Rabbits, Rabbits Everywhere!

I'm On Spring Break and There's New Art Posted On Etsy...Finally!

This week I've been off work for spring break, so I've been trying hard to do the things that I haven't had time to do during a normal work week! I've been spring cleaning the apartment, working in the yard, and working on new art.
I finally found the time to put my newest paintings up on Etsy. Please go have a look at them and spread the word, too!
Since I've already posted most of the new pictures for you to see, I'll post some of my spring break pictures for you to see this time instead...

Here's the full moon from Monday night. I had a one-woman (and a dog), late-night ceremony that night in my yard. In my ceremony, I acknowledged all the things in my life that needed to change. This time of year is about death and rebirth. So I wrote those things down on little strips of paper, and then burned them, one by one. Then, to symbolize my rebirth, I planted a handful of moonflower seeds. It felt quite empowering.
The rest of the pictures are from a few appearances the Easter Bunny has made around here in the last few days. He's fast...But my camera's faster!

Maneki Neko and A Little Art, Too

I am currently teaching my 6th graders about Maneki Neko, The Lucky Cat. As I was searching for examples to show them, pictures that my third graders created years ago kept coming up in my search results. Since I posted the art of my third graders, I will have to do the same for the Maneki Neko collages my 6th graders are making. Be on the lookout!
Meanwhile, I've been quite busy with some artwork of my own, in preparation for my art display at Red Star Bar beginning March 26. I felt I needed some new material for the show, since I've shown there before, and didn't want to show all the same pieces. So, here is a sample of what I plan to hang.

The End Of Two Eras...

Anne Frank writing in her journal

My favorite picture of Anne Frank because her hair looks so cute!

Miep Gies in the Spring and Winter of her life




Two things of note have touched my heart in recent days. These two things are quite different from one another in most ways, but in at least one way they are connected.
The first event is the death at age 100 of Miep Gies, the woman who harbored Anne Frank and her family for two years in Germany to avoid their capture by the Nazis, and who saved Anne Frank's diary. I find it amazing when anyone lives to be 100 years old to begin with, but it is truly fascinating to think that someone who is a thread in the tapestry of our world's history from such an unbelievable time, and from such a memorable and impactful event, that seems larger than life, lived to be 100 years old and was still receiving large amounts of mail before her death. I don't think I'm alone in saying that I, as a girl, always felt a connection to Anne Frank and have also always been in awe of the many people who, like Miep Gies, risked their own lives to help people like Anne Frank during the Holocaust. Anne Frank touch the lives of so many people, especially girls and women, and taught us what it means to have strength, courage, and perseverance in life. She also taught us to see the beauty in life and maintain hope, even in the darkest of circumstances. By the example she set in her short life, she spread beauty and hope to those around her, and then to the world when her diaries were published. And without Miep Gies, none of us would have had the chance to experience the beauty, hope, courage, and strength of Anne Frank.
The other event that has been the end of an entirely different era for me, was the loss of "Bayou Shimmy" to a fire on January 1, 2010. Bayou Shimmy was the heart of the belly dance community in Baton Rouge. It was headed by Charlie "Shamsi" Pettus and Kaye Noura Buhler Skakri about 7 years ago. It was located next door to The Caterie, a local bar. It was a place where women (and a few men) of all ages, shapes, sizes, races, and personalities would gather to celebrate the art of middle eastern dance, and celebrate being women (and a few men). It has been a while since I was enrolled in a class there, but I always knew I could return any time. Well, that's what I get for relying on permanence. I know that many changes will come from this and that change can sometimes be painful. However, I also know that the women (and a few men) who were a part of Bayou Shimmy now share this connection and the seeds of that connection will now spread and grow.
So I suppose I feel as though these two VERY different events are connected to each other in my eyes because they revolve around the souls of strong, beautiful, and amazing women (and a few men) who have touched and inspired more people than they will probably ever know.


"Gypsy Hips" dance troupe of early Bayou Shimmy days. I'm the second one from the left.

Yay!

Making art is something that I do...because I have to. It's as important to me as breathing. But when it's noticed and appreciated by others, I can't help but to get excited about it. It makes me feel so grateful that something I created, from somewhere deep in my soul and imagination, can be genuinely enjoyed by someone else. I recently sent a press release to the local paper, The Advocate, about some of the artwork my students have been creating in my art class at school. The journalist, Christy Futch, who wrote the article ended up coming out to Donaldsonville with her photographer to take some pictures of the work and get more information about what we've been doing, and another article was done about my art program. I mentioned my Etsy site to her, in case she was interested in ever doing a piece on my artwork, outside of school. She said she was coincidentally already working on a piece about local artists who use Etsy to sell their work, and that she'd love to involve me. I was thrilled, because I honestly thought it was a long shot when I mentioned it. So yesterday, I rode out to her office, had my picture taken, and will be featured in the paper sometime next week! Then, as if that weren't enough excitement for me, I checked my email this morning and found that she had ordered 3 paintings from my Etsy site! I just can't express how great that made me feel. I mean, she needs to have stories to write about, so I couldn't totally say that she was featuring me due to her true love of my artwork, you know? But she certainly did not have to make those purchases! She did it simply because she liked my work. I'm just really touched that she wanted them enough to spend her hard earned money on something of mine.
In addition to all of that excitement, I also had a email from the Red Stick Roller Derby Girls who saw my work on my Etsy site and invited me to come to the next Derby Match with my art to display at one of their vendor tables, free of charge! I think I might even make a few painting of chicks on skates!
So...needless to say, my ego has been stroked quite a bit over the last few days, and I'm feeling very happy about my art, and inspired to make MORE MORE MORE!!
Feeling thankful and appreciated. Ahhh. Good stuff. :)

It's My Birthday!

(My sister and me in our authentic Geisha Gear brought home from Japan by my grandparents.)
Today is my 33rd birthday. I'm spending it so far babysitting my newphew, Brady, while my twin sister goes to the doctor. (It's her birthday, too!) I stayed up all night working on a painting, and plan to do more work on it tonight, as well. I don't know what my night has in store otherwise, yet, but I'd like to do some sort of celebrating! I am going to have dinner with my sister, my nephew, and my brother-in-law in a bit. I think it will be Lebanese. MMMMMMM. Happy Birthday to me!

Get it While You Can!

I just put this new painting for sale on ETSY!

It Never Snows In Baton Rouge! But Yesterday, It Did! WEEEEEEEEEE!

Another Great Poem In The Name Of Worms...

Song Of The Worms
By: Margaret Atwood

We have been underground too long,
we have done our work,
we are many and one,
we remember when we were human

We have lived among roots and stones,
we have sung but no on has listened,
we come into the open air
at night only to love

which disgusts the soles of boots,
their leather strict religion.

We know what a boot looks like
when seen from underneath,
we know the philosophy of boots,
their metaphysic of kicks and ladders.
We are afraid of boots
but contemptuous of the foot that needs them.

Soon we will invade like weeds,
everywhere but slowly;
the captive plants will rebel
with us, fences will topple,
brick walls ripple and fall,

there will be no more boots.
Meanwhile we eat dirt
and sleep; we are waiting
under your feet.
When we say Attack
you will hear nothing
at first.

A Few More New Pieces

Back Again

Today I am giving thanks for that little warm feeling in my brain that I feel when I wake from hibernation. I often go through little phases of taking in, and then production. But it's been quite a while since I've "produced" anything of note. I have been very focused on work and also in a bit of a funk in the other areas of my life. So I'm quite grateful to whatever it was that sparked that little fire in my imagination to burn a little brighter lately. :)

Feeling Good...

So, clearly I've been in a funk, which is evident by my lack of art creation and blog posting, etc. However, for the past few days I've been feeling it in me more and more. I started playing around in my moleskin and made some little doodles. Nothing to really jump up and down about, but at least something in me is beginning to stir. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the fact that my computer works again, or maybe I do this every year and it's in my nature to hibernate sometimes. Whatever the reason, it feels good to awaken my senses, stretch my doodling fingers and create something...anything. So here's a little sample. Like I said, it's nothing fancy...

It's Been A While...

So I guess I lied when I said I'd be posting over the summer. I got distracted with summer fun, and also had no internet availability. So now school has started. I'm at my new school in Donaldsonville, and I'm loving it! It is quite different from where I have taught in the past. For one thing, I'm now teaching art to 5th and 6th graders. I used to teach 3rd grade: math, science, social studies, and art. This is quite different. It's also a much different population at my new school. The school is sort of what you'd call an inner city school, except that most of the town doesn't really lie within the "city" but, rather, surrounded by sugarcane fields. These kids have never taken art classes before, so as far as what they know and can do at this point, it's comparable to what my 3rd graders were able to do. It's an amazing opportunity to get to bring the arts into their lives, though. I love it so much. Even the ones that are "trouble makers" are slowly warming up to it and realizing that they don't have to act up in order to have fun in my class. So far, the most challenging part of it is when I try to get them to write about art, because I suppose they see it as "work" but I have high expectations for them and I know they'll eventually come around if I don't give up on them.
Meanwhile, my life is going well outside of school, too. I haven't been creating much art lately, but I am feeling the inspiration creeping in and I know I'm about to start making some new things. I've always sort of gone through waxing and waning periods of production with my artwork. So I'm about to "wax on" as Mr. Miyagi might say. Stay tuned for upcoming developments.

Update...

As you may have noticed, I haven't been posting daily, as I had previously been doing. This is because I'm winding down the school year with my third graders and packing up my class to move to Donaldsonville for next year. It's been very busy as you could probably imagine, so please don't think I have abandoned my blog. I promise to begin posting more regularly probably by Saturday, when I will officially be on summer vacation! Don't forget about me! I'm still here, loving my blog and my few, but faithful readers!
In the meantime, here are some pictures of what we've been up to in class. My kids sure do love me!

Donaldsonville

Last weekend, I went to Donaldsonville to check out the town I will be working in next school year. (Remember my promotion?)
These first two are of the ride over the Sunshine Bridge, which I will ride across every day next year. I know the plants are not typically something you like to see, but sometimes I think they are like Emerald City or something. My way of ignoring the problem, I suppose.


Once across the bridge, Maria needed to take care of some business at the bottom of the levy. Can you see her? She looks so tiny!

Here we are! The enterance to Donaldsonville! Did you know that for a year it was Lousisana's temporary capital? From 1930-1931.

I tried to go to the Houmus House, a lovely plantation, to see their beautiful gardens, but it cost $20 per person to go on a tour and I was broke, so I had to peak through the gate to steal a few pictures!