The Cincinnati Art Museum purchased a portfolio of nine Jim Dine self portraits done in dry point technique. The process utilizes a plain copper plate and physical force instead of acid to etch the image onto the surface. The result is a rich blurred line.

        “Timothy (Rub, executive director) and I have decided we would like to represent in strength,” said Kristin Spangenberg at the acquisition committee meeting where the museum got the green light to buy the lot for $8,100.

        “He is one of the great American printmakers,” said Mr. Rub. “He turned himself into a very fine draftsman and I think these portraits are among the best he did.”

        Mr. Dine, who lives in New York, is originally from Cincinnati.

        Vintage car show: Visitors to New York this summer will have the chance to see a major installation of vintage cars, outdoor laser artwork and sound by video artist Nam June Paik at Rockefeller Center. The 16 cars on display are part of 32 Cars for the 20th Century: Play Mozart's Requiem Quietly fabricated in Cincinnati by theCarl Solway Gallery under the direction of Mr. Paik.

        The cars, assembled by Mr. Solway and his staff, date from a 1924 Willy to a 1959 Buick and are all painted metallic silver. Their engines have been removed and CD players installed so that Mozart's “Requiem” can be played.

        The interiors hold still life collections of discontinued sound equipment and other outdated relics of the television age.

        Mr. Paik's laser installation, “Transmission,” is a 30-foot radio tower outfitted with the artist's signature green, blue and red laser beams. The lights will glow throughout the day and at night, every hour on the hour they will bounce around Rockefeller Center from the top of the tower. Information: Carl Solway Gallery, 621-0069.

        Handmade baskets, quilts: The Fitton Center for Creative Arts employed a bit of irony in naming its current show. Summer Picnic: Quilts and Baskets features quilts with basket patterns alongside hard maple splint baskets crafted by local artist Chris Jones.

        More than 50 varieties of handmade baskets, woven wall hangings and quilts in a variety of styles and sizes will be on display.

        A one-day quilting workshop for all levels will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 9. From 2-4 p.m. today, everyone is invited to a reception for the artists. Everything is free.

        The show runs through Aug. 10. Information: 863-8873 or www.fittoncenter.org.

        Cooper's drawings: Today is the last day to catch Courttney Cooper's drawings in Showtags Just Nearest Stad at the York Street Cafe, 738 York St., Newport. Mr. Cooper,who works at the cafe, is a 1999 graduate of Miss Cheryl Beardslee's Multihandicapped Special Education class at Western Hills High School. He has been recognized by the local chapter of Special Olympics with a first prize for his 1997 T-shirt design and was asked to participate in the Art in the Garden reception sponsored by the Junior League. With the help and encouragement of owner Betsy Cunningham, he has shown his work at the cafe on other occasions. Information: (859) 261-9675.

        Teens' art in D.C.: It's a big deal to have your work shown at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. Just ask local teensShailah Maynard, Corey Anderson, Jacob Grant, Matt Schulte, Minkyn Sohn, Alissa Mcllvain, Lee Shank, Fletcher Aucstin, Linda Bui, Ariel Del Rio and Jonathan Drummond. They are among this year's 1,100 national student winners in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards that recognize the best and brightest in art and literature.

        And should you think this is just another student competition, check out a few past winners: Andy Warhol, Joyce Carol Oates, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Sylvia Plath. More than 225 pieces of the students' artwork will be on display through July 15. More than 250,000 works were submitted in the competition with more than $1 million in cash and college scholarships going to the winners.

        New venue open: Upstairs at the Greenwich gallery space (on the second floor of the jazz club) at 2442 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills, is open for business. Through Aug. 24, you can see small drawings and collages by Kevin Harris, 7-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.

        Artists interested in showing should contact Mark Yates at 221-1151. Information: Laura Hollis at 665-4374.

        People: Rick Somboretz makes guitars. An electric guitar he built was on display at the Dayton Art Institute in conjunction with the Linda McCartney's Sixties photo exhibition. It's the only unsolicited piece of work the museum included in its show. You can check it out on his Web site: www.mirageguitars.com.

        • Charles Carroll has been named Chief Registrar in the Collections and Public Programs Division of the Dayton Art Institute. Mr. Carroll worked for the Museum of Fine Arts Houston for 20 years.

        • The Taft Museum of Art honored docents Sally Wadsworth and Roxanne Dieffenback for 30 years of service and Laura Fidler, Pudy Lame, Jaye Yorio and Jane Young for 20 years service at its annual volunteers luncheon.

        • Reabelle Emdin's glass mosaic mural, “The Spirit of Hyde Park” is in the reception area at the Hyde Park Center, 2800 Erie Ave.

        • Kathy Pollicita, formerly the president of the Colonial Foundation, has been named Director of Development at the Fitton Center.

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