Guadalupe at St. Therese in Aurora

My sister is the art teacher at the elementary school St. Therese in Aurora.  She began painting a mural of Guadalupe with her students who graduated yesterday.  I spent the day painting with her and was completely happy to not only be painting but to be with my sister.  It was further a delight to be in a small and happy school with enthusiastic students, and it was surreal to be standing in the halls where my parents went to grade school.  The building hasn't changed too much since then, and I felt a definite connection to the past.  I might be able to paint another day next week in an attempt to finish the project before the end of the year.  I feel privileged to be a part of this project.  Thanks Lisa!

I

Carnival Game: Treasure Island

I remade a carnival game for Abe 's school fundraiser. The base is styrofoam and the carnival chair preferred a more durable surface. So I consulted my creative department, brothers Nick and Jeff, and they recommended doing paper mache over the surface.  I did two layers, then gesso, paint, and finally shellac. The game will have for treasure chests on the x's. Sometimes it's fun to have a challenge that's outside your normal making and doing.

After

Before

Many Moons Weaving

About 8 years ago my parents traveled with my high school Spanish teachers and their students to Peru.  My sister was pregnant with her 3rd child, and I had just found out that I was expecting Abraham.  After a great trip they returned with gifts.  Among them was an old crone doll and a scarf.  The doll sits in my studio--her hair still in two braids and her hands perpetually rolling cigarettes to sell.  My scarf is wound around my neck the majority of year.  It is the perfect weight and warmth.  It's never itchy and goes with just about everything I wear.  If my house was ever on fire, it would be the one thing I'd rescue from the flames.  My mom gave similar scarves to my sisters and my grandma.  The latter would wear hers as faithfully around her shoulders just as my crone doll wears her shawl.  The beautiful reds would show off her white hair.  

Ever since, I've wanted to recreate this scarf, but my lack of knowledge and skills has hindered my efforts.  I'm afraid this project may become my white whale, and if that is the case, please bury me in my failed attempts.
 

This piece that I wove on Martha's loom is one such failed attempt.  It took me many, many moons to complete it considering I sort of abandoned it for other things after I began it.   It was the first time I had worked with such fine gauge wool and the delicate quality of it caused many problems. I either need to take more classes and instruction or just make more pieces. Unfortunately its an expensive medium to experiment with.   Perhaps one day, I can travel to Peru and learn from their long tradition of weaving.  For the time being, I'll be returning to cotton and repurposed jersey tees.

Postage Stamp Pillows

These pillows turn out great every time.  Kids love to give their drawings and paintings a good squeeze.  I don't know if it is detectable here, but this batch is a bit smaller in dimension and together with their crimped edges they make me think of postage stamps which I think would be another idea for this project.  I can imagine older kids drawing portraits of famous people, painting them, and sewing them up.  Oh whimsy . . .

Emma's Pillow

This kitty cat pillow is for Emma who is a fellow student at Penelope's preschool.  Her parents won it at the gala fundraiser. I hope she likes it!

Tie dye bandanas!

 

My inner hippie was happy to hang dry Messy Business bandanas this afternoon. Someday I want to make a quilt using dyed bandanas.  It could be a good class project.  

EAM: I like this stuff!

It was another day making messes at EAM. We tie dyed, finished our bugs, glazed, and read "Pete the Cat". Somehow I forgot to take pictures of it all except these three guys whom I really love.