Still Working on Prom, Visual Art Scholastic Event, and artwork for my college class...

No wonder I am tired. Three nights a week we stay until 7 or 8 pm working on the Prom. This week the students with projects for VASE stayed too, and last night I think I saw what it would be like to have an AP class - 7 students, all working or helping each other. Art was spoken there, and we 'danced' - it was pure joy to work with these kids who care so much and worked so hard. This was teaching and learning at it's very best!

What a beginning!!

First boo boo of the New Year!!

I was thinking about Charleen, and had gone back through her blog, and WISHED for a doll, and that I hadn't let this or that get away from me, and how long it had been since I heard from her and I had also been looking through Leslie's things and wondering how she's doing and why I hadn't bought one of those cute pillows for my daughter - and well these two lovely people sorta melded together and when I wrote my post, I said Charleen's lovely blog had the blog follower gadget, when in fact it was Leslie FunkyArtQueen (I just relearned how to put the name not the URL!!!) who had it on her blog! So thanks Leslie!! Happy New Year!!!!

New Year's Resolutions!!

2009!!! Where does the time go???
I'm making a resolution to be more 'art-full' and keep up with my blog journaling. Sadly, it may be the only record of ever having lived, since I can't seem to get into the handwritten journaling or even letter writing!
But another 2009 resolution is to be GUILT-FREE!! Be HAPPY!!
Do the best I can, be honest about the time I DO have, and quit WHINING about what I don't have time for!!!
And of course....loose 30 lbs, exercise, and stop procrastinating....same as the last 20 years!! I am at least consistent!!

I saw this cool little 'followers' gadget on dear Charleen's blog http://atime4art.blogspot.com and I've seen this several times since. What a neat little gadget! So I'm adding it to mine! Here's the link with instructions!!
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=104225

Best wishes to all, have a glorious New Year, love and health to you and your families, and keep in touch!! Deb

A Newer Piece - from the summer!!

Can't believe it's been 4 months since I worked on this one!! It is so hard to find time(whine, whine!) This one is part of a series called 'Burials'. I used the modeling paste and salt on gessoed watercolor paper and wrote(RANTED) and drew in the mix. The colors just don't show up in the pictures, I need to try Dan's camera before I blame the camera, but this is a huge room and it has old style fluorescent lighting. Anyway, this is so pretty up close. I drew some shapes, and then just wrote and wrote and wrote over the writing, then drew more over the writing, I had 3 pieces of w/c paper tacked down and drew around those too. That's the flat areas with the copper and wire with the key (notice I've only finished one!) I have the others, just haven't finished. I have the paper ready for several more, but the writing/drawing is a one time process, it dries fast, and there are no 'do-overs'. The painting part is more relaxed and it's a nice change from the frantic 'vomit' of the first part. I've done this sereral times now, and there is much serendipity with the process.

Updates on artwork!!!

Here's an update on this piece. Should have been done a long time ago - isn't that a line in a song?? Color is a little off in both of these. Closer to the bright one, but it's washed out. Tags are nearly done, still haven't decided how to attach them...
I really love this piece, it is the most personal one I've done. Once school starts I can hardly find my butt with both hands, much less find time to work on my own art. AHHHHH.....retirement!!!! In 8 years, or TEN if I wait until I'm 65....hmmmmm....that's such a long way off....I need to make time to do what I love, and I LOVE working on my own artwork!!!
Anyway, this is a special piece, I'll get it done this month probably over the Christmas holidays.

'from52to48withlove'

http://www.zefrank.com/from52to48withlove/index.html

This is the sweetest, most idealistic thing I have ever seen...(and these days I am so in love with idealistic- and I cry alot, but it's okay, I am growing and becoming - 'born in the summer of his 27th year' how about 'born in the autumn of her 55th year'???)

Check out this site - photos of love and healing for the '48' from the '52'. Add your picture and love. An art teacher put the site in her posting to the Getty Teacher Art Exchange Discussion Group Digest - I want to do this too - a shout out to all the '48' -

The 'blues' love you!!!

We know you are hurting, and we are sad for you, for our country - but we are joyous too, for the possibilities, for how far our country came in one day - let's do this together, I'll reach toward you, as you reach toward me, and we'll help lift each other up!

Yes We Did!!! A New Day for America!!!

What an amazing speech! I am SO proud to be an American!!!!

Here is an AWESOME excerpt from President Elect Obama's speech last night. I think it won't be long before kids are memorizing his speeches for speech tournaments and assemblies!!

"America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America"

Barack Obama

I cried. I am so proud of my country!!

Here is the "Yes We Can" video - it is also so wonderful. I love this site because it also has OLD campaign commercials from as early as 1952!!!

http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2008/yes-we-can-web

Ribbon at the Odessa Art Association Show!!

I put the 'Eye to Eye' piece in the Odessa Art Association show in March and I WON first in mixed media!!! Wow! I was so excited! It turned out so well, and the frame made a huge difference in how it looked - I'm glad they didn't have a gold frame that size, because the black is perfect. Only 60 pieces get into the show out of 200+ entries and I had TWO pieces accepted. I was SHOCKED when I walked in, it was right at the entry, what a wonderful surprise!

'Enchanted Evening' Prom 2008

Prom was last night, I've slept 12 hours, and I am still exhausted. Here's a few pictures of all the great kids and faculty who work on it, then put it up. 800' of 11' paper walls!!!
It was so beautiful - very classy and elegant.
Now I have to shovel out the art room, although I must say, it's been MUCH worse in previous years when we kept most of the decorations for some other group to use. I looked in the dome this afternoon - GONE- no evidence of the prom, like it never happened!!

Unnerving, dream or nightmare, but OVER for another year.
































































Wow, just looking at the pictures makes me tired!!!
Good thing it's only once a year!!!

This coming weekend, My DH and I, are traveling to Houston with 3 art kids to the State Visual Art Scholastic Event in Houston. We get to stay 3 days!! Our hotel is in Galveston - the Ramada on Seawall Blvd. right on the beach, and the kids are THRILLED!!! Me too! I'll have more pictures to add later to this blog and my school art blog.