Bill Needle's art career has spanned 50 years, and piecing together various aspects of his career is like piecing together a community quilt.

"When people call me and say they want to write a story about me, I ask them what part of me they want," he said.

Needle, a retired art professor at Southeast Missouri State University, is best known for his knowledge of Egyptian hieroglyphics. However, he has spent a large amount of the past six years painting and drawing two religious works.

"I'm so happy that I'm back to being a painter," Needle said. "Everybody knows about the hieroglyphics, but I can do something besides draw hieroglyphics."

Needle recently received the Otto F. Dingeldein Award from the Art Council of Southeast Missouri for his "impact on the cultural development of the community." He was nominated by Robert and Adelaide Parsons of Cape Girardeau.

"He's someone who has done a lot for the community as well as professionally," said Robert Parsons. "Some people do their job and that's it, but he does so much more."

The Parsons wrote in their nomination letter that Needle has shown a commitment to the arts as an educator, guest lecturer, artist, liturgical artist, and a goodwill ambassador. His lectures on art history and hieroglyphics, they wrote, combine the study of art forms with the study of writing systems, language analysis, history, sociology and political science. He also has a special talent of bringing art to school children and adults, they wrote.

Needle said he enjoys sharing his knowledge with schoolchildren. He has done presentations throughout the area, including in Cape Girardeau, Perryville, Charleston and Sikeston.

"I like visiting the schools," said Needle. "The kids are great, and they always have questions.

"I don't charge anything when they ask me to come. But sometimes, if it's a far distance, they'll give me gas money or something."

Needle has devoted most of his time lately to a painting titled "The Last Supper." This is the second religious painting in a row for Needle, who completed the painting "Christ Lives," which includes a likeness of Don McNeeley as St. Andrew, in 1993.

Needle said he often uses the likenesses of "real people" in his paintings.

"I could make up pictures, but I think it's nice to have real people in (my paintings)," he said. "I think, 'Wouldn't it be nice to have people from the town pose?'"

Needle said he often asks people he does not know to pose for his pictures, and he tries to make sure they are happy with their portraits before they leave. As an artist, he said, there is nothing worse than to have a person who posed for you go around saying that the picture does not look like them.

Needle said there are several recognizable faces in his latest painting, which features his version of the Biblical event, as well as several other religious scenes.

Several prints are being made of the painting, and they will be donated to various churches to use as fund-raisers.

"I don't sell any of (the prints)," Needle said. "I give them to churches in need of a fund-raisers, and they can use the money anyway they need to."