Dazzled and Inspired!

YANJ did put on a great party... Kevin Spacey was inspiring. He spoke on the value and role of the arts in his life growing up in New Jersey- how he met and was mentored by Jack Lemmon who encouraged him (and now us) to "Send the Elevator Down" help others get a leg up - teach, inspire and expose students, children, and adults who are in a different place than you are, lend a helping hand... or like the title of one of my favorite movies, that Kevin happened to star in with Helen Hunt- PAY IT FORWARD. His speech and photos from the evening are on the YANJ website below.

Ball in the House ROCKED THE HOUSE- Those GUYS are amazing- all vocal 5 -Mouth band.. it took me a while the first time I saw them that I realized that their voices were all making all the background bass and instrumental sounds.

And of course there is Susan Boyle, the woman who left us all speechless and teary eyed...

Two other things to note... I was gifted a ticket to see Hair on Broadway with my friend Janice Marsili. Not only was it as wonderful as she promised- flashbacks to my fifth grade dance routine to "Aquarius" -midriff gauge top and bell bottoms and all... Janice and I sang on Broadway!!! When the lights come up the cast invites everyone to dance - in the aisles, on stage...Janice promised her husband David that she would dance and dance we did front and center stage with the cast, belting out "Let the Sun Shine In...."

and... Stephen Fredericks of The Growing Stage a theatre company in NJ is doing a fabulous residency with the students of Red Bank Charter School. I spent an afternoon with him and the school last week as well. Watching 3rd, 4th, & 5th graders perform Shakespeare- many of them ESL was fun and fabulous for all.

Oh, one more went down to VA and DC to visit family and had a fabulous 8 course Morroccan meal at Marakesh.... belly dancing and all.

DAZZLE! Party with Young Audiences of NJ

I am beginning to truly see signs of spring... and since this is our first spring in our new house I am excited to see what perennials are coming up in our gardens. I am also on the look out for a compost bin for the vegetable herb garden I am planning for this spring and summer.

I am also really excited about attending Young Audience of New Jersey's big gala event tomorrow evening. They are calling it "2009 A Night at Sea" and are going to have 3 exciting nightclubs with music and dance (of course!) and a fabulous art auction (natch!) My mixed media print, The Om that Got Away" is one of the items offered. You can check it out online... even if you can't make the event. http://www.yanj.org/dazzle/

I am ready for a great party after a cold grey winter!

This is a shot of the painting I did for Scott last year of the Navesink River. I found a new photographer down here- Dain Simons- good guy and did a great job. More images to come.

http://www.yanj.org/dazzle/

The Om that Got Away

Trying to hold onto that Om this holiday season is probably futile and against the whole philosophy of Om or this time of year- if any of that makes sense. The truth of the matter is I needed to do a small print for an upcoming show in Guatemala and had this idea for a small drypoint. Then I had some fun printing the plate various ways with chine colle, handmade paper, and monotypes. I like the way this one came out and plan on donating it to Young Audience of NJ's spring fundraiser which I will write more about when I know the details. In any event, always one to plug fabulous programs and people that support the arts here is their link http://www.yanj.org/

I received an email from a good friend today saying that she didn't know what my new address was to send me a holiday card. The truth is that I have not been good about giving anyone my new address or contact info. I come home and maybe there is one message on the machine, and most of my emails are from Dubai telling me that I have won the lottery (!) but for some strange reason that is fine with me. Just trying to get organized and settle in. Feeling a tad guilty about not being my normal highly motivated self- but not enough to do anything about it.

Johnny at yoga, as been talking alot about committment and I do know that I need to be and am committed in various places in my life beginning with my relationship to God/Spirit, followed by my health, family and art. Just for now art is not at the forefront, probably because connecting to my new home and helping my family settle in has been vying for my time and attention. And community. The Kennett Consolidated School district has some wonderful Adopt A Family programs at this time and I feel so blessed personally that this the best way for me to share my resources. HOWEVER, I do feel my creative soul chomping at the bit, and getting stronger everyday. My studio is set up, I have begun some new work and will update this site- though I can't promise when.

So until then.... HAPPY HOLIDAYS-PEACE to all Living Beings Everywhere. and LOVE
Ooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Teaching as Inspiration

Last Monday I had the opportunity to work with another wonderful dedicated art teacher named Mady Soukis who teaches at the Forum School in Waldwick, NJ. The Forum school is a private school for "developmentally atypical children." Some of the children have been diagnosed with autism, while others have various psychological and/ or behavioral disorders. Last year I worked with Mady with the younger grades, through Young Audiences of NJ. This year I was fortunate to be invited back this year to work with the older students. We did block prints made from personal stamps the students created using foam shapes adhered onto cardboard squares, then inked up and hand stamped. The kids were wonderful as were all the teachers and aides that worked along side the students. The prints were all varied and unique and it was great to witness the power of art to involve and transport the children to a creative realm where ability is not defined by limitations they may face otherwise.

Later that evening, I worked with my high school students through the Middletown Arts Council's teen portfolio class. It was our final session and I hosted the teens in my studio behind my house. Nick Simko, a senior at Middletown High School North took the assignment of creating a personal stamp using the same foam that was available for the Forum School kids and rather than adhering it to the 3" square I provided for him, he stuck the foam shapes onto the 8" x 10" plexi glass I had out to be used as pallets for the ink. Apologizing for using the plexi rather than the cardboard (which was a royal pain to clean) I totally appreciate the fact that Nick thought outside the box (square) and created this beautifully simple and elegant image.

I went to sleep that night inspired by my students- those with various abilities physically, psychologically, and emotionally, but completely able to live creatively in the moment.
Thank you.