repeating myself..that's OK.

I simply could not find my way with clay this morning-- my graceless pot I could not make to please me-- I have an idea and I will go back later and try again-- without the crowd. Today I felt like I was not an artist of any type! WOW! that was bad for me. I had to get out of there. I am making some chicken and noodles and having some fresh coffee. I really do see some other bad stuff that people are happy with... boom boom boom. There is a lot of good, too. I do like my very first project. Evidently I forgot to publish this. A week passed. I bought two nicely shaped pieces of glassware to use as slump molds for a plate and a bowl and made them on Saturday, and pleased myself. I stayed every minute and then some. I am now finishing up the rest of the weekend and my fall break with the grand boys of central Illinois. Tomorrow is back to work, refreshed and ready for the last mad dash to the end of the grading period. I wouldn't be sad if Miss Grumpy decided to skip a few days. ;^). The grand boys were confused and H said frustrated, I am here, so he must not need to go to school. He will find a little zentangled heart in his school folder sometime today! I may do one more surprise for them all after lawdaughter leaves for work in a few minutes.

Trying Clay Again

I bought 2 nicely shaped glass containers, one a large plate the other a nice big bowl, and built coil spiral pots using the glass pieces to support them. I think they are going to be really cool and I did not feel the frustration of last week at all. I thought today was out last day but next Saturday is our last session. I have an idea of how I want to glaze the mask-- It is not yet bisque fired so that has to wait. I was leaving in a few minutes to go to LeRoy but they are having a tremendous storm. It does not look like it is going to slam us but north of here is a different story. I think I will wait it out, maybe take a little nap to make up for all the waking up last night! I took no pictures today with my filthy clay hands so, no pics for you!

Arden's Pics

How about these? 

Arden's photos.

 a few pictures my grand D took last summer during her stay in Indiana. These were from the Shedd where she went with her Grandpa Larry. I am trying to relearn, you know, use it or lose it, posting pictures in various places.

I found this jelly shot very lovely.

The War in Education

Read anything by Diane Ravitch to discover what is going on in education. I am just going to say that the stress of this year in this political climate has teachers as exhausted as they usually are in May. I am at the age of retirement, love teaching and will teach until I don't feel that way. The students keep me young in many ways and focused and thinking. I know that teaching in an 80% poverty school, there is no way for my pay to go up-- that's OK, I am at the end, but why would a young person stay? Why would teachers dedicate themselves to these students who need them the most? The climate must swing, it just won't in my time. I am so grateful to be in art, the joy and creativity has been sucked out of science, my earlier incarnation, now it is practically scripted, day by day and if the student doesn't get it, no matter, we must move on. What happened to mastery? Where is creativity? We are losing it. Second grade teachers having to be on the same page, the same word the same time? bullshit. Not only are students not automatons, neither are teachers. Bring back the joy I say, bring back the joy! Have you ever seen a 6th grader dissecting a frog? It's a peak experience and I thank Ms. Lindsey for teaching me that so I could share it later!

Whenever I post after long periods I realize what a rambler I am-- so what--it's my blog. I'll ramble. But right now it's shoes and socks and go to the clay studio!

Trying Clay, Clay is Trying

Clay is my husband's art form, not mine. I have learned to have fun with it teaching it in 8th grade but now that I am in a 6-week class offered by our local university, I see that it is really not mine. I have one good new project for class but my more "adult" attempts I find rather graceless. We have two classes left and I hope to make this last giant coil pot (giant for me) into something I am not ashamed of. Larry is coming right back up to speed after years of not doing clay. Some of the other retired educators are as well, and some not so retired. I will give it this, it is fun to be in the room with all these familiar people making some kind of art. I have a plan for today but I haven't even tried the wheel. I was very perfunctory in my college days with clay and have not done the wheel because I won't be doing it in the future. Just don't want to. But I am curious to see if I can relearn centering and actually pull something up. The real challenge today will be PARKING. It is ISU's homecoming parade and we somehow have to park in a certain lot on campus. I am dressed for the parking war but will miss the parade with the marching bands that choke me up every year! I am looking for collegiate and leggy today and I might flirt with that white haired man in the back doing the Dr. Seuss themed pieces.
I just got clay started with my 8th graders yesterday and they will get their hands in it on Monday. It is always a combination of excitement and Zen.