Blog Archives

Liris!

5/27/2018

When I was searching for my next wedding gown to draw for my #WeddingBellesJLG series I came across a familiar face in a Maggie Sottero ad- Liris Cross!

Liris was one of my favorite models from the last season of Project Runway. I loved that they included the plus sized models...and you know, it was just a great bunch of ladies overall. But Liris- she really did steal the show whenever she was on the runway.

So congrats Liris- loved seeing you in those glamorous gowns! You look AMAZING!

...some pics of Liris from Project Runway....

...and here two of my illustrations of Liris (wearing Kenya Freenman on the left and Ayana Ife on the right) ...and my sketch of Liris wearing Maggie Sottero in the middle.

PBCATA @ CGMS opening

5/25/2018

FRIDAY...field trip AND art opening!

5/20/2018

Let me just say in advance that I do not recommend this for the faint of heART.

Brent and I did a walking field trip with the students- walked close to 5 miles in south Florida in May (it's bascially already summer)...and then we did our art opening that same night.

Both went AMAZING! And now that I have had a full day to recover I can tell you all about it, so have a seat, get comfy, grab your coffee and keep on reading.

**First off... 'Art Tours by Brent'**

Let me tell you- Brent Bludworth can plan a field trip! I thought the Norton and Boca trips were good but man, this one was EVEN BETTER! The whole concept behind this trip was a walking tour of all the fabulous artwork right here in our own backyard. We are fortunate to live within walking distance of murals created by talented regional, national and INTERNATIONAL artists, a bustling creative council, and SO many galleries- and even a clay studio AND glass blowing studio...all within walking distance to our school.

A little about my boy 'B'. I know I have mentioned that he is a surfer but he also a Lake Worth local- and proud of it! He knows all about the history of Lake Worth and whenever he gets a chance he is more than happy to tell you all about it. And he makes it FUN, and always infuses ART into the narrative.

So, Brent has mentioned this idea of a 'walking tour'...ummmm...I think ever since my first year at LWHS. This year- he made that idea a reality. We left with a small group of students around 8:30 in the morning and got back just in time for the bell. We were literally on the move ALL DAY and walked as far east as you possibly can- the Lake Worth Pier!! We meandered our way there and back through the downtown area, looking at the various murals...we did SO MUCH!

Okay, I am getting antsy- I gotta show the pics!

Please note, I will try to get the names or a website/info for any artists that I didn't properly tag- B probably knows them. I just wanted to get this blog post up and share with the world It really was a great experience. Many of our students walk to school, most live nearby and even though some of them had seen a portion of the art in Lake Worth I could see they gained a greater appreciation for it from this trip...and were more knowledgeable of the rich cultural- within walking distance to school and their homes.

Thank you to all of the folks that made the time to talk to us- you empowered our students with the possibilities of heART. You made them feel like a part of the larger artistic community here in Lake Worth and Palm Beach County. You made them feel important. You inspired them.

And Brent Bludworth...YOU are the one that made all of THAT possible!

Next.. our opening at CGMS!

Okay...so you walk around 5 miles in the SoFlo heat- what are you gonna do after that? If you answered have an art opening- you answered correctly!

And maybe you are just as crazy as us LWHS art teachin' folk, 'cause that is EXACTLY what went down. I mean, there was about a two and a half hour period for us to go to our respective homes and bathe, get fancied up and grab last minute items to bring for the opening...heck, I even made it over to Ross to pick up a new dress AND I squeezed in a 20 minute nap. But we made it happen- our fourth show at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery.

Just for fun, here are links to blog posts about our previous shows;

May 2015, 'Fish Out of Water'

May 2016, 'Surfer's Paradise'

May 2017, 'Beauty and the Beach'

The first year we were both like...ummmm...here's our work, yay! We didn't have a plan really, we just knew we were working towards a show in May. Each year has been totally different, and totally FUN! Here are some pics from this year;

So that's my story- and why I slept all day yesterday. Literally- ALL DAY. But I would definitely do it all again- I feel great about how I spent my time!

A special THANK YOU to Joyce Brown over at Clay Glass Metal Stone Gallery for supporting not only the art students at Lake Worth High School- but also us teachers!

Behind the scenes...

5/16/2018

We were out of school on Wednesday for graduation...yay! Brent and I got ourselves presentable to join the rest of the staff in seeing the class of 2018 across the stage and off into the world.

After that...we changed into our comfy clothes and met up at CGMS to install our show.

Each year is totally different with the set up, so even though we are like, 'yeah we got this, it's gonna be super easy and fast'

Spoiler Alert: It never is.

Because we really put our heART into it.

So anyway, after climbing up and down the ladder,nailing, drilling, moving walls...and changing our minds and re-doing this and that SEVERAL TIMES- we finally got it 'just right'.

But ummm....we definitely looked a mess.

(Top) 'So fresh and so clean clean' (Bottom) Sweaty and funky- but feelin' accomplished!

PBCATA opening art show at PBSC...

5/15/2018

...oh...and here is today's bridal gown, this one is a Valentini.

Happy Mother's Day, ya'll!

5/14/2018

Coming soon...the 4th Annual B & G art show!

5/13/2018

#TBT ...back to my 2009 MAEd show and graduation!

5/10/2018

Waaaay back in May 2009 John and I were living in Greenville, NC...and we were working on our graduate degrees.

For my senior show I did something kind of unique- I had a showing my my graduate work AND my elementary kids' work. (I was teaching at Wintergreen Primary at the time) I was able to reserve the Greenville Museum of Art for my show, which was a dream for me...a chance to see MY work in not only a gallery- but a real art museum.

Sorry for the poor quality, I couldn't find a better pic...but I created two versions of my graduate art show poster- or I guess ONE- because one of my students created the one on the right!

There are two galleries upstairs at the museum. I displayed my student work in one gallery and then my work in the adjacent gallery.

In lieu of the traditional opening snacks I opted to have a more kid-friendly menu...a candy table! The sugar didn't hit til AFTER my show...so it was perfect.

Examples of some of my sketches and beadwork in the show...

And then...
I graduated with my MAEd.

This was a HUGE deal for me. Not only because I worked SO HARD for my degree...but honestly, I worked so hard to go to college in the first place for my undergraduate degree. When I was growing up for the early part of my life it was usually just me and momma. She worked second, sometimes third shirt at a local factory to make sure the bills were paid. We stayed with granny some, we stayed with friends...things got better but money was always an issue. I lived in a three bedroom, one bath- no central heat and air. It wasn't ideal, but we made it. Regardless of the instability in my life the one thing that was always there was my mom's love for me and her certainty that I WOULD go to college. I never doubted it. I didn't know how- but I never doubted that I would go.

So I did. I was awarded a North Carolina Teaching Fellows Scholarship and I was able to attend ECU for my undergraduate degrees in Art Education and Textiles. But I didn't stop there. It took me some years later to begin the coursework and get back into it- but I pushed myself to go back and earn my graduate degree, and my National Board Certification the next year.

So when these pictures came across on my FB timeline today, it brought me back to that time, that joy- that love for learning. I'll never lose that, not ever.

"Hey Hey EC You Look So Good to Me!"

PBCATA at the Armory!

5/10/2018

The show is up now until May 13th...stop by and see it!

...here are the portraits from my #GirlTalkJLG (revisted) series.

I literally JUST missed Da'sha (bottom right) at the opening!

#AngelDropART for the class of 2018

5/9/2018

The class of 2018 is very special to me...because this is my 4th year at LWHS, too. The way our courses are set up, and especially with the magnet programs, I don't always get the same students from year to year- but sometimes I do...and some of the students I have just kept in touch with. I am always outside of my door in between classes to greet my students (best advice EVER- got that from Harry Wong's book, The First Days of School) so it has actually been easy to see all of the kids.

Me, waiting with angels at senior checkout

So...it's kinda like we are graduating together- except I am sticking around here, of course!

I think I have made angels almost every year that I have taught here, definitely two out of the three previous years...it's slipping my memory now and I will have to double check. I usually go with a 4x6 or 5x7 inch piece for each student- every single angel hand drawn and hand painted, anywhere from 60-100 total each year. This year I wanted to try something a little different, so I went with a 'bookmark style'- my thinking was they could keep them in their yearbooks...and I liked the idea that they could use it in a book (encouraging them to keep learning, #winning!)

Anyway, on senior checkout day I had the angels ready, along with clay pieces and sketches that needed to be picked up. I was able to hand out angels to almost every senior, will try to catch the rest of them at graduation.

In the meantime...I will leave one of my favorite quotes from the late, great Maya as a message to my seniors;

“Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.”
-Maya Angelou

Just some of the seniors with their angels

I'll miss you class of 2018!