January 29, 2009

Come along with me

to my little corner of the world...

Ms. Lydia's set up in the art show: 

Curating and exhibiting kid art is harder than I thought!

The DARK piece:

This poor little boy cried when he saw his sculpture,
"I can't see the eyes!"
Imposing Contemporary Art on  the young ones... 
Parents actually came up to me to thank me for including images from Basquiat and Rauschenberg.
Red tights! yea boy!
I was so proud...

Can you tell?

January 28, 2009

A different perspective...

I thought it would be fun for my two-year-olds to color upside down under the table.

I think they had fun.

Their Masterpiece:

Like Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

January 27, 2009

Pop Art Photo Booth

Well of course I had to do this with my two-year-olds!

January 25, 2009

With a Sky Blue Sky

fun with my iPhone

fun with cloud formations

fun in the sun

fun in the hammock

January 23, 2009

Art Smart

It was sunny and 8o here in Dallas the other day. I decided to head up to North Park Mall to soak up some sun in front of a sculpture by one of my favorite artist, Claes Oldenburg.

Corridor Pin, Blue, 1999.

There is a great balcony and a Starbucks, where I thought I could get some work done. It sounded divine, until I learned that the Starbucks is no longer there! Hard times, I guess...
What happened next?
I tried not to do it, but the 15% birthday discount to Anthropologie was burning a hole in my pocket... so, I went

s h o p p i n g.

I know, I know... What about my resolution?

What about it... I have two new sweaters and two new shirts, but no skirt. It won't happen again... I think...
Bold
These drawer pulls were on sale at Anthropologie for $2.95 a piece. I think that they are all so unique. The price was right, plus my 15% birthday discount, so I bought them all. I have an idea in mind for a DIY project that doesn't involve drawers.

Later that night, I went to The Rachofsky House to view their current installation.  I always try to go when I have that opportunity.

It's an impressive space and contemporary art collection. It was designed by Richard Meier. It's pretty awesome... sleek and white with lots of lines. "It's a lot like Crate and Barrel."

This is not an Oldenburg sculpture. It's by Mark Handforth, Texas Tom, 2007.


Pre-School Art Project of the Week

We are gearing up for our Open House and that includes a fancy art show next week. I wanted to incorporate some kind of sculpture, so we made Louise Nevelson inspired assemblages.

Dawn’s Wedding Chapel IV, from Dawn’s Wedding Feast, 1959-1960.

Right now, my kid's assemblages remind me of Joseph Cornell. I'm going to photograph them all before I spray paint them, so that they can have an image of what they looked like before the paint and maybe one day make the connection. Check out this great website about his boxes. There are even free downloads of very cool images.

Joseph Cornell. Untitled (The Hotel Eden) c. 1945. National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa.

Here's how we did it:

First, I asked the parents to bring in an adult size shoebox and all of their recyclable junk: broken toys, odds and ends, etc. Once our materials were collected, I spread them out on a table. They then picked a box and arranged their objects so that I could glue them down with a hot glue gun. I was their assistant, and happy to oblige their every wish.

Didn't they turn out great?


Would you believe there was no fighting over the materials?

And they were so patient. (This is not usually the case, when it comes to certain toys in the room.)  But, they simply picked up what was available and made it work. It was amazing. They are amazing. They never cease to inspire me.

Finally, I had my kiddos pick their favorite color, which I will spray paint this weekend. There will be a lot of RED inspired sculptures. Except for one piece...

which will be "dark."

Louise Nevelson, Sky Cathedral. 1958. The Museum of Modern Art.

It's a long story, but it includes a half hour debate with a three-year old who doesn't quite know his colors.
He won...
"Dark IS a color! My mommy told me so!"

January 20, 2009

1919 Hemphill, Fort Worth


Sew... Check this out:

I went to 1919 yesterday in Fort Worth. 

I had no idea what I was walking into, but it actually was pretty cool.

It's an alternative space, that lends itself to shows and other creative, grassroots projects.

Read more about it, here.



Read why I was there, here.
 

Read why I'll be going back...


After the meeting I dined at Cosmic Cafe. I just love that place.


Later that night as I snuggled in bed, I read about
another bed.

I think I'm in love.

(I can't seem to fix HTML tonight...)

Watching, waiting, anticipating...


If I had planned it better, I would have worn Skirt 44 today. But the colors in today's skirt kind of had to do with the Reverend Joseph Lowery's  inaugural benediction. Remember this part?

"And in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man..."

January 19, 2009

BB continues

This time BB = Boots and Bowling.

Last night, my friends and I had an impromptu bowling session at a private alley under a building downtown. It was dank and dark on the way down, but lo and behold...

Like a beacon in the night! BOWL!



Did I mention I got a new skirt?

I didn't buy it this year, I'm still holding true to my resolution, but I did buy it on the last day of 2008. It's vintage, from Dolly Python and is Indian (I think). It has a deer print on it. Even though, I think deer are over rated and over done, my skirt is WAY fun and comfy. It's great to throw on and troll around in, and bowl in. I improved my score, from a 46 to a 55 and a 71. 
And to prove it...

One pin down.

and then the rest...

My arms are sore today...

January 18, 2009

January 17, 2009

BBQ & Bowling

BB is what I called this party, because if you remove the vertical line of the B you're left with a 3. Therefore, in a very abstract way BB = 33. Get it? Anyway...

We went to Raymond's BBQ Cafeteria. The lighting was very yellow, which made the food less than appetizing, but it's BBQ. And it's kind of hard to screw that up. My sliced beef sandwich was a little dry. I'm sure this is a great place for lunch, when the food is fresh.

BBQ & Bowling was a good excuse for some of us to wear our boots.

At the bowling alley...

The best I bowled was a 46. I did get two strikes, after rolling 4 gutter balls in a row...
There is hope for me yet!

January 15, 2009

It's my birthday...

I really wasn't expecting anything, but my three year olds had a little surprise for me yesterday...

Each child came in with a different flower that morning.

And then they gave me this:

It says,

~ I love Ms. Lydia because she plays with her toys with me.
~ I love Ms. Lydia because she paints with me. ~ I love Ms. Lydia because she lets me catch dinosaurs outside with a bag and a stick. ~ I love Ms. Lydia ‘cause she makes my projects. She do’s it right now with paper. She helps me get the stickers on. She holds me. She smells good. ~ I love Ms. Lydia because I love to watch her paint. ~ I love that Ms. Lydia plays with me and I really love her diamond shoes! Oh and we both have curly hair. ~ I love to paint with Ms. Lydia. WEEEEEE! ~ I love Ms. Lydia because she gives me Big hugs! I love Ms. Lydia because she is so nice. ~ I love Ms. Lydia because she picks me up – one time she did. I give her hugs; she’s nice and she likes to teach me to sing to her; she helps us put the trains on the tracks; I love her because I kiss her on the cheek and I love her because Ms. Lydia loves Sam.

I love all my kids, indeed I do.

January 14, 2009

Pre-School Projects

I mentioned before that our pre-school is working on a Great Artists unit. There is a curriculum already in place, but I am kind of feeling the need to veer of the beaten path. We'll see how it goes, but I do like the what my kiddos have produced so far.

Inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's flower paintings, especially my favorite, the poppy.


A photo
I took in Connecticut last June.


Poppy, by Georgia O'Keefe


Poppy painting by a 3-year-old. Salt watercolor background with acrylic.

My 2-year olds made a marble painting the other day.




I think it looks like Alpha-Pi, by color-field painter Morris Louis.