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August 30, 2007

A saw a sign

Look for these signs around town! If you have a business that would like to advertise the Clothesline Show leave a comment or email us at our clothesline. I'm pleased to use this image as so many of you loved it. And we got this batch of signs for free!

fine art | By | 3:25 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 27, 2007

Fawning

Oh dear, little Deer. It's hard to find time to rest. But taking a little breather as I look at you makes me remember that I am able to take a pause and dance with some colors and lines. See you at the Clothesline Show!

fine art | By | 5:00 PM | TrackBack

August 26, 2007

Missing: one tooth

Last night as we watched "A Night at the Museum" on the grass of our Jefferson St Park, Josiah was rolling his tongue in his mouth. I said, "Josiah, don't mess with your tooth!"
"But Mama, it's gone!"
Oh crap. "Did you swallow it?"
"No, it fell in the grass"
There it goes, the tooth that should stay in for another year. But I'm thankful it wasn't something worse. He could have a big infection, or something. So his first tooth is littered somewhere in the park. The hole in his mouth shows no sign of a new one springing up. I'm also thankful that he looks old enough to lose teeth, so I"m not so concerned with what his little gappy mouth looks like. I love my boy, I wish this experience was a little more sentimental for me, but it's not. I'll leave that for tooth #2. I did poke around in the dirt a little while looking for it this morning. *sigh*

mommy time | By | 4:52 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 24, 2007

Good Morning Jefferson Heights

I'm procrastinating. There's a bunch of you readers that ask me how I "do it all" well right now I'm prcrastinating. I'm kinda writing out lesson plans, but I mostly have been enjoying coffee and watching abc shows online (dang, no new Lost and I don't like Grey's). I have been searching for images for class though. Paul Klee, Cave paintings, Frida Kahlo. Ya know the usual trash. Just kidding. Josiah took this picture before Sesame Street came on the other morning. Ah, I remember when it was just me and Jos and we would watch Sesame Street at NINE in Marietta instead of waiting for it to start at EIGHT in Chattanooga. I'm so not a morning person. But isn't that pretty, I mean, even though it was already 80 degrees out, it's a lovely urban sight.

Speaking of Josiah. Last night we went out with Cat for a looooong jaunt around town distributing Clothesline cards (still have plenty left!). And Josiah shows us, "Look at my tooth Mama!" Oh my goodness, he was wiggling it back and forth. Now, I wouldn't have been to freaked out except that it was the tooth he bruised a little while back and I had forgot about it seeing as it was given the OK by the dentist. Now, it is loose, like it may fall out in a week loose. I've been checking it to see if it's red, puffy, pussy. All that good stuff you get to do when you're a mama. It's OK except he's been fiddling with it and so it's a little different. I called Dr. Fred Whitmire because he was my dentist and he also was right next to the Passage where we were going to meet Josiah's school friends today. I thought, "hmmmm, maybe we could swim and go to the dentist" Now that just sounds to funny to me. Dr. Fred is closed on Fridays. I took the automated systems advice and called our Pediatrician. Why I didn't call my father-in-law first I have no idea, that would have been so much easier. I called Dr. Elderidge and packed the kids in the car and went swimming. The doc called me back as we exited the eletric shuttle. His main point was, "keep the tooth in, he's too young to lose teeth" Great. Just great. Because God is soveriegn and He loves me and my children soooo much I happened to get a random call from my father-in-law asking about sandals for Josiah. *BING* awesome. "Hey Dad, can I get a professional opinion from you?" Dr. K aka Grandpa Dale had some more info for me. Turns out my sis-in-law Amy, happened to lose her teeth around 4. And it does seem to happen that bruised may teeth fall out sooner. I've been praying the blood of Jesus for Josiah's tooth to stay in and not to get infected, but maybe it's time for it to come out. That makes me a little sad. But, I am thankful that the bruised one is leaving. And I must say it makes me feel diligent about keeping his teeth healthy. We'll go see Dr. Fred next week.

mommy time | By | 5:20 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 23, 2007

pretty funny

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August 22, 2007

too many words to speak

I'm going to jump on the bandwagon again for the Self Portrait Challenge and give you this pattern contrast. The shirt I"m wearing is an old school Gap shirt that is a wonderful breeze of microfiber-like stretchy stuff. It's perfect for these hot days when you don't want to bear all. The painting behind me is the mural done at AVA for the celebration of the Market Street opening. It's a happy thing to have behind me as I sit at AVA.

I am so filled with things to discuss from my first day of teaching. What a mind-bender. I feel like a shaking little leaf up there pretending to be an adult. Aren't we all just 15 years old trying to be grown up? It is totally exhilerating and terrifying at the same time. Mostly I hope that these kids like what I"m teaching them, that it makes sense and that I can follow some sort of order. I got 2 hugs from a couple high school students, who have been waiting for someone to have at art class for high schoolers. My second class was a sweet little class of 4 kids 3rd and 4th graders. They were full of stories and ideas. They faithfully did their warm-ups in a concentrated silence. My third class was 14 4th-6th graders. This was the class that worried me. We didn't have enough table space for everyone. But thankfully, the kids were obedient, they loved the idea of an "art experience" and asked me all kinds of questions regarding what would count as an "art experience. Basically, I want all my students to go out and see art and respond to it. I'm glad my tween-ager class loved this idea. I want to make sure that these kids are challenged with each drawing project we do. I want the highschoolers to be prepared for other art classes they might have in the future, I want the parents to see how academic art can be and also be really fun. I also want my superiors to be so happy and proud of these art classes that they want to offer more art in the future. Like ceramics, oil painting, sculpture and woodworking even. I loved one of the questions I got from one of my high school students, "So, how did you meet all these friends of yours that make art?" I explained kinda where the people I mentioned were connected to me, but now that I have more time to think about it, it's by the grace of God that I know these people. The encouragement, stimulus, community they have given me throughout my life is invaluable and I wouldn't trade it for a million friends with money to burn.
In other news, I trucked around with the kids today to various places advertizing Clothesline.

Continue reading "too many words to speak"

fine art | By | 3:03 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 20, 2007

Fawning

Work in Progress for the Clothesline Show. Must rest, long day at school and teachers meeting tonight.

fine art | By | 4:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 18, 2007

the band

more pictures of our merry little band. When it's just too hot to go outside yet you have so much energy to burn you rock out to Weezer, Beck, and the White Stripes. And you must check out the guitar solo, the drum solo and the jam at the end just before the exit.

| By | 2:53 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 15, 2007

the little best friends I created

I was having one of my many conversations with Cat yesterday about Clothesline business and I had to stop in the middle and tell Josiah for the ump-teenth time that "Mama is talking on the phone, and I can't swordfight right now, can you please be patient and wait?" Josiah just loves LOVES to pretend to defend the household from bad guys. Stormtroopers, enemy ninjas, pirates, whomever might be attacking me while a sit and eat, check email, talk to my Mom. It's getting harder for me to want to be defended, because with this involves getting stepped on by size 13 feet, and getting jumped on by my 44in tall string bean boy. Joel of course is a team player, taking Jos out to the porch and swordfighting with plastic pipes. We go to Barnes and Noble to escape the heat, and Josiah finds the Star Wars books, the Lightning McQueen noisy books, and anything Ninja Turtle. And Eden, what a girl. She loves her brother and follows him into every adventure, carrying a kazoo upside down turning into a laser gun. Screaming with joy as she runs from invisible enemies into the nearest corner. At the bookstore today she participated in the craft at storytime coloring with delight a party hat that she promptly had me put on. She wore it proudly tucked on top of her pig-tails. And as Jos found all the adventure books he wanted, Eden sat down and opened a Disney Princess book (while I wasn't looking) and inhaled every page. She cradled an Angelina Ballerina doll and would only let it go when I suggested she found a nice quiet place for her to sit. She is a girl through and through.

When I am with my son I am able to reason and have very interesting conversations. Even when I screw up bigtime I can tell Josiah that I made a mistake and I shouldn't have spoken to him with such mean tone. Josiah knows I make mistakes, he knows I cry. I can't even hide that I'm upset from him anymore. Because he's my friend. He's with me more than my husband is everyday. I enjoy his laughter, and I enjoy his imagination. I know that he's so bored, these days before school. I wish I could find another option so he wouldn't be so restless. I had a hard time with my little friends yesterday. Too much screaming, not enough self control, too much selfishness on all of our parts.

I have to remember that even though a lot of times I am tired of being with my kids, I also have to remember that when I am older and they are grown they will be my friends if I keep them close to me. Doesn't mean we'll have everything in common, but I should try. My brother and I are very close to our parents and that must be such a gift. I want my kids to always feel comfortable to hang out with me while I work, fold my laundry, watch strange TV shows together. I created these little friends, well sorta, God knew them, I'm lucky enough to be with them so much. It's not so romantic every day, I just was reminded today, after having such a hard yesterday.

mommy time | By | 3:49 PM | Comments (4) | TrackBack

August 13, 2007

itching in my fingers

The Great Artworks I've created this weekend are for the love of educating children. I see myself pointing to these charts and holding them up while explaining what they are. I'm excited about getting the first day over with. That's in a week, and there are many conversations I need to have with myself, imagining that class before me and what I will say. There must be a day of rummaging through my mom's and grandma's things finding still life objects to store for my students to draw over and over again. It makes them so beautiful to be celebrated.

But with urgency I spin through the last few things that need to be done for Clothesline. I have found a solution for stickers. Print the damn things myself. So the stickers need to be printed & placed, the addresses need to be finalized and placed, the suckers need to get mailed! After that's done I'll breathe a little easier, so I think. Of course, I always think of doing everything myself. It's just not the way God made it to be. Thankfully, the women that I am in the Clothesline with our trustworthy and share my urgency. So why do I have nerves jumbling when I pace the aisles at Target? Because I can't drag the kiddies everywhere. And boy-o-boy did they remind me today. It's always nice to run into Amber and Oliver though. It makes my mommy brow unfurrow.

When I'm home and the afternoon is hot and quiet (accept for the humm of the bulldozers and the knocking of hammers here and there) I examine my plants and sigh that I forgot to get food for them. It's too hard to nuture so many things. And I have the sniffles that make my head feel a little swollen. I am happy to be so busy. Happy to clean off my dining room table and load it with brushes, tubs of paint, stacks of well loved images, splattery rags just for that one little piece of art that I must sell so badly. Getting cash out today for Aldi just made me think how I can't wait til September to sell, I need to sell NOW! God's timing is perfect and I can't be greedy. The opportunities I have this fall are great and they will overflow my creative cup so nicely. Money will come and bills get paid. The buggy at Aldi was more bare than I'd like (I really wanted that lined wicker laundry basket for $6.99), but that's the price of this time of year. Fees and supplies, plant food, glassine envelopes and clear stickers. A room filled with the evidence that I am a jack of all trades. Oh for a wardrobe to Narnia, where there might be many square acres of room to build a studio to keep all this stuff!

fine art | By | 3:56 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

August 10, 2007

the well tended soil

Because of a whole morning without my kids yesterday (thanks Mom!!) I was able to knock out not only some well needed house cleaning/organizing I got two paintings done yesterday!!

This Mini-Metro isn't quite finished, but it's pretty well done. These will be at your next Clothesline Show at the Sessions House.

fine art | By | 4:51 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack

August 9, 2007

dog diggity dog

It is so hot. Practically unsafe. I look at the weather icon on my toolbar and it says 78 degrees, LIAR! I'm sure it's already 85. We played bocce ball in the evening on Tues and it was tolerable. So I guess going out has to be done after 7pm. Every night this week is officially booked and each afternoon is envied time that I cannot waste drinking coffee and surfing the net. I have been continuing to experiment with watercolors and got some good tips from my friends Cat and Jen last night and a well needed get together. I would love to get a couple more mini-metro's done and then have these watercolor studies polished off. I'm a little less panicked about my classes, but ask me again next week and see if I'm freakin'. My mom is graciously taking the kids today to the CDM so I can clean (a little) of my house and paint alot (hopefully). Hours are precious and minutes even more so.

family | By | 8:55 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 7, 2007

the new attempts

fine art | By | 9:18 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

August 6, 2007

to the wire

It's August and my calendar is filled with days for preparation and production. The parent-teacher day at HHL is on the 17th and there is much paperwork to be done for classes. I also have to gather still-life objects for drawing in class. If there is stuff you'd like to donate for a still-life table please leave a comment and let me know! Things like dried flowers, seashells, figures/figurines, interesting jars, mugs, vases, gourds, candlesticks, small boxes, cylinders etc... This could be a great way to get rid of those ugly wedding presents that just collect dust waiting for you to use them (hehehe).
I also would like to find some posters of artist work. I have some Matisse and some Egon Schiele. It's just finding them that's the problem. I may ask AVA for some former show posters, that's a hot resource.
The Clothesline Show at the Sessions House is quickly approaching. I need to get the last few submissions to local papers. The art cards came before I left for the beach and they look great! The only problem is that we need to make stickers that have the artists names listed. Mark Cooley gave me a great name of a printer on the Northshore, I just have to get all the specs from them. I also have to produce ART! This past week at the beach I brought my watercolors along. I wanted to make some quick more affordable pieces of art for the Clothesline, and practice my water coloring so I can teach it this next semester. I got a things accomplished. I finished a watercolor version of Be Still. It's a great image, I gotta say. I also am working on some watercolor pod paintings. Watercolor is so nice, but displaying them is harder. I'll have to get matt board to mount them on. The Mini-Metros I'm doing are promising either in acrylic or watercolor. The one at the top is the latest. Wish me luck as I make these next two weeks count! If anyone out there would like to spend some time with Josiah and/or Eden let me know, I'd love for them not to suffer through boring errands these next couple weeks.

fine art | By | 9:11 AM | TrackBack

August 4, 2007

recoop return rehash

It rained and rained yesterday in Hilton Head so we packed and left. No more sunshine, no more pool splashes. I was getting tired of seeing my stretch marks so often. Boo Hoo right? Well we are very glad to be home. There is so much to tell, so much to remember.
Some of our highlights:
--Josiah meeting a little boy named Grant, they played so well together.
--Taking the kids out in the bike trailer a few times. They loved it and I am determined to do this at home too.
--Our second trip to the beach we had a high tide and some serious waves. We brought Joel's old boogie boards for the sake of his grandfather's wishes to rid the house of unwanted's. Josiah saw them and insisted that we use them. We did and although my 5ft 3in frame was not prepared to haul one of my kids, my self and some shotty board into a raging sea I did it. And I came out with my suit still on and totally exhausted and with my son saying, "Let's do it again!!"
--watching Eden dig in the sand repeatedly fill a bucket over and over with her deep concentration and going out to the waves to get more water to drown the Little People and animals in a deep sandy pool.

--Getting tanned by the pool while reading and drinking margaritas.
--biking miles with my husband on a wonderful breezy day through paths of beautiful houses and trails. It felt great!

I'm sure there was more, but I'm now melding with my couch.

family | By | 6:55 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

August 1, 2007

slices

Josiah's new used bike. Practically free!

Slices from Hilton Head. We love to relax and we'll hit the ground running when we get back on Sunday. Until then I'm soaking in the fun.

family | By | 10:00 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack