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January 29, 2008

Beautiful Buns

Mary, your bunny's ready!

Here's a finished commission, sorry for the cruddy picture. Ugh, I need Photoshop soooo bad. I like what the salt did in this one. It added some nice texture. This is 11"x8", watercolor on 120lb cold press paper. Go check out my etsy shop. I have lots in there now!

Hello to all those who are visiting from the SewMamaSew blog! I was asked if my Valentine Chain could get included in their post on easy crafts for the lovely holiday. Since then I've been getting quite a number of hits off the good ole sitemeter from seamstresses. I'm sorry I don't sew more, but I paint! Check it!

fine art | By | 7:49 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 28, 2008

Sometimes Grey is beautiful

Maybe someday I'll get a picture of my other art classes, but until then I'll show you a picture of last semester where I had 4 students in a third and fourth grade class. They had to draw just the tape around their fellow student, the warm up drawing were very fun to see. The model here is Abigail who is very articulate for a 3rd grader and she is probably the closest to how I relate to my own children. I love to hear her talk about all her imaginings and the stories she tells with them. My other elementary students are somewhat overwhelmed with pop-culture, gender roles, and perfection. "Mrs. Katie, I just can't get this to look right." "Mine looks terrible!" "Can I start over?" "Mrs. Nutson, can I finish this at home?" "Do I have to color it in" "I wasn't sure if this is what you wanted". Sometimes it's really hard to hear them fight their longing to become better. Sometimes I wish they could just embrace the fact that they are children, and that they have so much time to learn and grow and experience these projects over and over again. I feel like I bore them sometimes and they want to take on more. Am I treating them like they are too young to do these things? Then I ask them to feel, to think, to practice, to work and I don't think I'm being too easy on them anymore. Abigail is a bright star in my class. She's not the only one, there are many talented kids in my class. Abigail always says, "Mrs. Knutson (she's says my name right), thank you for teaching me" and it makes me feel warm and fuzzy almost every time. She makes me stop and forget the chaos of the other 14 students, and realize that I am doing something great for these students. I get many thank yous, but Abigail is so consistant in her thankfulness. She is my inspiration as I think of what I need to say thank-you for.

I am thankful that I have comissions to work on. I am thankful that I have a great babysitter who is loyal and joyful and packs up my kids to go home almost better than I packed them to meet her. I am thankful for a great teacher's aide who will be a great teacher, artist, worker, mother (perhaps) someday. Marie, my teacher's aide, holds onto the rules I have set and echos me when appropriate to the students she is helping. She sets up for me so I can eat (such a guilty pleasure it seems). She cleans up while I greet my eager-to-see-Mama children so I can wipe noses, give hugs and talk to parents. She feels the warmth when Abigail says "thank you for teaching me". I am so blessed to be teaching art. It really makes me wonder why I was so scared to do it before. The group that I am teaching welcomes me and my little family with open arms. It feels so wonderful to be so liked and supported. I know that we are all human and selfish and relationships can go astray, but the Kingdom of God is a body that is working toward redemption. The fact that I know the second I introduce new people and new experiences to the students (and parents) that they will trust me and be glad that I am pushing them into a place that God has lead me too.

I am thankful that I can help. That I can offer someone time, goods, prayers and meals. That is a joy that only comes when you can give. In this thankfulness, I forget the short-comings of my life. I forget the frustration of not knowing how to decorate my home or clean my home as well as others. I forget that I wish I had a better TV, DVD player, stereo etc. I forget about the money I don't have and instead I am overcome with thanks for the little bits I can earn for my family and trust that we will always have enough. I forget the stress of children who disobey, and look forward to their growth and our families growth together. I forget that I covet and envy and instead I repent and give thanks that God blesses us.

On this grey day I come home tired from teaching, but I take this time for myself to absorb the joy of teaching. I have much to do this week. Josiah's birthday party (along with 3 other special boys) will be my top priority. Just how many cupcakes do I need to make? I will try to carry this joy a little longer and rest in the fact that Jesus loves me so much.

What the heck, I'm in School! | By | 5:32 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 26, 2008

Nuture vs Nature

Josiah has asked to put on make-up before and I'd humor him and give him something really skin colored that would brush off in a second. His interest didn't stick around for very long. Eden asks almost every day to "do her eyes" she says. I gave her the light green the other day and she dug into it. This is not your fancy eye make-up. She caked her eyelashes so much I thought she couldn't lift them. By the time we got dressed and out the door her cheeks barely showed the glistening from our make-upping sesson

family | By | 2:50 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack

January 24, 2008

Updated, now I'm late

I spent most of this morning updating my web shop because I've had some requests for art. So now, my loyal readers, you can view and buy Metro pieces that were at the gallery from my etsy shop. Check the sidebar for my etsy mini for a quick link to the bestest of goods. Remember, I can make giclee prints of this Yellow Umbrella piece, it can printed in any size you want! Have fun shopping!!

fine art | By | 10:16 AM | TrackBack

January 23, 2008

"Heart of the Matter" show

My neighbor is putting together an art show at the Create Here office during the month of February. It has a heart theme, and rather than come up with something witty, or a twist on some heart phrase, I thought I'd twist the actual heart shape.
I've felt out of practice. Blocked, if you will. And so although I do like this piece, I feel it reflects some clumsiness. The delicate clumsiness of trying something new. Of using new materials. Of a new season.


This doodle came out kinda pretty. I wanted it to look like a back lot. Somwhere urban but overgrown. Like much of my surroundings these days. The watercolors lead the lines. Defining with ink is so satisfying. Ok, I must go to bed.

fine art | By | 12:13 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 20, 2008

The Honesty of Fun

There is something so honest about kids having fun. It's invigorating, joyful, relaxing. Sitting around doing nothing is stressful, but getting outside, even when it's really cold, is wonderful. Hope you all had a fun weekend. Maybe you're weekend hasn't ended yet. Mine has, I teach tommorow, but Joel gets to stay home with the kids. That's $30 I save on babysitting!


The things I didn't accomplish this week of lists was short. Mostly because I kept the lists short. I didn't get around to my art assignments. I didn't find new critter images and I didn't work on my beetle as much as I'd like. I'm kinda blocked. I've been practicing and putzing around, but I need a new groove. I don't want to do any repeats, I want my vision to grow. It'll get there, the closer I get to a deadline.

family | By | 11:39 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 18, 2008

Accomplishment

I tried to think of a list that was a little more thought provoking for Thursday. It was harder than I thought. I think mostly it's because I"ve discussed alot of my feelings about the New Year and other issues that have been close to my heart recently. But yesterday did involve tasks that touch on those issues. So I'll just wing it and see what happens. Sorry this list is arriving late, but as I said these tasks are ongoing and not necessarily achievable by the end of a day.
Thursday's List:
1. Visit my grandmother: this as been a long time coming. I wanted to visit her over Christmas but she was having health problems right after Christmas and I couldn't see her with the kids. I am trying to work on my patience and compassion levels. I've been feeling a bit callous and I need to get outside of myself and be a bit more like Jesus. So visiting my grandma is an easy first step that I'd like to make a more regular scheduled thing.
2. Call Amber so all the boys can play: As soon as the snow started to fall and I saw that Hamilton Co. schools were out I made a mental note--call Amber tommorow. Mamas need some solidarity. It can be the only thing that keeps us sane.
3. Pray for leaders:Sometimes this seems futile, but I believe that prayer works. From the presidential elections to my church leaders to my husband, all these guys need prayer. I especially prayed for Joel's future, and NRV's leadership.
4. Reflecting on the importance of the spiritual in the everyday: I have been thinking of how I can effect the world and the Kingdom of God. I have been thinking of epidemics that surround my generation and even my friends. I have been thinking of the importance of being a good wife and working on a strong marriage and united household. And not to repeat myself too much, but discipline. Discipline in my health, my parenting, my artistic pursuits, my educational responsibilities, the list goes on. Discipline in my physical life parallels with the spiritual disciplines which we will be discussing at church for awhile.

This weekend will work on my patience as we drive down to Atlanta to visit with family. Giving over my self serving agenda and just dedicating time to visit and catch up. I would love to get measurements down and go to IKEA while we're down there and buy shelves!! Money is really tight right now. Measuring and planning would just be torture. Playing cool board games with the fam is much cheaper.

community | By | 9:54 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 17, 2008

snow night in jefferson heights

Jan 16 2008 around 9pm. We enjoyed the thick of the snow. Needless to say I didn't walk this morning. I hate wet feet.

It was very magical to be out with the kids after bedtime and getting wet and cold. It was tough finding the setting on my little camera to get the right shots, but I'm glad a figured it out. B&W seemed best, the orange streetlights with snow just isn't as pretty. I'm so glad we took them out because they would have melted down (no pun intended) if they didn't have a chance to play in it. Sometime soon we'll take the kids on a vacation where they can truly enjoy snow. You know like Gatlinburg. That's my attempt to be funny today. I'll get my list together later on, today is more reflective, those lists are harder to just make in one sitting. They also are made for more than one day/week. Now go make your list!

community | By | 9:47 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 16, 2008

Not too late

Wednesday List:
1. Get my butt outta bed and walk! *check
2. Take Eden to Niedlov's for our girl's day *check
3. Go to thrift store *check (and I found a slide projector!! Mine's a 135 and I wish it was as nice as the one listed)
4. Research info on my slide projector *check, man light bulbs can be expensive!!
5. Listen to sermon Lynn sent me *in progress
6. have coffee *in progress
7. Clean house for small group
8. Make lentil stew for small group
9. Contact Bucky

This is a really good exercise guys! I think the pressure of putting it online and knowing I will have to review it at the end of the week puts the pressure on and keeps the lists interesting and do-able. Give it a try!

community | By | 4:06 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

January 15, 2008

Tuesday List

Tuesday:
1. Get up at the crack of dawn and walk *check
2. make grocery list/ pay bills *check UGH
3. Go to grocery store and drug store
4. Deliver Sit N Stand to Jess?
5. Hang chimes that have been sitting around for 6 months
6. Go outside with kids
7. Download critter images for new art!
8. Make a massive pot of potato soup enough to share (any takers?)

community | By | 9:36 AM | TrackBack

January 14, 2008

Effective

These are the books you will see lying around our house these days. They go together quite well don't they? Some people can't believe that my free-spirit optimist of a husband could possibly be a "bean-counter" but he loves it. He thrives off progress: he investigates the new development around our neighborhood and meets as many people as he can. He recognizes bunk when he sees it (I'll let you ponder on what those things could be because he won't let me tell you outright). He likes to be contrary and thought provoking. It's fascinating and annoying at the same time. Because of how his mind works and how his heart beats he loves numbers. He tested out of math without blinking an eye in college. He is soooo smart and I'd like to remind/tell everyone that right now. I'm proud of my bean-counter husband. He helps me remember to stay grounded when it comes to the artworld and think of it as a business, because to me, it's becoming more of that every day.

The Children and Painting book I bought against my better judgement but I needed it so badly. And since I've purchased it, it saved my hide today as I wrote lessons based on the common sense principles it stated.
I took a whole month off of making artwork after the Metro Show went up at Hollis. Except for a couple select presents. And now I'm thinking lists. I read good ole Hula Seven Oh today and Andrea is such the popular blog goddess. I almost hestitate to ever comment because I feel it will get lost in the masses of communication she gets. But unlike alot of her readers I've actually met her and she was an inspiring individual to me the brief times we spent together. Andrea posted about making lists this week. List week so to speak. I think I might try to do that. It's been a while since I've jumped on the "meme train" or even grasped a theme. I even gave up on the SPC even with all my vanity in tow. Lists are so important to me. In fact I've moved past the pads on the fridge and the notes here and there. I now have steno pads that always stay in the same general area that have pages of lists. So if there are things I don't accomplish or presents I don't receive I can flip through the pages and find that info. So now that the month of productivity kicks in my lists will begin to form and grow and seperate by days of the week. Seeing the lists that are on Found make me laugh and make me think about my Steno pads ever getting seriously browsed through. It really isn't that personal, but I'm sure no one needs to know the phone number I have to call for my Well Woman results.

My Mondays are insane with teaching school, babysitter and teacher's aid delegating. So my Manic Monday list has wrapped up already so I give you the--
Monday Evening List:
1. work on new beetle gouache painting
2. fold laundry *check!
3. resist eating carbs after 9pm
4. go to bed before 12:30am
5. sit down because my dawgs are seriously barking
6. Think up Tuesday's list

family | By | 10:31 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 12, 2008

My Treat

Joel got a concert for Christmas. We went and saw Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller and Shawn Colvin at the Tivoli last night. It was a really nice intimate show. Joel loves Patty and so do I, but Joel really does. Man, her voice is a well oiled machine. She sang along with everyone and sounded so great. Emmylou is great too but it seemed she faded in and out of the mic so much I could not understand a lot of the words she was singing. Buddy was great. He added much needed energy to this show. The ladies were singing about death, getting left, being emotionally abandoned, destitute un-wed mothers and Buddy would chime in with some sure fire gospel country with strong declarations of God's love and power. In that old time gospel way. I love going to concerts like this. But often times the artists we love don't tour. I mean, when will Bruce Cockburn tour again? I'm too far away from Thena to see her play. Someday I'll be in Cali the same time she's playing. And I missed Sarah Groves. Argh!! I really wanted to go to that one. I hope Joel and I get to see Patty by herself sometime. I think most of the crowd did want to see just Patty. She is pretty awesome. This is my profound music post. My dad and bro will be so proud.

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January 11, 2008

Digital Business

I've been putzing around with what to do for our next Clothesline Show's card. The biggest challenge was that the other super ladies involved thought it would be cool (and it is) to have a full oversized postcard that would fold to be a sealable envelope sorta thing. It would still only cost a postcard price which is now, what 29 cents? So the green rectangle will be the front with address and the picture will join on the back side sealed with a sticker. I am no amazing digital media goddess. I fumble and cuss my way through learning this stuff. But once I figure out a couple things I am totally satisfied with the result. After I scrounged for photos I liked. Which this one was taken by Mark Cooley and I snagged it off flickr. I know, Mark can I use your photo? Anyway, this is a draft. I have to run it by the womanly powers that be and see if it's worthy. Another cool thing I like about this is that the decorative flourish on the green rectangle front is a simplified and filtered picture of a light fixture/chandelier at Laura Pettit's (the Sessions) house! It's so cool! It worked great to modify. Her home is such a jewel for this show. It makes people want to hang around and talk and feel all cozy. She has lovely appropriate pieces in her turn of the century home. I have finished the inside too, but since it involves names of artists that need to be invited, judged and approved I won't post that quite yet. So I am laying my skill on the table once again, and yes I put butterflies on it. But it's a spring show and my new version of Photoshop has this cool butterfly brush tool. I really tried to hold back.

Also there's a neat little project that good ole Skip Gienapp is doing for his family. If you feel like contributing and getting his fam their big dream let Skip know what you have to trade.

fine art | By | 3:58 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 9, 2008

Mmoooooo

Ever since we moved from Marietta I have not quite known where these guys went. Over Christmas I took a whole month off of making art (sorta) and I organized like three whole sections of my house. I think my back is still recovering. I hope it's recovering. But last week I went through one last box for the office and found my Brown Cows. I'm putting them in my etsy shop. I also have an invite to another art show at the Create Here office in February. It has a heart them, so I'm not really sure what to do for that, but I need to warm up and start fine tuning some new ideas working for Clothesline in May. If you have a nice crisp Benjamin, go buy some cows.

fine art | By | 9:47 AM | TrackBack

January 7, 2008

It's so good

Sometimes the right chemicals are happening in my brain and I realize that I'm happy, and I feel good. It sometimes involves food, caffiene, adrenaline but not always. These past couple weeks after Christmas I have been wanting to shake off the temporary celebration and move onto the celebration that is life. That sounds way too sunny for some of you, maybe I've gotten more sun that some of you. My is it sunny today! 70 degrees! I have realized this Christmas that as much as I love wrapping gifts, opening them, sitting around eating rich food and drinking great drinks, I mostly like the norm. The norm is productive. The norm is my own room. The norm is my nuclear family. We need to get away sometimes but right now, the norm is what I want. And of course with that is the planning, the responsibility. I want this year to be about discipline. I can't be a kid anymore, I am the adult. That sounds really nerdy doesn't it. I look around the room today where my students sit and I feel awkward and I'm stumbling over words, but then I realize: I am the adult. And I am more confident than they are. I mean, I really am.

Because I am James Ward's daughter I am a busy bee. I work alot and often. That's not bad, I like that aspect of my connection with my father. I do know that I need some discipline to take care of my body. Every night I get into bed and my body is groaning. I need to stretch, I need to walk more. I'm not looking to be some hard body, but I need my muscles to support my work load. I'm lifting things and my back hurts at the end of the day. I am squatting and I hear my knees pop. Yuck! I need to build my muscles, to be a strong system. Buzzing like a bee doesn't keep you in shape, discipline does.
I also want to be a disciple. Bucky talked about discipleship last night and I need to seek God more often. My solutions are not His solutions, more often than not. I want to learn and pray and seek. I want to be a leader that has wisdom as well as knowledge.

If these sound like resolutions they are. 2008 feels like a big year for me. I just feel it looming over me. I am kinda scared, but I also welcome the challenge. Lord, I bring my energy and buzzing busy-ness to you to use me for what YOU want. That's what the resolution is, and that's what's so good. Working for a goal that uplifts the spirit and turns my heart outward toward the world not inward toward me.

family | By | 5:28 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

January 1, 2008

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from our little fam to yours! We spent a wonderful week with one of our favorite people having lots of time to spend with us, Cat! We also got to go to Tara and Courtney's house and have a sweet NYeve party with music, great food, brewskees, and my two kids dancing til midnight. I know, I'm a crazy mother. They did so well until about 12:10am, then Eden melted down. This is one of our attempts for a family picture with Cat snapping for us. We had some great colors outside, but we just couldn't stay outside that long. Some of you I"m sure will receive our New Year's letter in your mailbox soon complete with the chosen photo of greatness!

I also would like to celebrate the New Year with our friends Ty and Jess Willison, who welcomed their daughter, Ruby Katherine, as the first baby of 2008!! Way to go guys! And congrats to Joy Lynn and Chris Gosey on their bundle of baby boy, Truett. New Year's will have a whole new reason to celebrate for you guys! Happy baby love!

family | By | 4:30 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack