Flower Arrangement Idea, Poppies

I saw this flower arrangement in the Wall Street Journal yesterday.  Lindsey Taylor used a work of art (Brice Mardens "The Sisters") to inspire her.  Here is a link to the article, Poppy Art.  The flowers she uses are oriental poppies, french tulips, black pussy willow branches, a branch of forced forsythia, icy blue tweedia, and a few daffodils.  (description is from the article, I wish I knew the names of each plant)  This reminded me of when the Utah Museum of Fine Art did "Art in Bloom"  in 2009 where florists responded to works of art with floral arrangements, and displayed them next to the artwork.  

Cleaning out Drawers

I hate throwing things away.  So I scan it and then throw it away......  Here are some things I found that I decided to keep here, not taking space in my house.

Article, Evoking the Past with Dusty Letters

About the artist 

Dana Tanamachi

Book, An Extraordinary School, Re-modelling special education, edited by Sarah James

I attended a seminar where Sarah James spoke about the living in Australia and finding this school for her daughter who needed a special education.  

The school, called the Port Phillip school uses the arts to help students learn.  

Not just the visual arts but music, dance, theater!  I loved her presentation, the model she presented and the outcome they achieved at this school.  Now I can throw the flier away, Im getting the book!  As a side note, I will never send my children to a school where the arts are not taught or included.  I agree with Sir Ken Robinson on this one.

Beautiful Polish wrapping paper 

I got over ten years ago in Poland  (Im not throwing it away, not until I copy the lovely Wicinanki patterns)

Ok instead of posting each thing separately, lets put these all together

Title: My Overflowing Drawers of Paper

Turn turn turn

I realized that people look at my blog and it is horribly designed. Im working on it.  Web design is something new to learn more about but the last thing I want to do is sit in front of a computer. The website pugly pixel has helped me a ton in creating a static blog.   She has great design ideas on her site and free tutorials.  I have been working on my childrens art blog childrensartclasses.blogspot.com We will see how it all comes together.  I told my high school students that I would update this blog.  Sorry about that, I have been to busy living the good life!

Singing electricians and a blinking baby

My summer of painting has turned into a summer of tiling bathrooms in my basement and running to Home Depot.  I have to admit that laying tile can be artistic, but it is lacking expression.  I have a goal to post something once a week.  I hope my students can find this blog.  I accidentally put cloudsmovefaster.blospot.com on the card I gave them.  Parents may be concerned.  It points out a very important point to proofread things you give to people.  Gummy Bear (my baby) is seven months old today (he is still in my belly).  I just learned that he can blink and dream.   There isnt much to see inside the womb, I wonder what he is dreaming about? 

The dedication

Today there was the dedication of the High School, volunteer house (that I am in right now) and the new dining hall. The students were so excited to see their parents! There was a big program with speakers and dancing. I was in charge of watching the UKG (Kindergarten) kids, which meant stopping fights, keeping them from running to sit with their parents (which I did not like at all) and handing them stars when they got up to sing. They have not seen their parents for a month or two. The parents were waving at them and calling their names. Since most of their families have been affected by leprosy they can’t ride buses so Rising Star picks them up in their vans from train stations, and villages. The students were smashed against the bar windows in their classrooms, climbing up them, looking for their parents. Parents brought home made food and treats for each one of their kids. They didn’t really care about the dedication ceremonies; they just wanted to spend time with their little ones. Watching the dancers that prepared for so long perform perfectly was amazing. I got to braid their hair this morning and help them get ready after one of the house moms helped me put on a sari. After the kids sang “ I’m a rising star” all the families went out into the mango grove, sat on mats and ate lunch. The Marriott catered lunch and they served Biriani with Raita sauce. MY FAVORITE. After photographing as many families as I could I sat down and ate with them. The Marriott donated $25,000 dollars today! It was one of those days where you feel like you are in a movie and a super cool song starts playing as the camera zooms into your smiling face.

The art of the Sari

I’ve never been the kind a girl that wears a bunch of jewelry, but today was special, and I think I have been converted. I was really excited to wear a sari for the celebration today, but I had two things going against me. The first one is that I have no clue how to put a sari on, and the second is that “for religious and personal reasons” I did not want to show my stomach. A miracle solved my second problem. A head band I made for this trip out of black stretchy material fit perfectly over my white belly. The first concern vanished as a house mother pulled me into her room and was excited to help put my sari on. If you do it wrong the whole thing can fall off. You need about 3 safety pins to keep it in place. After being wrapped over and over, the sari finally fit. When the house mother realized that I didn’t have earrings or a necklace to wear she grabbed her jewelry box, pushed her earrings through the vacant holes in my ears, and put a beautiful necklace around my neck. She finished me off with a bindi on my forehead and two red marks above it. I have never felt so beautiful; I even wore my ankle bracelets with bells. I may turn into a toe-ring-wearing, jewelry person.

Mogli the man cub

This one is for you mom. They mentioned a mural in the library when I first got here, but when I asked some of the staff they said no way, it would distract the kids. I was kind of relieved to hear that. Next thing I know the people who donated money to the library had given “specific instructions” to have a mural painted in the library and I was asked to do it. I started out with an illustration from “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr Seuss and I ended up with this scene from the Jungle Book. I had to work during our breaks, late at night, and beg for the volunteer directors to let me paint. I will admit I was a bit discouraged about being asked to paint and then not being allowed time to do it. But in the end, with help from my dear friends Dani and Bailey, It was finished. The quote makes it a bit busy, but it’s a good quote. Be the change. Once you see you own the responsibility to do. Becky Douglass said that.