Let'sTry Maria's Meme Again

Hey all. Dive posted a Maria Meme. I haven't done one in a while so I thought it would be fun. Plus I haven't had much to blog about. I wrote all of this in a Word document and tried to copy/past this to my blog last night to no avail. All sorts of idiotic error messages. So I am hand-typing my answers. Ok. I'll try to copy-paste one more time.
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1) ONE OF YOUR SCARS. HOW DID YOU GET IT? I have so many! I’ll take my ankle surgery scars! I got churned up by an ocean wave and shattered my ankle. Five broken bones! Surgeon thought it was caused by either a football injury or a motorcycle accident.

1) 2) WHAT IS ON THE WALLS OF YOUR BEDROOM? Some cheesy naked nymph from the days I worked as a picture framer.

1) 3) WHAT DOES YOUR MOBILE PHONE LOOK LIKE? Flat black and boring. Who cares?

1) 4) WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO? Miles Davis and John Coltrane interspersed with the Clash, Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, old Joni Mitchell, Mozart, independent new artists, Allman Brothers, old rock, depending on the mood.

5) DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN? 1:31 a.m.

6) WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW? The school year to end

7) WHO DO YOU MISS? Mom, Michael Canty

8) IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU OR HAS A CRUSH ON YOU? Hopefully my husband,Doug. Crush? That would be hilarious!

9) WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU KISSED? Doug

10) WHAT IS YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Ann

11) THE BEST TV SHOW EVER CREATED? Homicide

12) THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO? Doug is talking now

13) DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK? Not particularly

14) THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY? Mr. Fredericksen from the movie “Up”

15) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE COLOGNE/PERFUME? Eternity by Calvin Klein

16) WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX? Dark hair, blue eyes, but I always end up with the blonde lol.

17) WOULD YOU RATHER BE SMART OR FUNNY? Funny. I am smart according to the accepted IQ tests but it’s not always “fun” to be brilliant \o/. (I think too much)

18) COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINKS? Coffee duh

19) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING? Onion and black olives on cheesy thin crusted New York style pizza

20) IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE? A nice sharp provolone with grapes

21) WHO IS THE LAST PERSON WHO MADE YOU MAD? Stupid scholarship committee at school for picking a butt kisser instead of the most amazing art student I’ve ever had the privilege to teach

22) DO YOU SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE? I used to speak Haitian creole

23) WHAT WAS THE FIRST GIFT THAT YOU REMEMBER SOMEONE GIVING YOU? I’m fixated on the turquoise EZ-Bake Oven for some reason.

24) DO YOU LIKE SOMEONE? yes

25) 25) ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED? No not even close

26) FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND? No I am opposed to brand name anything

27) 27) WHAT IS YOUR DREAM CAR? O Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz…

28) WHAT COLOR IS IT? Gold with classic wood interior

29) WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF EXERCISE? Walking in the woods

30) WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING? Not at my age.

Soggy Bottom Boys- I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow

love the soggy bottom boys. and if the world ends tomorrow, go to your better place. I believe the world will still be for us sinners.

"If you build it they will come."

One of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies. Perhaps it is because of the perpetual soundbite with the voice of James Earl Jones. The Field of Dreams was such a ridiculously satisfying fantasy.

The wonderful inspirational moral about that leap of faith. Build a baseball diamond in a cornfield and the undead, unsung heroes will come back and play for your personal enjoyment. You will save your farm because people will line up and pay a fortune to share this fantasy.

The leap of faith into the unknown. I look at my sister, Shazza. She started her business on a leap of faith and she is now enjoying this wonderful journey. Her store, idiosyncrazies is the coolest store ever!

As for me, I decided to invest a little in my art stuff. I purchased some displays, invested in some giclee printing and all of a sudden things are happening. I did not plan, I did not solicit, but I've been invited to an invitational show, asked to teach adult classes and I've been getting checks! I sold an original at the Degas show and a print at the school benefit.

Oh and I need them because I have agreed to a pay freeze (because we teachers are supposedly overpaid welfare queens), I have a kid in college and another kid who is a talented, traveling musician. She is going to Hawaii and was invited to play in Europe and oh (I have to pay for it)

A wise man, Robert Andriulli, once told me "Do not go out and look for showing opportunities. Wait until they come looking for you."

I never expect to live from the proceeds of my art making habit, but it's nice to get a few bucks and a little recognition.

Degas Project - New Painting

Hello old friends,

Here is a painting at about 95% completion that I painted for the Degas Project held in York, PA.

The York Art Association invited thirty local artists to sketch and photograph dancers from the Greater York Dance Studio as long as we could come up with a somewhat finished and framed piece within three weeks. I brought my sketchbook and took about 200 photos on April 10th. The painting is due to Art Association tomorrow!

I photographed this painting on Monday afternoon using natural light. I must admit I took it back into the studio to touch it up and correct a few things.

I enjoyed painting the little dancers but I must admit I stretched them out a bit. In trying to capture their lovely movements I elongated their little legs, arms and particularly the neck on the girl to the left. I guess this was more of a Modigliani Project for me (haha).

Brick Wall

I hit the proverbial "brick wall" yesterday. I really did. I really, really did.
I remember about a month ago, I checked my April calendar. I remember thinking that the middle two weeks would be absolute insanity.

I am reaping the fruits of that insanity.

I have had something scheduled every single day (after work) and on weekends. These would be meetings, classes, field trips to Pittsburgh (but the Andy Warhol Museum was well worth the drive!) Long nights, little sleep. Oh and kids concerts and invitations to Youth Music Abroad, and signing away income tax money and field trip money and forwarding money and having no money and freaking and stressing and not sleeping and.....

I committed to the Degas project. A photo/sketch shoot of dancers at a studio. We have three weeks to turn in a painting. I thought it was a cool idea but I haven't had a free moment. I know you think I am on the internets blogging, but....

I am writing curriculum for four new classes. I thought I had until July. I have just been informed that it is all due on April 26th.

The day after the Pittsburgh trip I couldn't find my keys. I left them in my unlocked car. The Monday after I could not find my keys, went out to my car, found no keys. Walked back to my desk, found my keys but left my purse. I discovered I was purseless at the halfway to home point. I wasted about a half hour retrieving said purse. Last night I locked my keys in my car while daughter was taking flute lessons. After the "coat hanger treatment" failed, flute teacher's husband took my husband and daughter home while I sat in her gazebo, trying to stay dry. Thunder struck and the dogs howled. I huddled in the gazebo like a homeless person waiting about an hour for the hubby to return. I stopped at the supermarket. When I pulled into the drive I received a call that I left my checkbook at the supermarket. It was close to nine, I was exhausted. I retrieved the checkbook.


I have wasted hours looking for lost things.

Today I came in and a substitute teacher rearranged my desk. I could not find anything. Why do people insist on rearranging my desk. I know it is messy, but I thrive in creative chaos. I hate neatness.

I could not find crap today.

Oh, and Dive, I tried writing, it was crap. I haven't had time to fix it so... The hell with it.

Chalk it Up!

Every year the YorkArts organization hosts the Chalk it Up! Mural competition for high school students. I was happy to sponsor two teams from my high school's National Art Honor Society. It is a fun, but stressful afternoon. The students must complete a carpet sized chalk mural on canvas in four and a half hours.

The first photo is of Team #1's finished mural. (Sorry it was a little difficult to photograph). This mural took second place in the competition. Eighteen teams participated.

If you click on this photo you might be able to see some of the rich textures applied by these wonderful students!


Team#2 is working very hard on their mural. Rachel loves to draw dragons and imaginary creatures. I think she did an incredible job. Unfortunately her team did not win anything.



It must be very difficult for these young students to work on such a collaborative mural.

Personalities and heads tend to clash, coupled with a short deadline. One student lost an Ipod.

All in all the results these year were tenfold greater than the last two years!

The kids are covered with chalk and pastel.

The public is amazed that our students are so talented.

If we do not support the arts, opportunities like this will disappear.

Our governor wants to make drastic cuts in school funding.

Back in the burrow

Spring seems to have flown the coop. Winter weather patterns persist. Snow is flying and temps are hovering just above freezing. Yuck.

I have retreated to the burrow once again.