New Table, New Work

I am so fortunate to have an amazingly generous husband/studio-mate. A long time ago he was given this beautifully old wooden studio table. Since he brought it to our house it has been sitting in the back room and was being used as a storage table. The other day he asked me if I wanted to use it in my studio. I was totally thrilled. It has more than doubled my table space!

With the new table surface came motivation for new work. I had been making sketches of this idea for the past week. Like all work, it is a combination of thoughts that have been formulating for years. I am not sure where it will go and that is why I enjoy it so much! I do know that there will be a ceramic element in this new body of work at some point.

For over a year now I have been attempting (I strongly emphasize attempting) works on paper. It has been an unbelievable challenge. Since being a 3-d only artist for so long a sheet of paper was the biggest challenge EVER. The other day I began to doodle on a sheet of watercolor paper with pen and watercolor pencil. I looked at the composition and did not like it. I thought back to my sketch book ideas of making honeycomb ceramic wall installations (yet to be made). Then I thought, "hey, this paper does have to stay rectangle." So then I took an xacto knife to it and this is what happened. For now, these are taped to my studio wall. I like this installation style. it might be nice to do this with printmaking as well....more to come for sure!

Reading and Read

Since my husband and I have been trying to have a baby I've received so many words of wisdom and books! My sister-in-law is extremely excited for us. They already have two beautiful little girls. Their first just turned three and their second is not yet one. My sister-in-law has tons of great, current, stories and advice to pass on. She also has MANY books! The other night she handed me a stack of books that I could barely carry!

These books ranged in topic from comic relief pregnancy books, how to get your baby to sleep and a couple of the what to expect when you are expecting series. Even before the beginning of our adventure into trying, I was curious about the Jenny McCarthy pregnancy books. Years ago, when she was on Singled Out, that great...but ever so cheesy MTV dating show, she made me laugh. I was tickled when I saw that Jenny's two pregnancy books were included in this stack.

I began reading the first one, Belly Laughs, on Saturday night and finished on Sunday night. A very easy read. I wouldn't say this is a must-read book for preparing for pregnancy....well actually....if you are totally stressed and in needed of a girl friend's perspective and a good chuckle then yes, you should read this book.

Jenny talks candidly about her experience (what else would you expect from Jenny). From those first feelings of nausea to feeling those first flutters of movement she brings you in and makes you feel excited and sometimes a bit scared to experience the miracle of pregnancy and birth. I think this book is great to read before reading all those sometimes stuffy and very clinical books that you will at one point find yourself reading. Just like a great talk with a friend, through her reading she lightens the mood and helps you let go and accept the many changes that will happen to your body and your moods!

Tonight I begin reading Baby Laughs!

Changing Education Paradigms

Why we learn what we learn and how we learn it shapes who were are years later. In this video Ken Roboinson creatively presents his critique of the current structure of public education.

Changing Education Paradigms

The subject matter of this video is ever-so-serious but it is presented in a way that anyone will be able to appreciate if not agree with. Our economy requires a new way of thinking. Most of us have already begun to practice creative thinking in our daily lives (this includes work, family and social). However, in our education we are expected to comprehend a question and agree that there is only one right answer. Our future success depends on our ability to see not only multiple answers to one question/situation but also multiple ways of interpreting that question/situation.