My sister Ramah said there is a last time for everything and usually we don't know it. A last time your child sits on your lap, a last time you tuck them in, a last time you hug your parent. Two weeks ago, I took my four legged comanion and love, Eloise out for, unbeknownst to me, our last walk. We stopped and I took a photograph of the stream which struck me with the decaying leaves underneath and the sun sparkles on top. She passed the next day. I came home and started a watercolor on hot press paper in her honor as a way of processing this grief. I miss her more than words can express and find solace in knowing there is also a first for everything.
Friday February 23, twenty- three art core students along with their art teacher, Debbie Donowski, Ali Wilson, and Debbie Cichak from Tunkhannock Middle School and myself did a field trip. I was asked to show the kids some of my work as a finale to the residency I did at their school. The core group was selected based on grades, behavior and desire to do art. We completed a mural which will be hung on the new seventh grade academy building in May. Highlights from the trip: - Seeing the ariel view of Wilkes-Barre mural and sunflower mural.- Viewing the amazing hubcap collection thanks to Ken Marquis graciousness. - Seeing the amazing exhibition at the new Sordoni gallery by Angela Fraleigh.- Touring the inside and outside of Wet Paint and being educated on the graphic side of art by Steve Taren. - Viewing the local murals designed and painted by Jim O'Connell and myself at Hardee's restaurant in Wilkes-Barre.- Being welcomed by Mary Beth Pacuska and 'The School of Practical Nursing' and seeing the history of nursing mural we co-created. - Being warmly greeted by John Pepe at Linde headquarters, fed lunch prepared by Eric Kranson, touring the beautiful building and seeing three floors of my works. - take aways given to all the kids and cupcakes!!!!!- picture taken with Scott LInde who shared that his seventh grade teacher said ' if you don't shape up, you're going to be digging ditches... " hmmm... - a drive by Main street Pittston to see ALL the amazing art!
We often look 'up' or 'out' to see the always available 'show' Mother Nature is giving us. As of late, I have been seeing her random beauty by looking down. There is no arranging or rearranging needed with pine needles atop fern amongst dead leaves. It's all exquisite - the living amongst the decay.
Words have vibrations, as does color - so why not surround yourself with high vibe words and color?
I went to nursery school with Tobie's master and he and his wife asked me to do a portrait of their 'first child' of fifteen years. Tobie is a Scottish terrier and still looking rather regal for an old chap!
She said she wanted a painting that depicted her marriage vows and the energy/ life force of her four girls. She looked at my past works and came up with the colors and some ideas. I worked them into a sketch which she added some comments. On Christmas Eve, I delivered the works and unveiled them to one happy mamma. Thank you is what I say : )
