Summer

School's out for summer,
So many things to get done,
but not enough time.

Yesterday was our last day of school. The last month has been more than a little hectic.
But field trips, assemblies, awards, exams, cleaning, and finally graduation are behind me and summer lies ahead. There will be a week at Johnson and Wales University in RI for an educator forum, a week in Pennsylvania to visit family and attend a wedding, and week in the White Mountains of New Hampshire with daughters, son in law, and granddaughter. And when I'm not away I will be spending two days a week with our beautiful, energetic, and amazing granddaughter. I will be able to spend quality time with my husband, and not be to busy or too tired to carry on a conversation. In between I hope to complete a few projects that have been awaiting my attention. And before I know it August 26th will be here and I will be back at school starting my 41st of year of teaching. I still enjoy teaching, and feel that I do make a difference in the lives in of my students. They tell me that they will now be able to feed themselves, and that they will think very carefully about becoming a parent in the future.

Breathe

Breathe, I don't know how.
Everyone keeps telling me
That I need to relax.

Purple Moose

On a rainy afternoon (one of many recently), Grampy, Grammy and Camzilla were sitting at the kitchen table. Grammy was having her coffee, Grampy was drawing a moose and Camzilla was painting, her paper, her hands, and her face. But not without asking first, she is always polite and considerate, so how could she be denied this simple pleasure, and of course Grammy said yes. And so we had a red faced granddaughter. She was also painting her fingernails red and then turning her hand upside down on the paper and painting with them. Who said we had to put paint on the paper with a brush. When Grampy asked her what color he should paint the moose, Camzilla said purple, so purple it is. Not only did she paint her hands, but Grampy's and Grammy's as well. She was very excited when she painted Grammy's hand and the paint was brown, " I made brown, I made brown!!" And thus she discovered that mixing yellow and purple make brown. Whenever she is around there are many moments of discovery for her and for us.

Running in the Sprinkler

"Run, Run" she said. "Gammy, put down the camera and run."
She wanted to enjoy the moment. Gammy wanted to save it.

I traced the outline of my granddaughter from a photograph I took of her running through the sprinkler. I filled in the background and added the sprinkler.

A Single Day of Sunshine

One day of sunshine
Between many days of rain
Brings warmth to the soul.

Box in Progress

This is the background for the inside cover to my supply box for "ART IS YOU" in October. This was done in watercolor. It's probably the first time I've done anything in watercolor since I was in high school (a long time ago), except for playing around with splashes of color with my granddaughter. I don't try to do anything recognizable with her since she already looks at something she has done and says, "That's not good". And we have never said anything about her art work that wasn't positive. I'm sure that a watercolor artist would have some pointers, but I was pleased. This is the only copy of the original since it has since been transformed.

This was my first attempt to do a gel medium transfer. I know that I'll do a few things differently next time. Once you lay down the gel print, it can't be moved thus the tilted table.
But it lead to a hand drawn tea cup slipping off the table as you'll see in a later picture.

I had a vague idea of what I wanted to accomplish, but this progressed as an "OK, what do I want to do next?" project. I had purchased an Alice in Wonderland stamp set, and thought I wanted to use that so those went down next. Then I used the curved part of my pie shaped stamp pad to add a border.

A few quotes, some scrolls in the border, a frame around Alice under the table, a few added items, and done. Well almost done. I finished with a coating of gel medium tinted with irridescent copper acrylic to tie it all together. When I showed my husband, he said it looked like dream.

An finally, glued into the top of the box. Now for the next phase, the top of the box.
I have a few ideas based on an article in an older issue of Cloth Paper Scissors

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

39 Years

My husband and I are celebrating our 39th anniversary yesterday and today.
We were actually married on the 30th, but our marriage certificate says the 31st so we get to celebrate for two days. Since we both have everything we need, and probably most everything we want, there really is no need for elaborate gift giving. He gave me pink carnations, my favorite, and also the flower he sent me for Valentine's day when he was in Vietnam in 1970.
He is always the romantic. I'm giving him the framing of a poster (2nd from the last on this page http://www.voodoocatbox.com/voodoocatbox_posters_p.html) that I got for his birthday in July. We spent yesterday being lazy around the house, drinking coffee and talking, he read magazines and fishing catalogs, I covered a shoe box with handmade purple paper (this box will hold my supplies when I go to a 4 day art retreat (http://www.art-is-you.com/ ) in October and then will become a fairy box for my granddaughter). After going to see our ex step granddaughter before she went to the prom, and taking my husband's handicapped brother home from work, we went to the Firehouse Steakhouse ( http://www.flatwoodsfolkart.typepad.com/ ) for dinner. Not because my husband was a firefighter for 25 years, but because they have great food, and the best Ruben I have ever eaten, and I have eaten plenty. We are very fortunate, both in our marriage and our lives and looking forward to the 40th.

Give Away From Flatwoods Folkart

This is a great give away. Check it out.

http://www.flatwoodsfolkart.typepad.com/

Wordless Wednesday

Waiting For The Artists To Return

Backyard Gone Wild

Although I would like to say that it was an environmently sound thing to do,

it was more a matter of time than anything else, that the backyard has gone wild.

Steampunk Bizarre

What is Steampunk?

I had heard the term steampunk, but wasn't quite sure what is was.

According to an article in the Middletown Press, May 22, Joey Marsocci says,

"it is science meets Victorian, late 1800s meets technology."

Noel Coonce-Ewing says, "it's about taking technology and applying it to another time.

What is Steampunk Bizarre?

It was the same article that lead me to Steampunk Bizarre, An Art Show of Ingenious Gadgets and Curiosities. It featured work by two independent artists, Noel Coonce-Ewing and Silas Finch, as well as the work of Joey Marsocci's team at Steam Gear Labs, a prop and film production studio which has recently moved from California to Connecticut.

California's loss is certainly Middletown's gain.

I had the pleasure of meeting Joey, his wife Allison, and Noel this morning at the exhibit's last day. They were all very personable, sharing their stories and their art. Photography was permitted and Joey gave me permission to post my photos on my blog. So I am doing so hoping that it will entice you to visit his blog where the photography is much better than mine and the stories behind the artwork are revealed. It's worth a visit.

BEHIND THE STEAM

For information about the gallery visit

MAC650 ArtSpace

Sculpture by Silas Finch

Parachute Dress

Night Light by Noel Coonce-Ewing

Eye Pod Victrola by Joey Marsocci

Assemblage by Noel Coonce-Ewing

Assemblage by Nicole Coonce-Ewing

Clock which instead of telling time, tells what everyone in the famly is doing.

Joey Marsocci

Amelia Earhart's Navigation System

Joey Marsocci

Just Another Rainy Sunday

We started our day with with rolling thunder and heavy rain,

and we ended our day with rolling thunder and heavy rain, with a burst

sunshine inbetween.

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