Morning mosaic

So yesterday I dug out my mosaic glass pieces and a wood shadowbox tray and brought them in along with a nontoxic caulking glue and brought them in for my morning before school program kids to use. They initially responded the same way they do to most things"Do you want to try this?" I ask."No" they respond. I decided to lay out a design and start filling it in. After awhile of watching they decided to get involved. After an hour and some direction 4 or 5 kids had it finished.This is what we got.

food inspirations

So My friend introduced to these amazing gourmet cupcakes. Orginally, I was against the idea. I thought "I can make a batch of cupcakes with what it costs for two of those." I went to see my friends..... but now I am so hooked.
They are so good! They make all the ingredients themselves.. no store bought frosting here.The price is good 3.75. I sing their praises from the rooftops.Well actually, I tell people about them and pass out their business cards. I do think about them all the time though. They are not just yummy they are pretty. I even starting writing my own cupcakes song changing John Denvers "Sunshine".

Check out the bake shoppe http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Rochester-NY/Sugar-Mountain-Bake-Shoppe/191868730420

I starting thinking about making cupcake paintings in 3d texture paints.Then thought jewelry. Well I went in their the other night to bring some cupcakes home and we got to talking about the jewelry idea. So I will be making my own line of Sugar Mountain Bake Shoppe inspired cupcake jewelry.

I will be making pins, earrings and barrettes necklaces and charms for bracelets,backpacks, etc.
Above are some pics of product so far. To see more go to: sculptresslink.etsy.com

Work on mural mock up at HER event

This last weekend at The Flying Squirrel was an all woman's art event called "HER" it featured local poets, artists and dancers. The event was put on by Diane Conway of Culture Starts With Art and the poets group Sista's Sayin Somethin www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=98323585314

Their was artists also working in the back of the room on canvases and they called it the "Live canvas" event. I attended the event and was a "live canvas artist" I was working on a mock up for the mural we will be painting on the side of the building. I announced the mural painting to the audience and that we will be working on the painting and looking for feedback from the community on the image and participation in the mural painting process.
Their was a lot of people at the event in fact more then the Flying Squirrel has ever had at one event before.




For more on the Flying squirrels visit
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1489106950&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100000140036866

Etsy shop hair pieces

I have been inspired by the trends in hair pieces these days and like most other things. I look at and read the price tag then say.I can make that....

I am really getting good feedback on these when I wear them.I enjoy wearing them and feel a little more "dressed up " Then usual with them on.I wear them mostly to the night club or art events. I have worn things similiar for dance performances.

I am using up my wool yarns and getting back to felting by making wool dreads hair pieces and other hair falls as well.

So these are on sale on line on Etsy. Hope you will take a look....
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sculptresslink

Collage inspired by gallery pieces

Most recent projects with art gallery class.
We have been working hard on these collages which were inspired by pieces in the gallery.

I got permission to take photos of the kids and printed them at home on my printer to use in the collage. I also had a friend ask me. "Can you use all the wall paper I have? I am not going to use it." Oh course I said yes. So the pieces in the gallery has: various papers hand made paper, a black and white photo of a little girl in a white dress, ribbon roses and, paint.

We adapted our materials a little.

I have changed the kids faces in these images to protect the children.

Decisions and realizations

So I am an art teacher. Most people ask me after that statement " Where do you teach?" I always assume they want to hear a school name. Some are really impressed when I say "I work at an art gallery". I am working other jobs where I teach art too. Each different job requires a varying amount of instruction and preparation. I have considered working a new full time job doing something other then teaching art..... Mostly for the consistent pay. It is so important to me that my work includes my passion. I am an artist. I love teaching.

I may be able to find other full time work that allows me to pay my bills more easily. But I worked very hard to stay in school and continue to follow my dream of being an art teacher.A Masters degree for me was harder then it is for some.
I have never considered myself brilliant, I do know how to teach art and I am very comfortable doing it. Working at coffee bucks and being a sandwich artist would just not be the same thing as making a joke and hearing kids laugh or hearing "Whoa you can really draw." From a group of kids. I have been doing this for a long time. I have, along with the degree all the children's drawings I have been gifted with over the years to prove it.

so much stuff

So balancing all the stuff I do can prove to be a real challenge. I have to say the computer is down from the internet again.So this makes my continuing process of job applying , blogging and Etsy page posting a real challenge. I am working in spurts at the parents house again until we get this problem solved.Mural planning is still going on as is morning program, dancing and choregraphing pieces has been on a hold for now.... Been working on hairpieces for Etsy and some jewelry work. Some friends have been helping me with photos since it is hard to be both model and photographer.Things still running smoothly at the art gallery I will post new class shots soon. I was lucky enough to attend 3 parties this weekend but alas forgot my camera for all three of them which is a major bummer as they were costumed events.I took some cell phone shots but do not have a way to upload them yet.
I am possibly taking on some other part time work if I can fit it in...

private lessons

So among the many jobs that keep me busy each week I am still home tutoring a private student.He really really likes to draw and we have worked through several themes. Drawing based on Ancient Egypt, Micheal Jackson, anime, NYC architecture,comic strips,watercolor, pen and ink and cartooning but they were all 2d mediums. I wanted to give him a change of pace so I brought out my polymer clay and dental tools. I have really missed working with polymer clay and have gotten behind in my jewelry making. Last week, he created a football player, and a coil basket, then combined them. He also tried his and at some jewelry but I think he got frustrated with that.

This week He created a pig and a dog and then we folded a piece of paper to draw a scene for the clay sculptures we had created.