surgeon General Richard Carmono is asked in the film what the single most pressing issue facing America today is, he responds, “Obesity. Because obesity is a terror within. It is destroying our society from within and unless we do something about it, the magnitude of the dilemma will dwarf 9/11 or any other terrorist event you can point out.”

Here’s another shocker: In 2002 alone, obesity and its related illnesses cost US taxpayers $117 billion. Its cost has only gone up since then. Is that where you want your tax dollars to go? Can our nation afford this kind of monetary hemorrhage?

In one shocking scene, we see a 12-year-old girl get her very first liposuction. We thought that was appalling until we saw how US policy strongly aids and abets the fat crisis with subsidies that lower the price of unhealthy agribusiness corn and soy, while NOT subsidizing healthy vegetables and greens. If you eat that cheap junk food, you’re eating subsidized corn – and almost certainly gaining weight.

How can watching a movie help? Well, a very successful Lake County resident came to Second Sunday Cinema back in November 2008 to watch the film, “Eating,” which is also on the very strong link between diet and health. This person had some serious health issues, but changed their diet and now, 10 months later, is healthy and feels much better. Any film SSC screens provides information. It’s YOU who makes the difference, whether it’s about your health or the state of your nation.

Important extra live feature: Starting at 5:15 p.m., Clearlake resident and long-time vegan chef Lori Patotzka will give a cooking demo. She’ll show how to make two vegan dishes that are quick, easy, low in fat and calories and delicious – and there will be samples. Patotzka will also offer free literature packed with valuable nutritional info and recipes. She offers plant-based cooking classes in Clearlake.

As always, this film is free. As always, our venue is the Clearlake United Methodist Church at 14521 Pearl Ave. in Clearlake (near Mullen). Come this month at 5:15 p.m. for the cooking demo OR at our regular time of 5:30 p.m. for snacks and conversation. At 6 p.m. we'll welcome everyone and then start the film. We hope to see you there!

Call 707-279-2957 for more information.

NICE – The Lake County Arts Council invites all members, potential members and guests to attend its annual meeting this month.

The event will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Tulip Hill Winery, located on Highway 20 and Bartlett Springs Road between Nice and Lucerne.

This is a good opportunity to mingle with other members, get caught up on the past year's events and give input on the group's direction for 2010.

Poet Laureate Mary McMillan will open the meeting and Arty Awards will be presented. A potluck dinner with wine from Tulip Hill and music will follow.

This will be an evening to celebrate the Lake County Arts Council's 28th year of advancing and supporting the arts in Lake County.

Please RSVP to the Main Street Gallery at 707-263-6658.

Martin edited and wrote several pieces for “Hos, Hookers, Call Girls, and Rent Boys: Professionals writing on life, love, money, and sex.”

The book, by Martin and David Henry Sterry, recently was the cover story for the New York Times Book Review and has been favorably critiqued in several additional publications.

There will be a lively discussion and good refreshments.

Afterward, continue an artist's appreciation evening as Main Street celebrates new art at the Lake County Arts Council's First Friday Fling at the Main Street Gallery, just a few doors down from Watershed Books, from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.

Watershed Books is located at 305 N. Main St. in Lakeport, telephone 707-263-5787.

Budge Brown with breast cancer survivor models on the 2008 vintages. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE – October 2009 marks the 25th anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Blue Wing Saloon & Café in Upper Lake plans a special “Meet the Winemaker” event to kick off the month on Friday, Oct. 2.

Both the restaurant and the winemaker will contribute part of the proceeds to selected breast cancer research organizations.

On the first Friday of each month, the Blue Wing hosts a Lake County winemaker and Chef Mark Linback creates an optional four course dinner designed to pair well with the featured wines.

“For October, we’re delighted to feature the great Cleavage Creek wines and to host Budge Brown, the inspiration behind those wines,” said Blue Wing owner Bernie Butcher. “I’m also looking forward to meeting some of the breast cancer survivors featured on the Cleavage Creek labels.”

Cleavage Creek produces award winning wines for a lifesaving cause. Ten percent of the gross proceeds of all Cleavage Creek wines are donated to selected breast cancer funds, with over $56,000 having been donated to date.

For this special month, the Blue Wing Saloon will contribute an additional 10 percent of all by-the-bottle sales of Cleavage Creek wines at the dinner and throughout the month of October.

Budge Brown, successful self-made businessman, farmer and owner of Tulip Hill Wines in Nice, enjoyed 48 years of marriage with his wife Arlene. When she lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005, he was devastated.

Devastation turned to anger. Anger led to action. “My wife died for no damn good reason,” he said. “It’s time to do something about this.”

The label of each bottle of Cleavage Creek wine features the image of an actual breast cancer survivor whose inspiring story is told on the Cleavage Creek Web site.

As Brown said, “putting a face on this disease and telling the stories of those who are dealing with it makes it personal and hopefully inspires everyone to take on the fight.”

He addeed, “I am delighted to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year with a great dinner at the Blue Wing Saloon. We invite everyone to join us to support this cause and enjoy these festivities.”

The menu for the evening and other information is available at www.BlueWingSaloon.com .

Reservations are suggested for the Oct. 2 event and can be made at 707-275-2233.

Cleavage Creek vineyards are located in Pope Valley in Napa County. Cleavage Creek is dedicated to producing world class wines and funding breast cancer research. For more information, please visit www.CleavageCreek.com or phone 888-295-1280.

The reception will be held from 5:30 p.m to 7 p.m.

The work of six new artists will be featured in the October show.

While Bruce Vandariss has worked in many mediums, for this show he is exhibiting vivid paintings done in colored pencil.

Keith Nelson's 8-foot metal giraffe gains immediate attention as you walk into the gallery, but take time to examine his other work as well.

Bill Blum returns with his miniature wooden gnome homes, each one with a surprise twist.

To accompany them, Chris Schreier has fashioned wee folk art gnomes.

Sunny Franson's beautifully executed oils reflect wonderfully soft scenes of Lake County; but especially captivating is Sunny's ability to capture the quiet beauty of wolves and other wildlife. Judy Cardinale shows her fine ability to put brush to canvas with her colorful and well executed work in oils. Rounding out this fine collection of artists is the intricately fashioned jewelry by Anna Koot.

Continuing in the October show are Ellen Tobin in photography, Bill Bartram in pastels and Rose Hodkins in oil. Gaylene McComb's clay creations, and Paula Strothers, Diane Constable and Paula Starkey in acrylics.

Returning to the Linda Carpenter Gallery to show their ever growing talent and experimenting with various mediums and techniques are students from Cobb Mountain under the energetic tutelage of Linda Prather.

Please join us for this evening of Art, meet the featured artists and sample the award winning wines of the Cleavage Creek Winery. Michael Barrish and Stephen Sommers will provide delightful background music, as they sing and play songs written by Michael. We look forward to meeting you, sharing our Gallery and bringing even more and new artistic talent to you in the months ahead.

The Main Street Gallery and Gift Shop is located at 325 N. Main St., Lakeport.

For more information call 707-263-6658.