Oh Christmas Weed, Oh Christmas Weed

For those of you that have seen our Christmas tree pictures in the past, you'll know we go for the deciduous look.  Well this year, we had to improvise because all of our stuff is still in storage.  So I present you with....

Christmas Weed

(a locally grown Colorado tumble weed)

And since the decorations are also in storage, I made these bird ornaments.

(air dry clay with acrylic paint)

Al Fresco Art

My dad came for a visit and we did some sketching together in the Rockies.

Tree on Flagstaff Summit

ink on paper

Flat Irons from Chautauqua

paper collage with water colours

Late Night Radio

Last night I took a break from reading and listened to a Diane Rehm Show episode on climate change before I went to sleep.  Big mistake!  I kept turning the light back on to write down my thoughts from the show.  These are my late night notes.

Listening to the news, it seems that people do not care too much about climate change because the environment is not as important as the economy.  But as the probabilities of extreme weather events goes up so does the economic costs of dealing with these extreme events.  (Think increasing gas prices because of Hurricane Isaac; increasing food prices because of the Midwest drought.)  The problem we have in this country is that we do not understand our interconnectedness; people in New Hampshire do not think what happens in Colorado affects them and vise-versa, but it does.  We are all interconnected, and not just to other Americans, but globally and with nature and economics too.  If we are able to convey this interconnectedness to the common man, the “Joes and Janes,” people will realize that climate change is the top priority. 

Last fall I was planning a lesson for ninth graders on food webs and I asked one of my mentors, an environmental educator, for advice on how to make the lesson different from middle school.  She told me to focus on the interconnectedness of species, that interconnectedness is the hardest concept for students to grasp.  After the role playing activity, in which most of the “students” died from the Texas drought, I had students write an ORQ on their place within the food web.  One student’s response went something like this; “Well, if disaster struck and I couldn’t hunt for my food, I could just go to McDonald’s to eat.”  I agree with my mentor, global interconnectedness is a hard concept for us to get.  I believe that this is the most important concept that we need to demonstrate to our children; we will learn by being involved, by being connected.

Playground

When I was very little, in San Diego, my dad would take me to the playground at the school up the hill from us.  I was too small for the big kid playground, but that was okay with me because the little kid playground had this awesome cheese house.  I would climb up it and through it (I fit through most of the holes).  My dad and I played cat and mouse; I was the mouse hiding and climbing away from the cat who snarled and growled at me.  It was so much fun.  I have described this playground to others in my adult life and received looks like I belonged in an asylum. I've never met anyone else who had played in a cheese house; I thought that my cheese house was the only one.  Then at a rest stop along I-80 in Nebraska I saw a cheese house playground.  I was so excited; I had to take a picture to show my dad the cat.

Tales from I-80

The rolling green hills of SW Wisconsin and NE Iowa are beautiful; a perfect way to start the trip from Wisconsin to Colorado.

It is easy to forget how long the Mississippi River is when you do not live near it.  I crossed it many times in the South, but crossing the Mississippi in Northern Iowa took me by surprise.

The green hills eventually subsided to green corn fields which progressed to brown corn fields; signs of the very hot and dry summer.

Driving I-5 in California, I pass a lot of trucks hauling onions, but in Iowa I passed trucks hauling parts of wind turbines.  Looking up from the highway at wind farms, the turbines seem huge, but only when you pass by a blade riding along the interstate do you realize how truly enormous theses engineering masterpieces are.  It was daunting and breathtaking to feel so small.  One of the Iowa rest stops has a blade bolted to the ground so you can stand next to it and look upwards into eternity straining to see the tip.

Nebraska is a long, flat drive, but just like Texas there is also big sky; bright blue sky that goes on forever.  To the west were clouds that looked like a long mountain range -- a Nebraska mirage.  While it is easy to get lost in Nebraska's big sky, nothing beats the big sky of Texas at sunset.

(Sorry there are no pictures, but I was driving at the time and thought it might be dangerous to take my hands off the wheel to snap pictures at 70 mph.)

Flora and Fauna

Earlier this week I applied for a juried art show for my very first time. It was the Flora and Fauna show at The 930.  I thought the show would be perfect for me, but I was rejected.  But applying was a really big step for me, so I am still happy I tried.  I will keep trying.  In the meantime, I turned my rejection email into the first page of my new art journal.  I am finally following my advice about trying to do art on a daily basis (the lesson I learned from the Sketchbook Project).  I have called the piece Flora and Fauna.

Type

I got these great type pieces at an antique store yesterday.  I have walked past the display many times, but yesterday my brain went "ooh, type, how cool."  I even got this pretty wood box to keep them in.  I had a lot of fun testing them out.

Self Portraits

I was visiting my parents recently and one of my favorite tasks while home is to go though old stuff.  I found some of my childhood art (though most of it seems to be in Missing Sock Land).  Below are two of my self portraits (which was always the one assignment I dreaded in art class).

crayon and paper

Preschool

pencil and paper

Grade 6

Owl Print (Rough Draft)

The past few years I have been placing owl things around my home; due to the current "owl fad" this has made it easier.  But I am also now incorporating owls into my art.  I am doing this out of a sense of homesickness.  My Dad collected owl figurines since before I was born.  My sisters and I would always get him owls as presents (from all over the world too).  His collection is vast and every time I would visit him at work when I was little I would be fascinated with the world of owls adorning his desk, shelves, cabinets, walls, and even on his door.  I can not think about my Dad without thinking about owls, so having owls in my home and in my art, makes me feel closer to my parents even though we live so far apart.

Snow and Seashells

Added a touch of California to my studio window for winter.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

We were able to trim the tree last night, which is always fun.  But unfortunately my copies of The Year Without a Santa Claus and the Muppet's Christmas Carol are at my parents house, so I will only be able to watch Black Adder's Christmas Carol this season. (My husband will miss out on rolling his eyes at me as I do the Heat and Snow Miser dance.)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

 (yes, this is our tree; the Deciduous look is so less messy)

Sketch Book Update:  Today I glued pages together to make them more sturdy for my collages.  The Sketch Book is looking a bit more loved and used.  Now I just need to get it looking less blank.  Only three weeks left.

Cardinal

This is a cardinal I did today to celebrate starting graduate school at University of Louisville.

Go Cards!

(water colour & ink on paper, 

with part of my acceptance letter as it's wing)

Studio Relocation and New Project

This weekend I am moving my studio from Mellwood to my new home now that I will have space for it.  I am so excited because this will lead to greater productivity.  I get most of my ideas at night sipping on my cup of tea and it has been so hard not having my desk and supplies at home.  Because of this move, I will be posting more frequently from now on;  at least twice a week if not more.

Also, I am starting my sketchbook for the Sketchbook Project this weekend since most of my boxes have been unpacked.  (See icon on the right.)  My theme is "Down the Street."  I will be doing art based on whatever tickles my interest within walking distance of my home; this will be art and exercise all in one project (preparing myself for holiday cookies and other yummies).  I will be posting the pages as I complete them.

Check back on Sunday for new work.
-Elissa