Working on Tiara Girls

Here's a sketch of my next painting. Two young girls in a ballet performance wearing tiaras of course! I hope to finish this one tomorrow, but I might not, since I've been asked to teach a lesson in watercolor to the after school program my granddaughter attends.

I've been thinking about my years of teaching art. Being asked to give a lesson brings back so many feelings that went along with that job. I'm hesitant to teach--I had truly reached a serious burnout point, that the thought of teaching again makes me feel somewhat ill.

Perhaps I'll be surprised and have a lot of fun with this class? We shall see...

The Art Teacher Cartoon

Click picture to read the small print.


When I was an artist in residence for elementary schools, I would travel not only from school to school, but also from classroom to classroom. One of my fellow art teachers called it schlepping from class to class. Our lessons were 45min long, so we had to have everything totally prepared to set up, explain the lesson, pass things out, help with the lesson, clean, pack and off to the next class with only minutes to spare. Dealing with paints, glue, printing supplies, pallets, brushes, containers and more made this a very challenging task! Many times we would be going into an entirely different grade level from the last, so there would be a whole different set of supplies for a completely different lesson! We could do up to six classes a day! That's really pushing it. Wow, hats off to all the art teachers out there still doing this!!

The artists in residence would get together for meetings to share stories, lessons and sometimes gifts. This was one of the gifts I made. One of my schools gave me a roll of this heavy brown paper they wanted to get rid of--(that's another thing, I had a garage just full of supplies I'd collected over the years--too much!)

I made the folders, then tried creating a cartoon. This is what I came up with. You might have to click on the picture to read all the little things the characters are saying. In the end, the art teacher, while soaking in the tub, is reading a thank you card from one of her classes. Aww! I think that's the only part that didn't come out too clear.

I've been in very many classrooms with very many teachers and I'd have to say that most of the teachers, (maybe 90%), conduct their classes beautifully. They are caring, thoughtful and always have the child's welfare in mind.
So...I apologize for depicting the teacher as lazy and not very caring, hence the name, Mrs. Hohumm. She's drinking her coffee while on the computer (hey! that's me!) I put Mrs. Hohumm in for comic effect because all the art teachers have experienced that teacher who's in the 10%, not a fun class to try to teach. If the teacher doesn't have a handle on the class there's not much hope for a visiting art teacher!

At the time of this creation, I was burnt out and at the end of my teaching career, but I DO still love children's art work!

Swing

I finished this painting yesterday. It has been awhile since I've posted a painting. I'll be starting on another. I'm going to be focusing on dance paintings since my granddaughter's dance will be putting on another 'Dega Days', art show.

I'm no longer an active member of the Daily Painters, although I've been graciously told I could return at anytime--thank you, that was so nice to hear! But I'm still selling any paintings I have on hand, and any paintings yet to come.

I offer them framed as you can see on the side bar of my blog, or unframed. (I do put them in a removable mat for safety during shipping.)

I've begun the process of putting my paintings in an Etsy shop, called High Noon Art,
so you can pop over and see them in a gallery setting, instead of having to scroll down through months of pictures here on my blog. I'm also thinking about having some prints made to sell--does anyone know of a good printing service??

Watercolor 7"x 7"
$120 matted / $160 matted & framed

For international or expedited shipping, please contact me prior to purchase.

Jester Marionette

This one was made by my son years after the previously posted marionettes. I taught a summer class for Jr. High students making marionettes. With this one I only had to help just a little, sewing the seams with a sewing machine, I believe that was it, he made the whole thing. The head is paper mache, the hands and feet are Sculpty clay and the body is an old sock. It took about three weeks--four, one hour classes a week to finish. I wish I had pictures of all the great puppets made at that time. Maybe I do! I'll have to do some searching...
These puppets have made me think about my time as an art teacher. I may post about that too.

Matilda Marionette

I got it all wrong in my last post. My daughter informed me that the marionette in the red dress is Scarlett O'hara from Gone with the Wind. Geeze, I haven't even read Gone with the Wind, and she was reading that in elementary school?! There's lots I don't remember. This sweet little marionette is the character, Matilda from the book Matilda by Roald Dahl. My daughter must have been a year or two older when she made this one, because I don't remember helping with this one as much.

Marionettes

Long ago, my daughter made this old fashion lady marionette for a school project--having to do with a book they read--was it for, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott? I can't remember. I do remember helping more than I should have.

Looking back I'm sure this was my own fault--as you know, I do love to make things! I'd get caught up with any project my kids had to make--this isn't the best way for children to learn. I hope with my granddaughter I can let her make her own things without getting all involved. I try--I really do--it's hard.

Some of you know that I was an art teacher! I can say it was much easier for me to be hands off in the classroom-- too many students!--it's all I could do to bring in supplies and give helpful hints. Teaching was good for me--I had to let go of my own ideas--shut my mouth--help guide a project even if it failed.

I got this old marionette out the other day and had lots of fun playing, Lady and Uni the unicorn, with my granddaughter.

My Truthful Corner

I want to strive for truthfulness. I ran across a site called Corners of My Home, where there are loads of pictures of corners from all sorts of homes--most are very pleasing--artfully arranged--dreamy corners!
I love my home, but my corners look very different. I cleaned yesterday-- cleared the floors to sweep and ended up with this corner. Big bulky items, mostly pink, that don't have a place or a home in my home. They, along with some other bulky items not pictured, are moved from one place to another, but would be sorely missed by my grandchild if I were to move them out.
I think it would do me good to see a site called Truthful Corners, or Corners of Reality, or Down Home Corners With Kids, or My House is One Big Corner.

Birthday Salad

My granddaughter and I made a birthday salad lunch for her mom, and a kind of sculpture. I was told where and how to attach the rocks and stick, but I had to clamp it and pour on
gorilla glue. It was kind of fun to try to glue rocks together with that foaming glue.

This little project so reminded me of teaching arts and crafts to kids. I'd often be confronted with a seemingly impossible construction--I'd scratch my head, they'd scratch theirs and we'd jimmy rig the thing together as best we could.

It worked! the rock and glue base dried in an ooze of foam and stayed together after removing the clamp. I did have to pry it off the cement.

Valentine's Day

I hope you had a good one!

Hurt Hummingbird

My husband and I started out for a walk, this time, (when I say, 'this time', I'm referring to my previous post about the hurt pelican), it wasn't even a minute before we saw this little hummingbird furiously flapping on the ground next to a road. Oh no...What to do? I think it was hit by a car.

We put it in the basket with hopes that it would recover and fly away. (I've had luck with this before) It looked a bit more comfortable, but its body did look twisted in an abnormal way. My cat was in the house, so we took that walk giving the bird time to recover or time to die?

One walk later, it was still there--eyes looked a little brighter, but it hadn't flown away. I know of a bird lady--she's helped me out with hurt birds in the past. I still had her number and she agreed to take this little one.

While I was calling, my cat got out--surely she hadn't found the basket in that short a time! The basket was tipped over and just a few feathers were on the ground!! Oh no!!, But the cat was lying on the hood of the car. Could she have already devoured the bird and stretched out in such a relaxed position on the car? Did the bird tip over the basket and fly away?

Blast! I don't think that little tiny fluff of a bird could have tipped that basket over and my cat is the best hunter in the world, double blast!! I'm thinking twice about going for anymore walks.

Unfurling Palms

My granddaughter and I attempted to walk home from her school. It's about five or more miles? Anyway, longer than I'd expect for her to make it. We took our time, rested, had a snack, rested, took pictures...we never would have seen these unfurling palms riding by in a car! Crazy compacted palm branches about to stretch out! I'd like to do a timed video of the branch unfurling, then play it backward in slow motion.

She liked the walk, we did about three very slow miles, but had grampa, our back up driver, come pick us up. We may try it again.

I'm painting again--working just about an hour a day... it will get finished slowly but surely--my word for the day--slow

Hurt Pelican

Today I thought if I don't walk the minute I get home from dropping off the little one to Kindergarten, I won't to it.

So off I go and what do I find, but this hurt pelican! Blast, I hadn't walked a minute and I'm stopped in my tracks--what to do?

I went home and called Pacific Wildlife Care, grabbed my camera and a piece of bread and headed back. The poor thing was sitting in the campground. I walked kind of close and sat down. That pelican got up and and hobbled right over to me!

Pelicans appear so graceful and strong while flying, but on the ground, even a healthy one can be sort of clumsy and funny. He didn't care for the bread, but the campground host who had also called the wildlife care, brought over some raw chicken. He liked that!

Very soon the wildlife rescue workers arrived. Yay! Now I can finish my walk knowing the pelican is being cared for. I hope he's a lucky pelican who can mend and be released!

A large amount of brown pelicans are being brought into the wildlife center sick, injured and starving--could be the results of our past storms. I was reassured by the workers who said they just released a few today that had recuperated, so the ones that are being tended to are getting better! But Pacific wildlife does need help, click the link to read more.

Valentines and the Blue Superhero

I helped my granddaughter make these valentines. Helping a little one with an art project...well, I was an art teacher for many years, but it's always a bit of a struggle for me. I have my ideas and want things to go a certain way, mine! I can admit this--to bring in some astrology, I'm a Taurus--a fixed earth sign--I don't budge too easily, plus I have quite a few other fixed signs making some tough aspects to each other. So I have to consciously try to help in a non controlling way.

We talked about supplies and I listened to what she wanted--she used a stencil to draw her heart, (I would have loved to have her free-draw her wiggly long and misshapen hearts!), but I didn't push the free handed stuff. She had me draw my heart within hers, then we dripped rolled and finger spotted the cards with red paint. After that she wanted glitter. She would have stopped there and been perfectly happy.

Me, on the other hand kept walking past all these cards laid out on the floor, always thinking about what they could use...hmm...later, while Patience slept, I brought out stickers, stamps, glue, pink Easter grass and those fabric petals that come in different colors, ahhh! I almost started to put these things onto the cards myself, but stopped... instead, I had to remind myself that these were hers.

Oh, but those supplies came in handy the next day--she had to get up and be fully dressed for school--socks shoes and glasses included, before she could see the surprise on the table--(getting ready in the morning has been an ongoing challenge) It worked! She loved putting on all the little extras. OK, I admit, I did put on those petal hearts, but only after her approval and permission.
My husband found the blue superhero on the beach--great find!

Valentine Decoration for the Door

My granddaughter very quickly snipped out this decoration for the back door--she told me right where to hang it. She's very proud of her hearts--the two on the bottom didn't quite form into hearts, but that doesn't bother her in the least. This decoration has grown on me--I like how it glows real red at times, and catches the last of the daylight.
My projects, paintings and creations are often labored over--carefully thought out then slowly put together. I love how she's able to cut, snip, put it up and voila! done! In all it's wrinkly imperfections, it's perfect!

30th Anniversary

The 30th anniversary is symbolized by the pearl. I love how the pearl is formed! Around a grit of sand, those beautiful smooth pearly layers are formed. How fitting for any anniversary, but especially for a marriage that's lasted thirty years. I donned my pearls and we walked on a nearby almost deserted beach.


I found this shell!
and this starfish and abalone shell! We've had rough seas--I hope this starfish mends.

Wow! My husband found this part of an arrow head! Right before this find, I said, "what if we couldn't leave this beach until we found an arrow head?" We were now free to leave, so we didn't.

This beach has great drift wood. The surf and high tide had swept over the entire surface of sand.

A warm heart!

A bone and brain--maybe fossilized sponge or root system of kelp?

Freshly scattered fish. Could this be a dried up river let of the illusive grunion run? I think these fish are too big to be grunion, and they weren't all over the beach.

An amazing sun set.

Getting ready to watch the full moon rise.

The moon and mars. The gifts kept coming all day and into the night! Thank you to the earth, thank you to the sea, thank you to the sky.

The pearl earrings are designed and created by Kristen Brown of Lebanon Connecticut. To see her other jewelery creations, please check out her Etsy site.