Happy Christmas!!!!

Done

I considered this final project for my design class my last big thing to do before for the semester. I ended up having to put more work into my final drawing portfolio than intended, but regardless it's all finished and frankly I'm a lot more proud of my little video. I struggled with this design class. It was all in digital media and I hated it. I didn't have any major difficulties learning the technology, I just didn't like it. I like the tangibility of other mediums. I like being able to touch and feel my work. When everything is in a computer I have to just trust that it's there. I can't touch what I'm working on, I can only click and hope it does what I want. I did well enough in the class, but I'm looking so much more forward to taking painting again next semester.
Regardless, I did like the outcome of our final project. There's just something so cool about stop motion videos. So this is my autobiography.

Recent broodings

Just a few random thoughts for tonight.
1. I need to start knitting again before I forget how.
2. I love Thanksgiving and how entirely jazzed about Christmas it gets me.
3. Rereading the Chronicles of Narnia has been the most delightful experience. C.S. Lewis had such a beautiful understanding of Christ and I love reading his portrayal of our Savior through Aslan and the reminder it serves me of how perfect he is. I could not ask for a better God.
4. I have a direction for my autobiographical stop motion video for my design class, and I hope I can execute as great as it is in my head. I can't wait until it's done at least so I can post it for the world to see.
5. I want people to purchase things from my Etsy store so I can justify not having a job.
6. I want to study abroad next year in Sweden. Especially after making a Swedish friend.
7. Life is good.

Here's a little something to enjoy.


(disclaimer: my video will be nothing like this seeing as how I do not have the time nor the energy to pull something as magnificent as this off.)

Validate my busy fingers!

So I have finally made myself an Etsy account like I've been planning for ages. Etsy is the fantastic little site where people buy and sell handmade goods, and if I had all the money in the world I would probably only shop there. So I've been making these decorative headbands and decided to make some money off of them. So please check out my shop and tell your friends.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PaigeValera

p.s. I have every intention of posting plenty more so keep your eyes peeled for new stuff.

Ophelia

Look at my cat. Is she not the most adorable little thing. I had to take a thousand pictures of her for this design project and was reminded of how cute she is. I just love that sweet, cuddly, little face. I can't wait until she's my full-time cat and I don't have to do this long distance thing anymore.

relief

This is basically a follow up post to my last one full of confusion and doubt. I have officially decided to be a painting major. I have every intention of getting my undergrad in painting, then continue growing as an artist through grad school, and through some connection or another become a college professor. It was not an easy decision. I talked the ear off my good friend Korey for ages about it, and then got some wonderful advice from my parents, but ultimately I know this is what I need to be doing. I had been praying about it for weeks and weeks, and finally, I had the impression to write a pro-con list for both of my options. So I did and realized how much better for my family taking the painting route would be. So here I am, a little lost and scared for this new adventure, but oh so excited. I know this is what I'm supposed to do and I'm ready to work. I know it'll be hard. It's a different hard from most things, but I'm ready.


(relief, get it?)

Could I have one time warp please with a side of motivation

So I am terrible at making use of the time that I have. I always have been. So in school the past few years I have loaded up my schedule since when I'm busy I tend to get more done than if I have nothing to do. Which is wonderful, only this week I'm tired of being busy. Lately I have wanted to paint. I just want to go into my imaginary studio and paint something, to continue the series I started last semester and promised myself I would work on. but I have no time. Between classes, seeing my friends so I don't feel like a hermit, family, and my practicum (36 hours of observing an art teacher before Thanksgiving), I just don't have time. and right at this moment I feel frustrated. Why am I going to be an art teacher when all I want to do is get married, have a bunch of babies and paint on the side for the rest of my life. Going to grad school for painting is already in the plan, but I wonder if I should be looking so forward to that. I decided in high school that I wanted to teach, and I do. I love teenagers and I enjoy my practicum. The teacher I observe is literally the sweetest lady on the earth and a great teacher who truly cares about her students. The kids are fantastic. I have had opportunities to really help and guide them through the conceptual and even the technicalities of projects and its been fun. At least with the older kids it is. In the Art I classes it's a different story. The kids take advantage of Ms. Ellis and are unbelievably immature even for teenagers. It's like baby sitting. I know I can do it. I just don't know if I want to anymore. What if I'm really just meant to be teaching someone else. Teaching college sounds appealing right now, and it's intimidating to think about all I have to learn about painting and the art of it before I would even feel comfortable teaching someone how to paint. But the idea of studying it sounds so much more exciting to me than thinking about my education classes. So the question is, do I just suck it up and finish the education degree as a backup and then just throw myself into painting later, and hope I'll find time to paint in the next two years, or just quit and paint now.
As previously mentioned I am terribly indecisive. Though this isn't a decision I intend on making quickly or cavalierly. This'll be one to ponder and pray about. I think it might be a little more serious than my Halloween costume.


(I just thought this was a clever little illustration)

Final Results

Halloween was yesterday, and as previously decided I went as Aang, the last Airbender. It was an absolute blast. The costume was the easy part to make compared with the hassle of putting on a bald wig. It will probably be a few years before I would ever attempt a bald wig again (it would have to be a sufficient amount of time for me to forget what a pain in the rear it was), but for this it was well worth it.
So here is me as Aang,



And as you can see my nephew Max was a Jedi youngling, and my good friend Jeremy went as my flying bison, Appa. Actually at the dance we went to, me and Jeremy won a prize for the most authentic costume for the Avatar crew. We're a little proud. At least I am, I kind of tell everyone I meet.

Decisions

I am by nature a very indecisive person. I try not to make rash decisions, which is maybe why I love to be around spontaneous people because they are something I don't think I could ever be. Sometimes I am sad about this little part of myself since spontaneous people seem to have so much more fun, but really it's something I'm happy for. I've never had to deal with the kind of drama some of my friends have because I stop and think before I do, and sometimes say things (Though if I can not think something through it would definitely be what comes out of my mouth). And I think my lack of spontaneity just plays into that stillness factor about myself that I love. But that's not the point, the point is, after weeks of deliberation and agony over this decision, I have decided....


To be Aang for Halloween.



and I would like to thank my friends for their input. I don't know that I actually listened, I mostly just wanted to hear what you thought and then do what I want. So anyway, I shall go to a Young Single Adult dance as a 12-year old, bald, cartoon character, and I'm super excited about it. I shall post pictures at a later date.

Option 4

So I now have a fourth option for my Halloween costume. My good friend Heidi is dressing up as Heidi, and I am now considering going as a goat so we could be a matching pair. I'm thinking really hard about it.



Please help me. I'm as indecisive as ever.

Hallow's Eve

So I love Halloween for the one simple fact that I love to dress up. So now my dilemma is what to dress up as. I have been talking for years about dressing up as Aang from Avatar the Last Airbender.



I even purchased some fabric and everything. I'm just not sure though. Maybe I should wait until I'm married or at least dating someone before going out into public as a bald 12 year old boy. I think it just might scare the fellows away.
So I might settle for a different pre-pubescent boy, but this time with hair, Peter Pan.



But ultimately I have decided that if I can't pull together either of these costumes then I can just be Jubilee from the X-Men. I already have the perfect yellow raincoat.



Granted, I'm not chinese but I could get some very temporary hair dye, and find some sweet glasses like she has at goodwill. But at the moment I'm sort of leaning towards Peter. I'm not sure though. I feel like I need a lot opinions to overwhelm me before I can ignore them and do what I want. So please, if you are a friend of mine you will tell me what to do.

No offense Judy

So on such a rainy, dreary day as this, I'm oddly enough reminded of one of my favorite songs, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. But the thing is, I don't care for the Judy Garland version. I recognize that she sings it beautifully and it's plenty lovely, I just love other versions so much more.
For example, Brother Iz.


And my favorite, Ella Fitzgerald.


I just love the different arrangements of it. I have nothing against Judy, but I like it better when other people sing her song.
Anyway, on another vein of thought, I think it's very fitting that the weather is so depressing on the day I have a math test. It just makes sense. One of my dearest hopes for future generations is that Universities will learn that Art Majors don't need math, and will cease to require one for graduation.

Getting old

So a few items of business tonight. First of which is that I'm starting to feel old. Granted, I'm only 21, but a couple recent occurrences have made me feel like 21 is old.
A. One of my best friends from my freshman year of college is pregnant. It's one thing that 3 out of the 5 of us are married, but pregnant?!? That's for adults.
and B. One of my girls from my last week of EFY last year is engaged. OK, so she was already 18 last year, so she's legal, but still. Your youth aren't supposed to get married before you. (not that I'm looking right now, I won't even pretend to be mature enough for marriage). Regardless it's wierd. Especially since she's engaged to a guy we befriended last summer when he sold security systems in Greensboro. Small world huh.

Ok, so on an entirely different note, one of my best friends is getting off of his mission this week and it's a little weird for me. Two years went by super fast. We weren't even BFF when he left, we just watched the same cartoons, but we've emailed every week since he's been out and clearly with that kind of communication we've grown tighter. Anyway, but on Mondays I usually get that weekly email but today I was out of luck. It makes sense, I'm sure he is super busy finishing up this last week, but I still kind of missed it. Who would have thought I'd grow so dependent on those emails.
Anyway, that concludes my babblings tonight.

My life according to the Beatles

So I saw someone do this on facebook and decided I wanted to do it too, so I'm posting it here so it doesn't feel like I'm doing one of those chain things. So here are the instructions:

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 15 people you like and include me. You can't use the band I used. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think! Repost as "my life according to (band name)"


Pick your Artist:
The Beatles

Are you a male or female:
She's a Woman

Describe yourself:
I am the Walrus

How do you feel:
Helter Skelter

Describe where you currently live:
Penny Lane

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Across the Universe

Your favorite form of transportation:
Yellow Submarine

Your best friend(s)?
The Fool on the Hill

You and your best friends:
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Favorite time of day:
Here Comes the Sun

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called:
I'm Only Sleeping

What is life to you:
A Beginning

Your relationship:
Tomorrow Never Knows

Your fear:
Mean Mr. Mustard

What is the best advice you have to give:
Your Mother Should Know

Thought for the Day:
Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

How I would like to die:
Piggies

My soul's present condition:
I Feel Fine

My motto:
Let It Be


Wow, that was a lot easier than I thought it would be. Maybe because The Beatles just did so much. On another note, I am so jazzed for The Beatles Rock Band!! I want to play so bad. I feel like I would enjoy it so much more since I actually know most of the songs. Now if only I had an income to buy said game with.

just for laughs

juxtaposition

So I was driving down Hobbs today and saw this mailbox that I notice every time I drive down Hobbs. It's just so strange. The top part that receives mail is the normal size and shape of the average mailbox but it's painted with these big red roses. Not in kind of 60's cheesy representation of a rose, but in a fully serious old lady floral kind of rose. Which is fine whatever, I tend to enjoy old lady things. But then the base of the mailbox, the part that's usually just a pole in the ground, is this stainless steel, zig-zaging, twisty sculpture. Again, also something I usually enjoy. What is so great about this mailbox is the strange mixture between the very traditional looking flowers, and the modern, sculptural base. I just love it. I love the irony, the humor, and the juxtaposition of the two parts. Utterly delightful.

Molly

So I am in a wierd mood right now, and clearly I've been in a blogging mood the past few days, but I just have this desire for change right now. I really want to do something with my hair, but that's not the point. Tonight I have this random love for Molly Ringwald. Isn't she just precious. I really just feel like watching Pretty in Pink. I might have to rent it tomorrow. Heavens I need to own that movie.

(though I'm 99.998% sure this image is taken from The Breakfast Club. hmmm, that's one I need to find edited)

tender mercies

So to my surprise as I wandered into the Gatewood Gallery in the studio arts building today, two of my paintings were hanging on the wall. And then I remembered that in my evaluation letter from my painting II class last semester my professor mentioned she was stealing those two pieces for the summer show in the Gatewood. It's just a student show from the spring semester but I like having something in there. Especially when the night before a friend was casually talking about some $1,700 commission she had, etc, when I'm older and feel more experienced. In all actuality it sounds like she's more experienced than I am, but regardless it made me feel like a child which I don't like.
So anyways, it was a nice little boost to feel appreciated at least a little today. It was a tender mercy to a grouchy day. that and once I arrived home from school my sister had just barely pulled a frozen pizza out of the oven, ready to go into my ravenous tummy.

p.s. I think this semester's going to be harder than anticipated. I'm ready for summer again. At least I don't have class on Friday, I just keep on telling myself that. It helps.

Just one more thought for the night.



I knew I loved this movie for a reason. Now to purchase it, that is once I have a job and the money that comes with it.

So in exploring the internet this evening I came across a fascinating article written for Psychology Today and thought I'd share.


"The fact is that the arts foster innovation. We've just published a study that shows that almost all Nobel laureates in the sciences actively engage in arts as adults. They are twenty-five times as likely as the average scientist to sing, dance, or act; seventeen times as likely to be a visual artist; twelve times more likely to write poetry and literature; eight times more likely to do woodworking or some other craft; four times as likely to be a musician; and twice as likely to be a photographer. Many connect their art to their scientific ability with some riff on Nobel prizewinning physicist Max Planck words: "The creative scientist needs an artistic imagination."
Bottom line: Successful scientists and inventors are artistic people. Hobble the arts and you hobble innovation. It's a lesson our legislators need to learn."


Amen.

I am making a dress, and it shall be cute. This is my first experience going to the fabric store and picking out a pattern and finding fabric all by myself. And so far it is going swimmingly.

San Fran

So, I just got all of the pictures I took in San Francisco from my sister so I feel that it is high time I blogged about my trip. So right after I finished my 3rd week of EFY my sister Jackie and I fly out to San Fran for a few days. Jackie signed up for a photography workshop with this big time photographer guy, Jonathan Canlas who works only in film. So the workshop is call Film is Not Dead and they only shot film and it was super cool. So while Jackie was off taking pictures in the workshop all day, I was free to wander the city.
Day 1: I hopped a bus in the mission district where we were staying and rode further into the city to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. It was soooo cool. They had a sweet collection, but in addition they had a few pretty sweet exhibits. There was a Georgia O'Keefe + Ansel Adams one that was ok. It was good I just wasn't as impressed with Georgia as I thought I'd be. normally I'm a big fan, but what they had wasn't too exciting. But then the other two exhibits were of photographers and were infinitely cooler. There was a Robert Frank show which was super neat, and then a Richard Avedon exhibit which was phenomenal. all in all I enjoyed myself. I don't have any pictures of anything from the special exhibits because it wasn't allowed, but these were some of my favorites from the normal collection.

I don't actually know who the artist was here but it was way cool.


mmmm, Roy Lichtenstein, he's one of my favorites.


and Rene Magritte. you wouldn't beleive the detail in this sucker.

Then I wandered around that part of town a little more and rode the bus back to the hotel so I could hook up with Jackie for dinner and such. After we ate some delicious San Franciscan food we met up with a ton of people from the workshop at the bar (no worries we had water, as did half of the people in our group) and hung out a little bit. Jackie's frind Kristopher from the workshop brought his friend who happened to be in the city as well, and as it turns out was wandering the city all by himself like I was. So me and Cade (new friend) made plans to do Fisherman's Warf and Pier 39 and that jazz together the next day.

Day 2: So I rode the bus again to get there and we met up right at Fisherman's Warf and wandered together some. I happened to have some tickets given to me for this boat tour around the bay so we hopped on this boat and enjoyed the ride. I think the boat was my favorite part of the trip actually. I just loved the wind and the motion and the sights. It was just a neat experience. We sailed right under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz, all while listening to some delightful narration full of hoaky goodness. It was a blast.





Here's Cade and I on the boat, you can see the bridge behind us too. and as you can also see, the wind was fairly aggressive where my hair is concerned.

So then we ate and did a lot of wandering around the city. I must say it was way nice to have a travel buddy. Then Jackie called and Jonathan was taking everybody to Chinatown to take pictures etc. which turned out to be pretty convenient since Jackie and I had planned on doing Chinatown together that night anyway. unfortunately I don't have any pictures from it but it was an absolute blast. It was so colorful and fun. Jonathan took us to this hole in the wall restaurant called The Pot Sticker and it was honestly the most delicious chinese food I've ever had in my life. I ate so much. It's obscene how much we all ate actually. It was so much fun though.

Day 3: So this was my last full day in the city and I decided to take it easy actually and I wandered around the mission district where we were staying. It's a mostly hispanic neighborhood so it was so full of color and vibrancy. I was so glad we were staying there because otherwise I don't think I would have even seen that part of town. I felt like I had an insiders look at the city. One of my favorite aspects of it though were the murals. everywhere you look there were either murals or graffiti. I loved it. here's a little taste.




Anyway, I found my way to the Mission Dolores Park which was really neat. I felt like I saw a little taste of everyone the city has to offer. There were so many people of every size, shape, color, class, etc. it was fascinating. Anyway, then Jackie and I had one last meal with everyone from the workshop and then we met up with Jackie's husband Rob's old friend. They were BFF from way back and since she lives nearby she came to see us. and luckily she has a car and was able to drive me and Jackie to go see the Pacific ocean. We desperately wanted to stick our feet in and she was able to provide us with the means. The water was absolutely freezing but it was to be expected.



Regardless, we were excited.
So then we made it back to the hotel, and prepared to fly home the next day. All in all it was an incredible trip. I had an absolute blast. There are so many little things we did or that I saw that I just don't have the time or energy to include into this entry, but that I hope I'll remember forever. I simply loved it. The end.

jealousy of a stranger

I have just a random late night thought. As I was perusing a complete stranger's blog, I came across this photograph.

and I concluded that
A. She reminds me very much of a small child and I love it.
B. A part of me wants to be her.
and C. I crazy love her hair. I am severely tempted to give up (as I have been wanting to for ages) on growing out my hair a little and just have my sister cut it right now. I shall sleep on it however, because undoubtedly this girl styles her hair, a talent I have never managed to acquire due to a lack of instruction and chronic laziness.
But we shall see.

EFY

So. instead of trying to recap my summer so far in one ginormous post, I shall take it in installments. So this is EFY. My first week was basically incredible. Our youth were 16-18 and so cool and they made it the best week ever. look at their sweet faces. I truly had amazing youth. It was an amazing start to the summer.

Another reason why, is these guys. These are my co-counselors Kayla and Josh and they are awesome. What was so intimidating is that this was their very first week ever as counselors, but they were teaching like they had been doing it for years. They were truly a blessing. I was so lucky to have them as cos.

And then for the sake of keeping the blog brief, only one more cool experience from that week. I had the privilege of having Callan in my group again. She was in my group my last week last summer and then I had her again. She is truly one of the sweetest, kindest, most amazing girls ever. I just love her to death.

So that was my first week and it was awesome.

My second week was amazing as well. I had a group of 14 and 15 year olds for the first time ever and I was so scared. I was terrified of them, but they turned out to be so sweet and so much fun. Kelan was my co and he is phenomenal. It was heaven sent that I had him for a co that week. Kelan just works so well with the younger group and he made everything fun. We just had a blast. I know there are pictures of the two of us out there somewhere, but I do not have access to them. So all I could find was this big group picture on facebook.

I just love them. I had heard that the 14 and 15 year olds don't respond as much in lessons and were too ADD but my youth were spectacular. They always had wonderful, insightful comments and were no different attention wise as my 16 to 18 year olds. They were just precious.

Ok, so here is my third and final week. I didn't think it could get any better but it did. I had the older group again and Ricky as my co. Funny thing is, Kelan and Ricky are hard core BFFs so it was hilarious when Ricky would crack a joke that Kelan did the week earlier or when they would joke around with each other during the week. Again we just had so much fun. Our group that week was unbelievably unified. There were so many little miracles that week and it was incredible to watch them help each other and build each other up. It was such a good week I cried Saturday morning when it sunk in that I had to go home because I was done. Just like my first group was the perfect start, this group was the perfect end.

I just absolutely adore them. I love EFY and I love the youth. I love teaching them, I just love being around them. Our future's in good hands.

Summer Plans

Well I was bored today and on a whim went through and read all of my old blog posts and realized that I alluded to large plans for my summer but never went into detail. So here are my plans, in a few days I am going on our stake's pioneer trek for the youth as a big sister (less than a ma or pa, but more than a youth), it's going to kick my butt but i anticipate having fun, feeling the spirit, and I've had fun making the clothes for it anyway. So then the day after I get back from the trek I leave for Buena Vista, VA to do 3 sessions of EFY as a counselor. I'm so excited. I was a counselor last year and it's basically the greatest thing ever. then right after my 3rd week ends, I am flying with my older sister Jackie to San Francisco for a few days. She has a photography workshop and I have a city to explore. I'm super excited about that. Then as soon as I'm home I plan on seeing Harry Potter number 6, hopefully sleeping for a few days, and then I go to girl's camp. As soon as we're back from girl's camp we go straight to the beach for my family's annual beach week (it's basically my favorite week of the year). Then if things work out there will be an EFY counselor beach week at some point, and then I plan on sleeping until school starts again.
So needless to say, I have a busy, exciting, delightful summer planned and it all starts in a few days.

So lately I have rediscovered my love for Mika.

How can you not be in love with him. But this rediscovery has led me to reflect on the other music I listened to my freshman year of college, when Mika first paid a visit to my heart, and I was reminded of one of my other favorites, Melee.

Aren't they precious?

sleep

mmm, google never fails me when searching for a picture on just how i feel.

So, just a few thoughts.
I have this wonderful, awkward love affair with the beach. I've always loved the beach, it's hard not to when you go every single summer with the greatest family in the world. But when I go without my family, it's not quite the same obviously, but there's still no denying the lure that the beach has on me. Even when I'm just sitting on the beach reading, probably not as comfortably as I could be in the beach house even, I am far more content than anywhere else. I love the sun, despite the fact that the most I ever get out of it are varying shades of pink and if I'm lucky a smattering of freckles. I love the sand. I love the hot sand that warms you after the cold ocean, and then the cool sand of the nighttime. I love the sounds and the sensations of just being in the general vicinity of the ocean. The whole experience is just pure delight. My favorite however is the beach at night. When the people are gone and the air is cool and the ocean colder. When you start out rolling your pants up determined to keep them dry and walking a safe distance from the ocean, when in all reality, by the end of the walk, you pants are carelessly wet and sandy in the thrill of the waves catching you unawares. I love just walking. Walking on the beach for me, can never be tiring, especially at night. I could walk until the sun comes up without even feeling it. There's a certain vigor and energy that I manage to just soak into my veins when I'm on the beach at night. I just love it.

exercise

So this morning I got up at a timely hour (a shock I know) and I went for a short run (even bigger shock). During the semester I had all these plans of being motivated this summer and getting up and going running every day and then painting and knitting and accomplishing in general during the day. Well clearly that hasn't happened so far, but this morning I got up and decided to go running. I mostly just felt like I needed the endorphins. Let me tell you, it was horrible. I'm in worse shape than I thought because I felt like death after just one lap around the neighborhood (my neighborhood is quite small). But I suppose you have to start somewhere, and the endorphins really are great.

However, this is what I felt like doing after five minutes.

I'm not really sure what I wanted to babble about today, I just felt like I hadn't posted anything in a while. I'm finished entirely with school for the summer. I managed to squeak out some pretty darn good grades too. I got three A's, one A-, and two B+s. I was pretty happy with myself. But now that summer's officially here I don't really know what to do with myself. I had all kinds of plans to stay busy and motivated, but all I've done so far is sleep and lounge, with empty justifications heaped on top. I've just felt kind of off lately. I'm not really sure why, and I keep looking towards EFY as if everything will be fixed once I'm there but they won't. I think I just need to teach myself self-discipline. It's been a long time coming too. we'll see how that turns out, it's something I've never quite been able to grasp on to.
Anyway, here's a fun little bit of randomness to enjoy. I think Ella Fitzgerald is just amazing. She's just hilarious. What a fun woman.

Best Mom Ever award goes to...

Since today is Mother's Day, naturally I have been reflecting on my own mother and how she's basically the best mother in the world. I would not be who I am today without my mother. My father has had a huge influence in my life as well, but I'll babble about him on Father's Day. My mother is basically amazing. We don't always agree, mostly about what I wear, but I can think of no one else I would rather become than my Mom. She's my hero. She raised four well-balanced kids in exactly the way that we needed to be raised. She's not the kind of mother to hover or have a finger in all aspects in our lives, or know exactly what happens to us every single day, but she doesn't need to. If she had been any different when we were growing up then I don't think we would have turned out so well. She's a teacher by example, and she's the best teacher ever. She taught us to be creative by creating, she taught us to be good people by caring for others and serving. She has taught us countless other lessons, but she has taught us how to love by loving. Ours was never a super affectionate house, but I never doubted once in my life that my mother (and father) loved me. I knew I would always be safe, physically, spiritually, emotionally in our house. She's just the best. I'm still learning most of her lessons, but luckily I've inherited a lot of her personality traits, actually I'm basically turning into my mother. We both tend to be a little ditzy, we both cannot speak without our hands (she's actually legit though, I just look like I'm italian). There's this video of me doing something and halfway through I start laughing, and the scary part is, I look just like her. It's weird, let me tell you. But if I was to turn into anybody in the world, I'm glad it's my mom.


Happy Mother's Day!

Negative space?

So I was just randomly looking at the jumping pictures of myself that comprise my header for this blog, and I noticed the tiny little shadows I'm casting and I find them absolutely fascinating. They're almost hidden in the shadows from the trees, but when you find them they're like little treasures. They all have such interesting shapes. I feel like they're going to run away from me like in Peter Pan and I'll have to stick them back on with soap. I just felt like I found something super special when I noticed them. That is all.

So it just occurred to me as I was wasting time on the internet instead of going to bed like a normal person, that I have very little art on my blog. Well I do have a few fantastic black and white photographs, but I feel like many would get the impression that that's all that I like, because that's all that's there. So anyway, as I was killing time I google image searched Vincent Van Gogh because he's my favorite. Just the other night, too when I mentioned Van Gogh was my favorite, someone asked me which painting, and I realized I didn't have an answer for them. In general I love all of Van Gogh's work, I just love everything about it. So naturally I love some of his most famous paintings because they're great, they truly are. But I'm always drawn to some of his other stuff. I love the movement especially in his paintings of cypresses.

But then you look at his random still life's like this skull and you can't help but love it. He brings to life even the most dead, unmoving objects. I love that.

And then look at the color in this painting of a tree. It's just exquisite.


So there's my random gush over Van Gogh. He's just the best.

Last Day of School

So you know how in the beginning of Finding Nemo, Nemo's jumping on top of Marlin chanting "first day of school! first day of school!", today I feel like chanting "last day of school! last day of school!". I didn not however, but I did in celebration of being officially finished with classes (exams are still coming), take the most epic nap of my life. I was pretty soggy after dealing with the park and ride in the rain, so when I got home I changed into my toasty dinosaur footie pajamas, started my laundry and passed out for a few good hours. It was pretty glorious. The only real thing I accomplished today was the laundry and I'm worried for what this means for the next two months of my summer before I'm forced to be busy. I have wonderful plans to be productive and make things, do things, accomplish... anything with the time I have for myself this summer. But how incredibly slug-like I was on the couch all day today makes me a little worried that I'll fall back into my normal lazy patterns. we'll just have to see I guess. Though today can just count as my official recuperation from classes.
However, the high point of the evening was the great thunderstorm we got. Suddenly it started pouring down rain like nobody's business, and there was thunder and lightning. The power went out for like 10 seconds and everything. I love thunderstorms. One of my favorite things about them is how intensely green everything looks during them. All of the colors are caught up in the excitement of the storm and just glow brighter. I love it.

I didn't notice them today, but the clouds are my real favorite thing about thunderstorms. Right before it hits and the clouds are that dark periwinkle color with the sharp edges. I just can't get enough of that. and the genius of Ansel Adams captured a taste of the magnificence of the real thing.
This is random but I was thinking about it, and if I ever had to live in the midwest, I think I would survive the lack of trees, by enjoying the incredible skies that they have. I feel like all of that space just allows for some of the most spectacular clouds. They get some pretty beastly thunderstorms too.

So yesterday my family went on an outing to Raleigh for a reception for some contest my sister was entered in. It was great, except she was robbed! The cute little asian girl who won totally didn't have a good drawing. but I'm going to vent about it later when I have access to pictures, plus I'm sitting in the library at school and it's a little chilly, so I would rather rant about this later.
So in other news, I'm super duper tired. Today and tomorrow are my last days of classes for the semester. but since most of my work was due last week, this weekend it totally felt like the semester was already done. Consequently I hung out with friends far later than I should have last night. I enjoyed every minute of it, especially just chatting with the few leftover after everyone left, but it was not the wisest decision of my life, and I'm suffering for it a little today.

side note: Elder Bednar's talk for the CES broadcast last night was amazing. It made me want to quit facebook, or at least use it a heck of a lot less. Gotta love those apostles.

After seeing the new Wolverine movie I watched a few episodes of the old X-Men cartoon on youtube and thoroughly enjoyed the blast from the past. This was one of the shows we watched saturday mornings. funny how as children we never noticed how truly terrible the animation was. Now it's just part of the nostalgic goodness. What an epic theme song.

Chicken Run

So apparently my nephew Max is obsessed with the movie Chicken Run, because we're watching it for the third time today. At least the third time since I've been over at my sister's house. At least he has good taste. If I had to watch something truly moronic over and over again, I might be more upset.By the way, watching these two chickens kiss at the end of the movie is supremely awkward.

Love these men. Though I shouldn't after the beast of a paper I had to write about them. They were just so good at what they do though. 

Jacob A. Riis
   William H. Jackson

stillness

So we had the final critique for the semester in my painting class this morning, and it actually turned out to be really helpful and productive.  Sometimes they aren't, but I got lucky this morning.  We critiqued our last project which consisted of 4 paintings essentially of our choice. I did a series of fabric, and how fabric is sculptural, etc. that wasn't the exciting part. the part I enjoyed was when my professor made a comment on how she likes the stillness of my paintings, how there's a certain still quality to them. This got me thinking a lot, because it wasn't something I planned on.  I don't have any problems with it, the stillness just happened subconsciously.  Which got me thinking about how it's true pertaining to me in general. How I'm a still person.  Yes I can be silly and crazy sometimes, but in general I tend to be calm, and still. I don't make rash decisions, everything's always weighed and measured before I buy it, etc. I always play it safe. I tend to be the mother of whatever group of friends I'm with, despite my mere 20 years. I have no problems sitting quietly and waiting in general. I'm just a still person.  But I was thinking about the stillness again in reference to art work, and I was confused for a minute because when I'm looking at art and critiquing it in general, I'm always drawn to the vibrant, energetic paintings. The ones that practically dance right in front of you, with obvious brushstrokes and color.  And magically, this rings true to my personality as well. When it comes to people, I naturally gravitate to the crazy fun, busy people. Those people who are always moving, even if it's not physically, but mentally. Those people who are full of wit and humor. Some of my favorite people in the world are this same kind of fun, energetic, surprising people that are like the paintings that I love. Time after time when I'm painting I think about those paintings and how I wish I could paint like that, because I do, and I've tried, it just doesn't work. and that is because I am a still person, therefore a still painter, and I'm loving that about myself merely because I now know that about myself. It's good to know I do have a style, and why it's that way. 

So thanks Barbara.

beutifying the blog

I'm not so sure about this here blog design. There is a good chance it'll change soon. I decided that in order for me to be a truly dedicated blogger, my page should be cute.

end of the semester hatred

So I have one week exactly left of classes and I cannot wait for them to be done. As I previously mentioned, I have a spectacular summer planned, part of which involves sleeping which I'm anxious to get started.  The problem is, since it is the end of the semester, every single teacher of mine has decided to make sure we have more work to do than there are hours in the day. So before exams even start I have 4 paintings, one very large etching project, an 8 page paper, and two tests to take before the week is over. It does not help however that mother nature decided to skip spring entirely and go straight into summer weather in order to distract all students from the tedious mundane existence that is school. It especially does not help when I have to enclose myself in the painting studio with the blinds closed and the lights off save for my little clamp lights to light my canvas as I finish these little paintings. It's a good thing I love it. 

I do manage to find time here and there to enjoy the weather however, mostly just on the weekends.  I love it especially when my nephew comes over to play. I tried to teach him the spider game on the swing last week, but he didn't quite grasp it. We had a sweet bonding moment because of it regardless. 

This picture just makes me happy in general. Mostly because I love this kid. We're basically BFF. 

neglect

It has been almost a year since I last posted here, but I'm excited to be back. I started the blog initially for my design I class with Lee Walton who happens to be one of my favorite teachers (check him out www.leewalton.com), and I just barely decided, a year later, to continue it on my own. I'm approaching a busy summer full of travel and excitement, and I relish the idea of keeping track of my adventures in a more publicly creative outlet than my own personal sketchbook and journal. So my intent is for this to become a hybrid of the two, only less private. so I hope I can keep up with it in the way that I imagine I can. 

So with that said, here we go.