North Laurel

'Paint Toss' An exhibit of paint-tossed canvases and photographs by Delaware artist Kathy Flament is on view through Dec. 1 at Tai Sophia Institute's Himmelfarb Gallery, 7750 Montpelier Road in Laurel. Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Information: 410-888-9048 or tai.edu . Bluegrass music Savage Bluegrass plays at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20, at Sam and Elsie's Bar and Restaurant in Laurel.

Even at the depths of a drug addiction that cost him a fortune and dulled his world-class poker skills, Greg Merson believed he could do something great. "He always had a lot of faith in himself," said his father, Stan. "I never saw him lose that. " Wednesday morning in Las Vegas, the North Laurel native showed the world that his faith was well-placed, winning the $8.5 million first prize in the World Series of Poker Main Event. "He's been through a lot, and a lot of people have told him he wouldn't make it at poker," said Stan Merson, still running on emotion as he watched a television replay in his hotel suite a few hours later.