Elmer & Longwood, say what?

Last week I was up in Elmer, NJ- a rural community in Salem County, NJ. I was there to observe and evaluate a Visual Artist Residency at Elmer School. Brought my camera along to take some photos of Marilyn Keating the artist working with her students. Marilyn is a wonderful artist- sculptor, printmaker and teaching artist. The students love her and I could see why- talk about making art fun! I took a couple of shots on the way home of Elmer as well, including this one of Sam the proprietor of Barnwood Furniture and Co. (He retired from a career in prisons and now surrounded by art and cool stuff!)

Then on Friday I celebrated getting my cast off (yea!!) with a trip to Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, PA with my friend Joan and camera in tow. There is a saying in HI..."lucky you live HI"

(which is very true) but I feel lucky I live near Longwood, too!

V0TE ...words & images from abroad...

some totally insightful photo essays. beautiful images from Germany. I know Candice Novak - one of the participants from my Hawaii Days- he's a wonderful witty writer, so my vote is cast. All the images transport you to moments and places that may recognizable where ever you are but introduce us to a Germany we may not be familiar with. Check it out here.

Beyond My America 2009

Beyond My America finalists show what life is like while living abroad on a CDS International program! Entries came from people living in Argentina, Germany, Russia, and Spain; though all finalists spent their time in Germany.

Here'a a shot Beyond my America...along the theme of Candice's.(I took mine in Israel when I was there in May 200

Paintbox of Colors - Go Fly A Kite

A week in Florida ...

It Takes a Village...

On the heels on the successful completion of the two murals by the Germantown Art Club and the total redo our our Butterfly Kisses Book website, I am reminded once again how it truly takes a village of committed individuals and the support of something higher (call IT what you wish) to see something truly magical come together.

The mural was a collaborative effort put forth by so many people, Aileen McCullough and the Arts for Peace project of Young Audiences of Eastern PA (www.yaep.org) and a grant from PNC Bank and support from the Rentschler Foundation, along with local community support from Germantown hardware store Pik-A-Panel True Value and the store’s owner, Scott Shapiro, who assisted by donating some of the project supplies. Alisha Hagelin and her mural club students, as well asmany administrators and faculty of Germantown High School, Philly, PA. The murals look Great! The students feel empowered and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to work with threm.

Our new website is job well done thanks to the genius of Jason Faser of Lost Studios who is a totally cool, humble, easy to work with guy, and my cousin and business partner, Ellen McVicker, www.butterflykissesbook.com.

My Wednesday "Fix" of Forgiveness & Choice

After a few weeks away from Alisha Hagelin and her After School Mural Club at Germantown High, I was back to work with those fabulous teens. But first, my stop at The Philadelphia Museum of Art to see two installations as part of citywide Philografika:

(Taken from PMA website since typing one handed is a bit of an effort:)

The Museum will display installations by two artists, the Japanese artist Tabaimo (b. 1975) and the Colombian artist Óscar Muñoz (b. 1951), that explore the translation of printmaking into other mediums and expand the conceptual boundaries of printmaking.

Worth the trip and I will revisit the shows next Wed. when I see Picasso and the Avant- Garde in Paris.

At the High School, the Mural Club made great progress on the murals over the past few weeks

and this was our day to finish up to stay on target with our final Unveiling and Reception this coming Tuesday at the High School at 6 pm.

Tactile experience

sometimes you have to feel your way thru things

Different day- different approach

March 12 & 14th Tea Bag drawings:

how to be fluid and approach each moment with a freshness.

I woke up to an amazing dream within a dream. It was exhilarating and scary- I was in some sort of competition and had to jump down from amazing heights, often over stairs. It seemed impossible to jump out so far without landing so hard, but hey, I was dreaming so I knew I would be fine, and I was. Faith.