Just found the answer to my own question lol so thought I'd post it
here in case there happens to be someone else out there in pooter-land
with the same problem as me :o)

example code
==========

import element.*;

public class simpleDrawingExample
{
   static DrawingWindow d;

   public static void draw_head(int x, int y, int width, int height)
   {
       Oval oval_head = new Oval(x,y,width,height);

       d.draw(oval_head);
   }

   public static void main(String[] args)
   {
       d = new DrawingWindow();
       draw_head(100,100,20,30);
   }
}

============

all that had to be done was put "static DrawingWindow d" outside of a
method and use "d = new DrawingWindow();" when I wanted to open up the
drawing window for the first time

Ahhhh us n00bs with out silly little puzzles :p

Thanks,
dev_wannabe