The Art Teacher

It says:

Those who can

Do

Those who can't

stand the the thought of a world without creativity

TEACH ART

Can you name all the colors in a 12-part color wheel?

Goodbye Peyton, Hello Brady

Every morning, while JR are getting ready for work and school we watch Mike and Mike on ESPN2. The running gag for the last few weeks has been Mike Golick's fascination with Brady Quinn, the Notre Dame QB in the NFL draft this year. I do not follow college football, so I don't know anything about Brady Quinn. Yesterday was the draft. We were at a basketball tournament in Jeffersonville, IN. We had a long break between games, so we went out to lunch. One on the parents had recommended Cheddar's, so that's where we went. We were seated facing a big tv tuned to the NFL Draft. At one point I looked up at the screen and saw an object d'art. I said WHO is that. It was Brady Quinn. Peyt, ol'buddy, it's been fun, but I'm leavin' ya for the Browns. The Colts picked some WR from Ohio State.

I am SO glad basketball is almost over. Whit's team has advanced to State, so she will have at least one more weekend. Mother's day weekend. The Indy 500 Mini is next Saturday. I am a nervous wreck. I never saw myself doing anything like this. I am an artist, not an athlete.

This the lower right leg of my artjeanz. I told Whitley I wanted them to whisper "art teacher". She said she could see the "art teacher", but wasn't sure about the whispering.

Love/Hate

Today, somebody told me that we only have 18 days of school left. I didn't believe it, but then I counted, and she was right! I love having the summers off, but I hate the way the art room starts to look empty this time of year. All the big projects are done, the art show is over and kids are finishing up their last projects of the year. It means saying goodbye to another group of fifth graders and sending them off to middle school. I will be moving into two brand new art rooms when school starts back in the fall, so that means I have a lot packing to do and a lot of throwing away.

I worked on the jeanz a bit tonight and cut threads. I have a feeling Whit and Court won't be too crazy about these crazy jeanz. Sorry, girls, your mother is art teacher about to turn 40. Hang on!!

Distraction

I have been working on these jeans instead of the stuff I really need to work on, y'know, the stuff with deadlines. I can't help myself. Ever since the Quilt Show (yes, I'm still beating that drum) and seeing the jeanz made and worn by the Artgirlz, I have been on a mission to make my own pair. I cut these old jeans right up the side to make it easier to machine stitch all the stuff. These have a flower theme - duh - and a big Frida K on the other leg. Pretty much pink and orange. Most of the fabs came from Chicago. Here's what happens - I go to work on a Real Project and I see the jeanz and my sewing machine and I MUST sew a bit. I limit myself to one bobbin full at a sitting and then get to work. I am doing "scribble sewing" around everything and may add some hand sewing later.

I haven't trimmed any threads yet, by the way.

Actual Work from the Virtual Studio

These are my journal pages from last week, so they were what I was working on last Friday and Saturday in Chicago. I colored penciled the images on Saturday, intending to use them in a circus-themed tunnel book I have been dreaming of making. I did some watercolor in my room at the Doubletree Friday nite and early Saturday morning, then I made the little quilt from fabric I bought on Friday, then added the people. This year's journal was passed thru many hands last weekend in the Virtual Studio and during my classes. People who were watching around the edges of Make It U asked if they could look at it while I was teaching. Someone asked me if I had been considering that the book would be on display, in a way, and if that had influenced my work, you know, being conscious of other people looking at it and wanting it to look good. Turthfully, I thought about that for maybe 30 seconds. That's something I have come to realize about my process - I do not think about whether or not anybody will like it or get it or want to emulate it - I just make stuff. That is a bit of a duality with me, because I totally care about what other people think of ME. Am I nuts? Don't answer that. I will show you my art all day long and talk about it and tell you how I do it, but when it comes to *me*, the person - yikes! Know my art, I guess, and know me.

Yesterday was about a 20 hour day, with taking Whit to school for her 8th grade class trip at 5:00am and then picking her up at 1:00am. She had fun and there were no problems. Two soccer matches today and I got in 11 miles at well under minimum race pace. The mini is in 2 weeks and then I am never running again. Not really, I only tell myself that to get thru these long workouts.

While in line at Walmart, I read thatJessica Simpson and John Mayer got married -say it ain't so! And that Ryan Phillipe is dating Lindsey Lohan. What does this have to do with art - nothing - but read the header. It's my blog. I'll show some art and talk about stuff.

Signs and Wonders

WOW. A lot has happened since we last visited.

I drove to Chicago - via the Dan Ryan Expressway - I wonder how people do THAT every day?

I saw the sun rising over the bare fields of Northern Indiana and the smokestacks in Gary, both of which were equally pretty to me. I saw the Chicago skyline, up close and personal and thought about the Twin Towers, which I never saw in person

I spent 2 days at the Quilt Show and met the BEST people. I met Pokey Bolton,editor of Cloth Paper Scissors and Quilting Arts, after knowing her thru email and phone for almost a year. She has a great new book out about ATCs (I have some cards in it). So many lovely people came by the Virtual Studio to visit and talk about art. Thanks to everybody who signed up for my classes at MIU. I was nervous that nobody would!

The strangest thing was meeting Cheryl Prater in person. It was like we had always known each other. People thought we had been friends for years and were shocked that Friday was the first time we had met face to face. Cheryl, I am so glad you sent me that email in December. I would have never done it.

Above is some of the fabric I bought. One booth had 15 fat quarters for $20!! I met the Artgirlz and bought some wool beads. Too much shopping too little time.

I drove home on Saturday and got into a bit of white out driving. It's mid April!

I saw a bald eagle on the highway near our house eating a carcass of some kind. The first time I ever saw one in the wild. Amazing.

Two Days to Go

I have two more days to get everything ready to take this circus on the road to Chicago. This is the beginning of my journal for this week. Of course, it is a quilt theme. I left at 7:30 this morning and the girls had a track meet after school, which started late, of course. We didn't get home until 8:45. They did well, both had wins. Whit ran a beautiful 800, staying right on the heels of the first place runner until the last turn and then crushing her. After the meet, Whit was telling us how she went around and talked the girls she raced against and told them "good job" and all that stuff. Courtney said she couldn't do that because she was SO far ahead of everybody she never saw their faces. Little stinker.

My to do list is shrinking, but the countdown to 4am Friday is going much faster. That's not a light at the end of the tunnel. It's an oncoming train.

Happy Easter

Urban Cowboy is on CMT right now. Love that movie. John Travolta movies have taught me so much over the years. I based my entire opinion of Manhattan on Saturday Night Fever, on Stephanie's description of what it was like to work there. Stayin Alive taught me to quit while I'm ahead. Urban Cowboy, that county songs are about real life and that fancy shirts are NOT the answer. I'm not really a huge Travolta fan. He has been unavoidable.

FOUR DAYS - scream of excitement - until Chicago! I actually checked 3 things off my to do list today! Did I happen to mention that the district wide art show is next Monday? So that means I have to have about 100 pieces of artwork matted, labeled and ready to set up right after I get home from what I am sure will be a whirlwind 2 days at the Quilt Show.

Eggsicles?

It was about 80 degrees here on Monday. It is below FREEZING with a WIND CHILL today! At least there won't be any melty chocolate bunnies tomorrow. It is a mere 5 days until MIU in Chicago. I have a short to do list before I leanve at 4 am Friday morning, but it will be enough to keep me busy. I am going to give myself an assignment every day and no going to bed before it is done. I'm not worried about not being ready to go to Chicago. I am much more concerned about tanking when I get there.

The girls have track practice Mon and Wed, track meets Tues and Thurs, soccer practice Mon and Thurs, basketball practice Mon and Thurs, basketball games Fri, Sat and Sun. I just realized today that the outfits I planned to wear for MIU are all wrong and lame. Hate that. No time to shop for anything else. Maybe nobody will notice.

I hope you find lots of eggs and no black jelly beans.

In the Process

These are this week's journal pages so far. I don't think I have posted any of this year's project while the pages are in the process. I am thinking of the song "Colorful" by Roco DeLuca and The Burden. Go put it on you Ipod right now. And while you are at it, check out Paolo Nutini and Robert Randolph and The Family Band.

I have got SO MUCH to do in the next week in getting ready for Chicago! The girls have track, soccer and AAU basketball right now, on top of homework and maintaining straight As. They love to be busy and are so competetive. Sports practice of any kind for them is serious business. I don't where in the world they gottheir hard core, all or nothing attitudes. All 3 of us are running the Indy Mini in about 30 days. I have really had to work hard to get ready for this. I am always asking myself what in the world I think I am doing trying to run 13 miles in one session! I have to get in a 10 mile run sometime this week! We have an AAU tournament this weekend, Fri nite and Sat and the Sunday is Easter and the trip to JR's gramma in Martin County.

Hollow or solid - which do you prefer in your Easter Basket? Cadbury Creme Eggs - Love 'em or hate 'em? I would rather have no chocolate bunny and only Cadbury Creme Eggs, not the caramel ones. My girls like giant hollow bunnies, and of course, those wretched peeps. When they were very little and still did trick or treat on Halloween, Easter was the day I threw out the leftover Halloween candy and I threw out the old Easter candy on Halloween. Now, we don't have enough of either one around to have leftovers. It's funny how your day to day life changes as your kids grow up. It's been over 2 years since I packed a lunch - NOBODY takes their lunch to jr high. Miss Picky Courtney is sometimes very hungry after school. I never do their hair anymore. They clean their own bathroom. I guess that's a good thing about them growing up. But I still miss frilly Easter dresses and new white patents a little.