Absence from posting...

For such a city girl, I am enraptured with the beach. My first memory as a child was associated with the beach. I was crossing the street to go to the ocean and remember how incredibly hot the street was.

We have been so very blessed to have had many treasured trips to the NC coast by way of the generosity of friends throughout our years here. Our children have grown up having the privilege of summer vacations at the ocean. I hope they always remember what a gift that was.

My husband and I spent this past weekend celebrating our summer time off from school by taking a side trip to my expectant daughter's (to wash and prepare baby clothes) and traveling on from there to the beach to spend some very quality time with just us two. Brief, but special none the less. In this case, as is often the case...less was more.

I could spend the rest of my life as an artist, photographing God's creation - beach, flowers, animals, forests, creeks...there is such beauty in all that surrounds us. I am brought to being speechless at some of the "wish I had my camera" moments that I see around me that will be forever burned in my memory, but seeing it in a picture would have been great, too.

The above pictures were taken in Beaufort, NC, and the beach near there. We had dinner and breakfast on the boardwalk there. We actually saw a yacht that was an incredible 90 feet long! Couldn't fit the whole thing in a picture worth showing.

Time is ticking by for several upcoming events in the life of this artist...school starts in 12 days and also the stork is planning a dropoff nearby as well. Excited about both, one definitely more than the other... :o)

the wonder years...

Yesterday was a busy one trying to help my sisters get some "moving" stuff done. The fun part of that besides being with my 'sis's was reliving memories from - what's the new phrase - "back in the day..." with my older sister who tells me what I was like as a kid.

I had a great time as a kid and lived the "Wonder Years" for real. And if you are up on your current events, please note that all you have heard in recent days about the first moon landing and the newscaster Walter Cronkite being the voice of America about these amazing times, was what fueled the imagination of this 'wonder years' little girl. And, yes, like Winny, I had glasses that would be considered 'geekish' now, but all the incredible things I saw about life back then through those specks made for a vivid pretend world of my own creation. I think it's why I love to read so much now.

Imagination is not as utilized now as "back in the day" or at least isn't given as much time to accumulate. Too many other things grab for our time, whatever age we are...and our percolating time for imagination is boiled down to a little pre-REM time right before we are finally resting our brains from the day's assault in sleep. And who remembers those nuggets the next morning?
I wish I did...I probably had some multi-million dollar ideas that just evaporated in REM.

I think one of our classes to teach at school should be "Imagination Class" and give students assignments that make them use it...oh, wait! We do!!!! It's my class! Yay! ;o)

Countdown...

Two weeks and counting...school starts, again! Well, band camp starts for my hubby, so in essence school starts for me, too.

This summer, like all of them lately, has flown by, with all the usual resolutions only half accomplished, and anticipation of a new set of "trees" to plant making me a little nervous. If things were as we all wish they were sometimes, I would be a 'homebody' in a heartbeat...but, sadly, one cannot live on "homebody" alone. Unless one has the "home business" of life, with all bills paid and savings that has survived the assault on the economy, working in the home studio becomes a wonderful "get to" for the summer months/weeks and a distant "wish I could" during the school year. And this said, it is not because I don't enjoy teaching; it is that part of the artist that gets in the "zone" and would love to stay there all day. [By the way, for the uninitiated, the best description of the artistic "zone" would be that sudden awareness, after driving from point A to point B, that you have indeed arrived safely and have no idea how you did it because you don't remember a thing about the trip. Scarey, isn't it?]

A very wise AP instructor was asked during our time training with him, how he overcomes the time crunch juggling between his teaching and his craft. He said he finally decided that the two should not be mutually exclusive - he set aside a corner of his art room that he made into his studio at his school. He works on his art while his students work on theirs, and he takes a break every so often to check on them and answer questions, etc. He has the benefit of working while he teaches, and they have the benefit of SEEING how an artist actually makes art a living. Win - win!! I have made an attempt at doing just this in my room at school - first, because I believe his suggestion to have great wisdom, and second, because I'm tired of introducing myself to professional artists as a "jack of all mediums - master of none" artist. You know, the old saying, "them what can, do, and them what can't, teach..."?

I love using many mediums (media???) to work in, not at the same time. ;o) I sense that my strong suits are in pencil, colored pencil, and pastels, each of which are a time consuming medium. So, usually, I have several going at the same time. Also, I try to keep the project I am working on with my elementary classes "in process" so as I help them accomplish it weekly. This often necessitates my doing it twice - to have a finished product and one that is still being worked on. I teach a rather large expanse of levels, so keeping projects going for all of them is consuming in itself (hence my summer attempts at readiness!), but I have enjoyed working on my own projects at the same time the kids are. And the oooooohs and ahhhhhs are quite the heart booster...;o)

Well, I know I won't have this much time to blog once the mayhem begins, but thanks for bearing with the ramblings from my time off. To us all, "Carpe' diem..."

Yesterday's creation!

The time spent in my studio yesterday was for a special reason! In only a few weeks, our first grandchild will arrive on this side of God's creation!! Today my nieces are holding a baby shower for cousins and family for Miss Aubrey Virginia and her mom at a local tea room.

My daughter and I found this precious illustration while shopping last winter, right after we found out that she was expecting. She has just completed the baby's room recently and very pointedly reminded me that the walls are still bare in her room. ;o)

It was my joy to watch the development of this gift to her and realize that someday she might have this in her nursery for my greatgrandchild! Oh, that all the gifts we offer our loved ones would translate into beautiful future memories...trees whose shade we may not get to enjoy!!

Hope you enjoy my offering...and I hope my daughter likes her gift!!

A day in the studio...

Wow, for me to spend a whole day in my studio doing a project is very, very rare! Because of all else in my life that pulls in a hundred different ways, time is precious for me like that. And I was in my "happy place" the whole time!! Well, mostly the whole time, except when I was scared out of my wits that I would mess something up and have to start it all over. ;o)

And what, pray tell, was the result of all this creativity? That, gentle readers, will have to wait until tomorrow. Partly, because it's late in the day and partly because, I can't show it yet...

I have what is typically called "artist's block" about my artwork. I often come to the place in a drawing where I am stalled - by distraction, by fear, by indecision, by difficulty - you name it, it is a stumbling block of a huge nature. Pretty much always stops me. I am trying to do better lately, where having begun a project, I set myself a time limit for completing it. And I had, last year, a set of "cheerleaders" who tried to keep me accountable to completions! Nothing like teaching to your weakness...I am, quite thankfully, much more understanding about completion deadlines in my students, but laziness is not tolerated - in me or them!

There is a humorous side to this procrastination, though! Years later, I am finding some pretty neat pictures that having been started, won't take much to finish!!

Fear is a big weakness about creating, though. And I am spilling my artistic guts here admitting this. My greatest joy about teaching is giving whatever encouragement I can, to a student to "keep on keeping on" and see God do a work of beauty through their hands, as He IS the author of the gift we have to create. So, why am I not taking my own advice...hmmmm. Today, I worked through that fear and pressed on. Tomorrow, you can decide whether it's done or still need some work. Until then...blessings on the rest of the day!

These are the books that I referred to in the next blog. Great books all!!

Car smiles...

There is a car outside our place that always makes me smile. It is a silver Mazda sport something and it smiles. It occurs to me that including a section on car personifications might be fun for my photography students. I am always looking for new and different ways to engage students to step outside the expectations and see something unexpected - like looking at clouds and seeing images, remember that?

I have a new book this year that I am excited to use in class, and am planning on teaching a workshop on it this fall at the teacher convention our school attends every year. The title of the book is "Keys to Drawing with Imagination" by Bert Dodson (author of "Keys to Drawing," another favorite), and he has a delightful approach to "gaining confidence and enhancing your creativity." I tend to be rather narrow (hence the book is probably more for me ;o) when teaching students the fundamentals of art, using the premise that I was taught, "learn the foundations" then build on them however you want. So, my students seem to think that I only want the expected "in the box" drawings. One of his exercises is to "cloudwatch" and draw the result. We do an exercise in my class of drawing popcorn kernels and making them into a recognizable illustrations. Kids find it intimidating at first, but eventually get the hang of it, and come up with some really great pictures.

Speaking of reading, I have another aspect of teaching that is, perhaps, quite unconventional as far as an Art class goes, and that is we read a lot in a couple of my classes. Now "a lot" is relative according to who is listening (or in this case reading), but research on memory application is finding that several different methods of presenting material helps a student assimilate the information and be better able at applying it later. [Twenty years at this and you'd think I had this teaching stuff down...Abba is always teaching this old dog new tricks!]

Last year, in my AP class, we read "The Shack" together, some aloud, and some assigned. What could this have to do with art, you ask? [I am such an anticipator and don't you love me answering my own questions? But, after all, you aren't here so we could talk face to face. :o( ] There are books that just have a profound effect on you and this was one of those books. As I stated in a previous blog post, our creative outlets are varied and many, and life effects us all in so many differents ways that also effects our creativity. Paul Young wrote "The Shack" as a story to leave his kids and grandkids, never anticipating the resulting widespread popularity of the book. He never planned on the story being published, but was pressured by friends to do so, and the rest is... - it has been on the USA Today and NY Times bestsellar list for two years in the top ten.

What a story...read it! You won't be sorry. I say that when God has a plan to do something big, he won't let our reticence stand in His way. This is a good thing where artists (students) are concerned (and everyone else, too!) It is why I love my job planting "trees." God will bring the gift out so everyone can see it!

Makes it worth it!!!

So, yesterday, the real meaning of the life of Rivertree Art was to plant trees whose shade we will not have the privilege to enjoy. Today, the shade was briefly enjoyed from some 'seedlings' from one of last year's classes.

I have the absolute joy (and it REALLY is joy) of teaching an AP Studio Art class at 7:00 AM at my school to advanced art students. Their commitment must obviously be high for that hour of the day! This class has been my privilege for the last five years and the students' scores have steadily risen in those years to finally include a score of five from a student this year. I share this as, not a pat on the back, but a reminder to me of the great Grace that allows me to be a teacher.

First of all, as explanation for the uninformed, AP students submit exams (in Studio Art's case, a portfolio of advanced level work) at the end of the school year to AP Central, the governing board of all AP level classes around the US. The scores in Studio Art are determined by "readers" - college professors and/or High School Art Instructors who have completed a training course to score. Seven "readers" are assigned to each portfolio (which includes about 25 works of art) and they "read" several hundred portfolios in the course of scoring. Scores range from 1 - 5 (maybe 6 in art) and colleges will use this score to assess the level of ability each student has in a given subject to place them appropriately in their first college classes. A student must receive at least a three to be considered for special placement in college. My students from the last three years have received threes and one four. This year, a five is added and I am humbled. I delight in seeing all of their gifts mature and grow. Thus the shade...and to complete the metaphor, it is my desire to stay in the shadow (shade) of the One Who gave each of them their wonderful Gift.

What a summer!! But, I say that every year, just ask my friend, Jamie...this year however, has its own bit of unease to it. I've moved a child across town, I'm expecting a granddaughter in August, and will have a son newly graduated from college and ready to move to Alaska, also in August! I'm so glad that Abba has all this completed in His tapestry for each of them. Mom would most certainly have (and has) tangled the threads completely! And, as a teacher, I must be ready for the start of school with all my new and exciting lesson plans completed and lessons prepped, ready for me, and/or a sub, so that school life transitions smoothly!! No pressure...

And what this has to do with an art blogsite, you might ask? I believe we are the sum of all that God allows to shape us, and all that shapes us affects us in ways only He can explain. Often, this is expressed through how He gives us creative voice - one, through music, one, through visual presentation, one, through dramatic recitation, one, through creative movement, and last but not the least at all, to one, the ability to see, hear, and enjoy the first four. What would gifts be, if not appreciated by someone? It has been said of life, "the true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit."

Rivertree has a long history with me, so it is not unusual for this blog to have been named so. My college degree is in Art for Visual Communication, and at one time I had hoped to begin a business for commercial art called Rivertree Art and Graphics. I even have my personal car plate that says RIVRTREE. But, life goes on, children are born (and grow up!), visions fade. My calling into teaching has, I trust, produced the fruit of the river tree, as God has made it clear my gifting is to be shared in the classroom and not the storefront.

Thus, the true meaning of life for Rivertree Art is to further plant trees, under whose shade I will not expect to sit. May it be so...blessings of the day to all!

Welcome!

Welcome to my blogspot! Where to begin is always elusive, but here goes!
I am always looking for ways to keep in touch with my students and for ways to keep up with the technology that seems to be changing every second.
This seemed to me to be a way to accomplish both goals and share some thoughts, ideas, blessings,
and whatever else that is the way this pilgrim sees it.

So, if you are game to share some time here, thank you and we will enjoy the ride!