Happy Friday

Peace.

More Drawings About Buildings

View out a New York Window
ink and watercolor pencil

Crackerbarrel Alley, Northampton
watercolor pencil

Shelburne Falls
watercolor pencil

I have become addicted to the Urban Sketchers blog. Inspired by the art I see there, I pitched an idea at the elementary school to teach an Urban Sketchers class to third through fifth graders for the Spring term. I am so happy they approved it! And that some kids signed up! I have been scouting local locations -- to which the students and I will walk each week to sketch. I have also been looking at some of my sketches of buildings and city scenes from my sketchbooks. 

In addition to the Urban Sketchers class, I will be teaching a Drawing from Life class to third through fifth graders, and an Intro to Making Comics class to kindergarten through second graders.

Happy Art! Happy Spring!







Peace.

Tax the Rich

I know, I know. There are serious people saying we should Eat the Rich, but hear me out.



This morning, as I was paying into my daughters' school lunch fund, I struck up a conversation with the lunch lady (seen here in a photograph from a few months ago, gloves deep in tuna). I told her about an article I had read yesterday regarding a school district that was in discussions with collections agencies to pursue families who owe money for their children's lunches. This woman, who has seen her full-time with benefits job in the cafeteria reduced to a part-time no benefits job, so that she's been forced to take a second job at a place that will remain nameless (which a goofy friend says, "rhymes with smallfart") replied to me that people need to "take responsibility." I thought I heard some FOXiness there, and was reluctant to press on. But I tried, "You know who isn't taking responsibility right now? The rich need to pay their fair share." I breathed a sigh of relief when she agreed with me, and the conversation went on from there. So everyday Americans like us can see that one of the most important things that needs to be done for our country is to raise taxes on the rich.

It is good to see that some members of Congress get it, too.

Now, how to get our voices heard, to actually see our representative democracy represent us? I'll choose a general strike and/or taking over the Capitol building in Washington, a la Wisconsin, instead of a plateful of Roasted Rich. Who's with me?










Peace.

A Splash of Color: Red

Rhubarb peeks out from the last of the snow

Unfurling in sunlight

A cardinal out the kitchen window

What are you looking at??

Peace.

A Gorgeous Adventure

Today my ten year old daughter is doing something with her fifth grade class that is incredibly challenging for her. In helping her get to this place, I realize how often as an adult I allow myself the freedom to skip things that seem just too hard. While of course she knows that she doesn't have to face today's adventure if it's really too much for her, the way it's been framed is that she will do it. In order not to, she'll have to use the mommy-rescue-me escape hatch.

Because of her anxiety disorder and other disabilities, those of us who care for her are always aware of her challenges. Everyday there are little things in the path that most of us wouldn't even notice. For my daughter they are major obstacles. The courage that she possesses to face each day is amazing. On days like today where she is being asked to manage all of her everyday challenges, and so much more, I am able to recognize her enormous strength, how brave she really is.



On her very first day of kindergarten, years ago, she got on the school bus just like a big kid. The bus drove about twenty feet, then stopped. I said to the crowd of parents that I knew it was my daughter that caused the stop. Sure enough, she was in tears. I got on the bus and tried to convince her that she would be okay, but she didn't want to let me go. Luckily, her godfather had come to see her off that morning, too (he also took this picture of her!). He got on the bus, and by that time, the kindergartner sitting next to my daughter had begun to cry, too. So her godfather told my daughter that she had to go to school and she had to help this little boy get to school, too. And it worked. He and I got off the bus, and they drove away. I later found out that most of the kindergartner parents, including the mom of the little boy, had followed the bus to school in their cars, for a second goodbye to their kids, safe at school. I had a home daycare at the time and didn't even think of the possibility of being there at school that morning. So my daughter, scared enough to stop the school bus, managed to make it all the way through her first day of school, including another bus ride home, without her mommy by her side. Until recently, when I've thought of that story, I've focused on how scared she was to leave me. Now I see that she has always had this incredible strength and courage.

I am so proud of her and so inspired.




What challenges will you face today that seem like they're just too hard?





Peace.

Portrait of the Artist as a Woman

Thank you, Guerrilla Girls










Peace.

A Delicate Dance

frost on a spiderweb in the morning light

Peace.