Summit Self-Narratives

The same students were later asked to create their own narrative self-portraits using all the skills they learned. Here are some of the stories they shared with me.

Frida Value Studies

Hey all! My sincere apologies for being GONE from the art scene since who knows when. I have been a busy busy busy bee. As you all know by now I have been working with children and teens since January 2012. I recently got a teaching position for Summit High School, where I taught a 2 part course I designed called Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera: A Marriage of Mexican Art. This January my students focused on Frida Kahlo's art. This is the first painting they produced: value study master copies with their own face embedded in the portrait. These talented young artists are only 14 and 15!

Advantika the Smarty Pants

I have been working with children since January. I teach them art. They teach me patience. I love working with them and seeing my old-young self in them. I've been so busy being a working mom, that I have left little time and energy for my own art. But, when I go to work I see so much passion in these kids I am refreshed. It has helped me find myself as an artist again. I am working on my own book now.

This is a girl in my Wednesday class that is very "sociable," as she puts it. She talks all day but is such a joy. She says she's so busy doing so many things she has no time for herself. I know she plays piano and draws and paints. She gave me a list of other classes she's taking but I simply forgot. I owe her a drawing because she was able to stay quiet one class period. This is her, as I imagine, playing her piano. Tomorrow I give it to her. It was a quick 1 hour drawing but it felt good to use my imagination again!

What I've done these past months.....

Everyone asks me.... what have you done since the yoga paintings? Well.... There was that Metallica painting in December. There was that jewelry box back in January for the auction. Then in February I did a painting for a fund raising event, which I haven't photographed (but maybe this weekend). Then I got to work on actually planning my wedding. Here's what you have to understand.... 2 artists can't get married without turning their wedding into a huge art project!

So we did everything! I designed my dress from scratch.... drew it, picked out fabric, and art directed the seamstress it from beginning to end (lets face it, I had no time or skill enough to sew). I had never designed a dress into reality before.

I made my own earrings and bracelet to match a necklace I had bought. It was my first time doing both too.

We made earrings for all the female guests.... hence how I got hooked on making feather earrings this past month!

We made CDs for all the men to take home.

We made our own wishing well.

We hand painted little pots for every guest to take home.

We made our own centerpieces.

We made our own ceremonial blanket from scratch.

So if you think I haven't been busy making art.... shame on you! We did this all in 4 months and then some!

My recent ventures

Here is something for you all, especially for Pete and Simon who keep reminding me to update my blog. These are my new ventures and the story of how they came to be will be told later.

Ps.... I am now on Etsy.com under FeathArt. So go and shop.

Its a bit confusing, so first you go to BUY tab.

Then you go to Seller search... its automatically on Handmade so you'll have to scroll down to Seller.

Then enter FeathArt.

Select it and you'll be entering my shop.

I'll post 52 more later this week at the shop. I like that... at the shop.