My Art Education Course at ASU

I created these educational flyers for my Art Education class.  I had to create a "visual" lesson plan - handouts for Middle School aged children on the artist Frida Kahlo and on one of her paintings.  I am pleased with the handouts.  I went to Kinko's and had them laminated as well. 

Good Bye to Someone dear to me.

My grandmother passed away this February.  It was painful to lose her.  She and I had much in common.  She is missed and will be missed.  I had to work through my art projects and school and try to keep it together.  My midterm watercolor painting has a somber tone to it, and once the grading is complete, I will post it.  It was a struggle to work through.  I almost gave up on the whole process.  But figured it would not do any honor to my grandmother's name by giving up.  I was not able to attend the funeral in CA, but my 2 sons were there for me.  I was grateful to have been blessed with two very caring and good hearted sons.  My grandma was a sweet woman that was in a great deal of pain and needed an end to come.  She truly is in peace, released from the physical bonds of a dying body.  Her spirit can now be free, and she can meet up with the love of her life, my grandfather and they can travel the rest of their time together....joyful, pain free, and at peace. They were married in the month of February, my grandfather died 20 years ago in the month of February and my grandmother just died in the month of February.  My grandma kept telling me that she would die in February, and yet each year she keep on living!  But this time her heart gave out and she died on the very last week of February.  My son was also born in the month of February and on his two year birthday to the date, Grandpa died.  We have all decided that Caleb my son needs a break from February deaths.  I hope you will check out the painting once it's posted. It will probably be up sometime after spring break.

I survived Painting 1 Critique!!!

I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep the night before.  I made it through and actually felt "okay" afterwards.

Painting 1 Class: Quick A La Prima still life paintings

We had to paint a still life that was provided...spheres, egg shaped spheres and brown bags!  We also had to paint this in a 3 hour class period, wet-on-wet oil on primed paper.  We were to also cover the entire paper before beginning any refinements to the painting.   I was only able to get to the second step toward the very end of the class, but was able to cover the entire paper.  Not an exciting composition, but a challenge to paint.

The studio where I work - my painting on the easel. 

Watercolor: Starting on Apples - a work in progress.

Rules: Red and its analogous colors.  Green and its analogous colors.

I promise there is apples in there... the next image will show.

Green apples one step further...

Red apples in progress...

Learning to work with different types of watercolor papers as well... Red apples on hot press and green apples on cold press.  I find I like the cold press better... I like the flow of the water and paint on the surface as it bleeds here and there.  The hot press has been an extreme challenge.  

Still Life in Water Color Class

This is a still life using only the primary colors and mixing by layers on the paper to create our green, orange and violet.  We had to paint six objects: one red, blue, yellow, green, orange and violet.  I struggled with trying not to paint like a drawing.  I had to get looser with it at each stage. Our next project: apples.

Abstract Painting - Painting 1

Our assignment was to paint an abstract composition using only 2 complementary colors and white.  We had to have extremely clean lines, mix as many colors as we can from the two colors and make it as smooth as humanly possible (no brush strokes).  My colors were permanent light green and light cadmium red.
This is my first geometric abstract painting.

Face to Face Artists Talk - Schoebel and Doogan

I was exhausted and almost didn't go, but I am so glad I changed my mind.  I gathered up the strength to go to this Artist Talk at the Tempe Center for the Arts.  I was impressed with the conversation but even more so with the art.  It is so important to hear what artists are trying to say in their work.  I was really impressed with Bailey Doogan's work.  If I had not gone to the talk, I would have said to myself, another angry woman-feminist!  But it was not that at all.  She was making a statement about her body, the natural beauty of aging and the hurt that was experienced when she was dismissed as an artist - as being too old and non relevant to today's art.  If you do not experience her work, you have missed out!!!  They are massive works of art and massive in impact as well.  Her website is www.baileydoogan.com .  Check out her work and her resume.

Wanxin Zhang - A Ten Year Survey at the ASU Museum

I went to the visiting artist lecture today at 11:00 a.m. at the ASU Art Museum.  It gave a whole new perspective on Zhang's work.  He talked about his youth growing up in China and his journey here to America. He talked about being a student of art in China and then again a student of art in America.  He talked of the propaganda and control in his home country and how he desired to be free to create the kind of art he desired to.  He only had references from magazines as to art outside of China as a child and young artist.  Check his work www.wanxinzhang.com .  It's worth it!!! AND I would advise strongly going to the opening night, February 19th, 7:00 to 9:00.

Very Tired!

It is interesting trying to shuffle my art supplies and artwork back-and-forth on the Orbit bus.  To most it would seem an easy task, but I have to overcome huge physical obstacles to make the simplest tasks possible.  I grow weary of being overlooked, dismissed and set aside just because I'm a little older than the average student.  I'm not on my retirement plan, playing Sunday afternoon grandma artist, filling my boring days with "little" art classes.  I am in the trenches with the rest!  But I do grow very tired.

The Fundred Truck is on Its Way!!!

We are so excited that the Fundred truck is on its way to the ASU -Nelson Museum on February 25th 10:00 am!!!  Orlando has his posted on the ASU Art Museum Website!!!  It's exciting to be part of such a great project.  I was lucky enough along with Eddie to create a Fundred Bill too.  I hope that all of you take part in this great outreach!
Check out Orlando's Fundred: http://designapathway.blogspot.com/
And Check out the ASU Link too:  http://asuartmuseum.asu.edu

Watercolor Class - First watercolor study ... be kind.

These are the first watercolor studies in monochromatic color scheme that I have ever done in watercolor.  Not anything to write home about, but felt it was something to blog.

A Must See!

"Between The Folds"  You can watch it on YouTube and type in (Between The Folds).  It was on PBS.  You can see some pieces of it on YouTube.  It's about Origami and how it is applied to the arts, and then extends beyond to mathematicians, scientists and more.  IT IS AMAZING!!!  The work is mind blowing!  It goes way beyond making birds out of paper.

Working on an abstract painting.

Not my thing, but I'm doing my best!  I'll post pictures when it's done... but be kind-please!

This is one of my painting studios - Wow...

This is my Painting 1 studio...