some of my work

This is an oil painting on canvas and is part of a series I have been working on since summer 2008. All the canvases are different sizes and are following suits of cards and major Arcana cards from Tarot.
This is from another smaller series called "Out to Eat" They are small drawing simply of what was on the table when I went out to eat. Several are ink and are smaller then a postcard.

To see more of my work go to myartprofile.com

Fall semester classes at the museum

I teach Saturdays children's classes at the museum. The students range in age from 7-10 ,so they are 1-5 grade. This fall I was teaching "Drawing and Painting with the galleries" Which enhanced the use of an artwork within the gallery's collection each week along with artwork students create based around a work of art each week.

We completed collages based on Juane Quick to See smiths work.
http://mag.rochester.edu/seeingAmerica/essays/72.swf
to see the image of the panting we looked at follow the above link

The example above is by Zoe.
we focused on layering images and collaging then used gloss medium varnish along with acrylic paints to layer and adhere the images.For subject matter we discussed that the images and the stytle of clothing shown in the painting represent a native american women. I encouraged students to find and collage images that represented themselves.

Public art project applications

I am waiting on a decision on the grant proposal I put in for painting a mural on the side of the Historic ELKS lodge in the Corn Hill building. I want to incorporate local area youth in the PLEX, Corn hill and surrounding neighborhoods along with the Artist's of the Flying Squirrel to create a mural which reflects the neighborhoods history and future.





I had previously finished some sketches for the Nazareth Benches on parade project.I worked very hard on my submissions and several other artists did as well.I will say I was disappointed by the inconsistency of how the submissions were displayed for the opening for sponsors to choose bench's. The food was great, it was a good way to showcase the new Nazareth arts center.There was in consistency however in when resume's and descriptions were shown or not shown.In my case my two submissions were not grouped together either.



I feel like all of the descriptions should either be posted or not posted.


Either the images should have spoken for themselves or the artists background and experience should have been the vessel of communication with the audiences.
Several of the images were made by high school or college students. Some were to be painted by groups of students.This would have been helpful information for the sponsor viewers to know and may have changed some people's minds about the work.




The last thing I will say is. The guidelines of the the submission was that hey were to be made on the offical submission form. Yet artist's did not follow this guideline still had there works displayed. I found this very unfair for those of us who had adhered to the project guidelines.


Some were created in different formats and were displayed on large foam boards, they were not on the offical form.



I am now working on a thrird grant proposal and finding this one to be equally as challenging.
Wish me luck!

So I went through Sept, with few sub calls. I was worked on grant applications and looking into sole propreteiorship of my arts business. I have also looked into teaching artist opportunties. S o I was working on those and also applying for work at grocery stores, craft stores etc. All this while also completing my parttime teaching and coordinating work at the Museum.I was then called to fill in for a long term middle school sub assignment. I had alot of fun with this kids .I got to try some new projects and combine some new ideas as well.

The sixth class completed several projects such as: T- shirt designs, creating recyled paper,line deisgns, they also worked on the Mona drawing assignment and made leaf collages.

I orgianlly came up with the leaf collage assignment while teaching in Arkansas. I made take my dog to walk in the park and was anmored with the colors, shapes and textures of the leafs.

I collect the leaf while I press them between my books. Students then create four varitions of the leaf. They make a drawing og the leaf with oil pastels, then make a second samll drawing with colored pencil of the same leaf. when the drawings are completed they brush paint onto the back veins of the leaf and create a leaf print on white paper.The students then take all four variations of their leaf and the actual leaf and collage them onto paper.


I have doen this assignment with sixth and seventh grade and found that most students had sucess with it.

7th grade students completed half magazine images. Students had a chance to choose an image form the internet that they had printed as well. They cut the image in half and glue one hlaf to paper then draw the other half.

Drawing by 7th grade student Rachael.

Drawing by Haley



Eigth grade students like to show off for one another so I figured "Why don't we use this to our advantage?" The students modeled for each other and created a series of simple gestural drawings based on the others students poses.
They then look at their drawings and choose eight poses that they liked. They postioned those three figures toghether and drew tehm again vertically on watercolor paper in permenent marker. After drawing the three figures they paininted the background with watercolors using water color techniques:salt, scratching, layering and resist.

Sunday of the Arts

I have spent most of the summer busy working and then filling up my free time moving into a new place. Slowly but surely the new place is beginning to feel like home. So in the swirling busyness that was all that. I had a little time to dance and did a live dance performance as well. Yet, I did not get to all the art events I wanted to. I heard I missed some goods ones too.

So yesterday before going to the art opening at high Falls I went to check out Artists Row at The Public Market.





This is my friend Gia. Gia creates these very bright and beautiful watercolor images. They are often of animals, can be female figures or of fantasy creatures.
She tries to give some love to what she calls "natures misfits".

To see more of Gia's work go to
http://giaconti.com/


This is Rachael. She does this fantastic mixed media drawings and paintings. She uses watercolor, old library cards and magazine images she cuts them into figurative shapes them hinges them with small decorative paper brads to create paper dolls.
To see more of Rachael's work or buy her dolls go to http://www.etsy.co/shop.php?user_id=8563







This is Katie, I meet her at Clothesline and have enjoyed talking to her.... She is part of the NY figure study guild, is a photographer and a mixed media painter...
I have copied the link to her link on the NY figure study page. This features her photographic nudes.
http://http//www.nyfigurestudyguild.com/Kate-Lipsky

I have been very drawn to her mixed medai work featuring imagery of crows.....

I was told to go check out this guys work by Tim, gia's boyfrend. I recommend you check it out.


http://http//www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5390423
The work uses all guitar strings and nail polish for the stained glass look.



I was also lucky enough the meet with and be photographed with two others artists at the Centre at high Falls opening.I am in the center near my painting " Three of Swords" and Margaret is the artist who created the neon macrame piece on my left is the the photographer who took the photo just under mine.

Ps not internet at new place so I may take a bit to get to everything...

My works included in new art show!

Some very sucessful summer lessons

I have been busying my self with summer art Camp plans. I taught a week of art lesson and projects related around art museums and careers at the art museum. All the staff at the art gallery I work at more wonderful. They were all more then willing and very eager to work with the children. To answer their questions and tell them about the work they do.

The students got behind the scenes tours of shows as they were being curated. They got to talk to facilities crews and members of the education department.

At the end of the week all the students art works were hung in a small gallery space and parents and families were invited to come see. We created a scavenger hunt for children to complete with their families. They were to find images pictured within the artworks.

Projects included the Peanut Butter Car challenge. Student were simply asked to draw a car that runs on peanut butter. Follow up questions were: Think about the challenges a car like this would have? What effect would it have on local wildlife? Where would the car be filled? What if the car leaks?

We talked a lot about framing and why certain frames are chosen for certain art works. We discussed frames being a work of art and how they need to draw the eye into the art work.
We created frames with tongue depressors and texture paint. We used palette knifes, toothpicks and butter knifes to create textures on the frames.
Students assembled frames first then created small op art inspired pieces to put inside them. We created multiple works then choose our favorite to put inside the frame. Then we added the colored paint that would best work with our artwork and added a repeating pattern to the work.













We created Mona Lisa drawings and looked at several examples of how artists have altered the work and created their own pieces with it. I have done this lesson before with elementary, 5th grade and 7th grade junior high students and I have always enjoyed what students come up with. I also bring in a giant fleece panel of the Mona Lisa and kids attach felt shapes to it.



















Alexa's "Many Mona's" drawing

The next assignment was to create a drawing of two different animals combined.


Optional extra assignments were two pencil drawing. Which uses two pencils held together to draw with.