CHRIS CURLE

Just for men — and short-haired women too? Maria Elena uses a tried and true talc that barbers everywhere will recognize.

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I noticed recently a familiar looking container of something at one of the hair care stations at Maria Elena’s Hair Design on Marco.

It immediately brought back memories of my early teen years and getting my hair cut for what must have been a buck or two at a two-chair barber shop in a converted bungalow in Ferguson Mo.

What could Maria Elena, a world-class hair cutter and makeover expert, be doing with a product that also was used in a guy’s guy barbershop in the 50s? That was no hair salon. It was about as similar to Maria Elena’s or Rick’s or any other upscale salon as a Sale e Pepe’s menu is to a mission soup kitchen.

Could that can of powder here be the same as the one from my days of getting my scissors-free, five-minute flat-top with electric clippers?

Yep. It is the same product — Clubman Pinaud Talc, but it’s been a star and a staple of barber and beauty shops here and abroad since 1810. From the neck napes of callow youths who thought Bill Haley and the Comets were the bomb, to retired CEOs, COOs and golf pro’s on Marco Island, Clubman has been standing around in its familiar green container.

Maria Elena says she bought the Clubman that’s now on her work station when she opened her hair salon in 1991 and it’s not quite empty yet.

“It only takes a little to do the job,” she says.

“Men like it because it’s fragrance-free.”

Maria Elena has more female clients than men and not all the women use Club-MAN talc. One other reason may be that most Marco hair cutters don’t have much call for flat-tops anymore.

No need to wait — you can vote today

A friend called and said with some angst that she just realized she would be out of town on election day, Jan. 29th.

“I think there’s early voting but that’s all I heard,” she said. “This is a really important election for the future of this city.”

She’s right on both counts.

Early voting began last Monday and continues through Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Marco Island Library, 210 S. Heathwood Drive. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Voters elsewhere in Collier County also can vote early, same dates and times as Marco, at the Main Library on Orange Blossom Drive in Naples, the Golden Gate Library on Coronado Parkway and the Immokalee Library on North First Street.

If you agree that finishing the sewer project is vital to the long-term health and welfare of Marco Island, the four city council candidates to vote for are, alphabetically: Jerry Gibson, Frank Recker, Bill Trotter and Wayne Waldack. The other guys want to stop the sewer program, a costly mistake for everybody.

Is there an instant Picasso or a Van Gogh in town

If you have a political hangover come Jan. 30 from the results of the election the day before, here’s a new project for Marco Island that may get your focus back on things about as far from governmental politics as you can get here.

It’s called Wet Paint Live -— You’ve probably heard about it by now.

On Jan. 31, 20 artists will set up their canvasses and color up their brushes for a six-hour paint-off, so to speak.

They’ll be creating art on canvass at different locations around the island and you can do watch them at work. The sites include such scenic Marco landmarks as the Jolley Bridge, Tigertail Beach, Residents’ Beach, Goodland and more. The Chamber of Commerce has a complete list.

The artists and their one-day wonders will preview their finished pieces starting at 5:30 p.m. at Hideaway Beach Club. Admission, including heavy hors d’oeuvres is $50. “At 7 p.m. all the artists’ works will be offered in a live auction.”

The project is sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Marco and money raised will go to scholarships for island children. The chairman of the event is Keith Dameron, manger of Orion Bank at Bald Eagle and Elkcam Circle.

You need to let the Chamber know if you plan to attend the Jan. 31 event at Hideaway. RSVP by Jan. 28 at 394-7549.

Sponsorships by individuals or businesses are available to help the scholarship fun. You can be designated a Van Gogh sponsor for $100, a Cézanne sponsor for $250, a Monet sponsor for $500 and a Picasso sponsor for $1000. Unfortunately none of those creative giants can be present for the preview and auction of the work of Marco’s budding Van Goghs, Cézannes, Monets and Picassos.

I would have thought painting anything at all anywhere would be a high-pressure situation. But think about trying to paint a well-known Marco location for people who’ve seen the real thing a thousand times and doing it in six hours or less.

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Don’s email: don@donfarmer.com.