Back to Teaching

Well it's official.  The transition from artist to teacher has officially begun.  I've completed the first week of my new art residency at Kaseberg Elementary School and it looks like it's going to be a very enjoyable place to teach.  It is however keeping me extremely busy.  I need to get my teaching legs back-literally.  I haven't stood this long since my last residency almost a year ago and I'm feeling it.  I'm sure it has nothing to do with being a year older.

I'm a multi-tasker and I think I'm pretty good at it.  I seldom do just one project at a time but I've come to realize that when I'm teaching I need to let some things go.  I never take a break from being wife and mother but my role as artist, teacher, landscaper, interior decorator, blogger, student and domestic engineer tend to rotate.  Like many women I like to think that I can do it all but even on my best days I've come to realize I can't really do it all well.  As of this moment, my Christmas tree is still up in the other room.

For the next three weeks my focus will be creating and teaching art lessons for students who range from Kindergarten to Fifth grade.  Although I may not have time to create my own artwork for awhile I hope I'll be instilling creativity in some future artists.  Looking at it in the long term I feel like what I do with my students really is my best work so for now the laundry, the backyard, the mending, and my many unfinished projects can all wait.

New Necklaces!

Happy New Year!

Final Project for Collage Class

I forgot to post my final art project for this semester.  I'm taking a bit of a break for the holidays and then I will start a residency at a new school in Roseville.  Probably won't have much time for my own art for awhile though I'm looking forward to teaching again.  It can be time consuming and a bit  frustrating but I love working with the kids.  They get so excited when they get to create. 

The American River Student Art Show at the Crocker Museum

I've been busy finishing projects for school and getting ready for the holidays so I'm a bit behind on posting.  Had a great time at the Crocker Art Museum a little over a week ago when I went for the student art show reception.  I was pretty excited that the Norman Rockwell Exhibit was still there.  Rockwell has been a favorite of mine since I was in grade school.  It was amazing to see his body of work.  They had all of his magazine covers on display as well as many of his original paintings.  I didn't realize that his paintings were so big.  It was also interesting to learn more about his process.

Me with my piece "Synergy"

Having a little fun at the Rockwell Exhibition

We're finishing up in my collage class but I still need to do one more collage for my final next Tuesday.  It's been a busy couple of months trying to fit in class work with everything else in my schedule but it's been worth it.  I am a deadline oriented  artist and having assignments that are due at a specific time helps me get things done instead of being something I will do "someday".   Here is an example of one of those projects.  It's been talked about, moved around, assembled and disassembled countless times but it is finally glued together and ready for finishing details .......because it was due today.  I stayed up too late and I'm tired now but after years of talking about it I'll soon be able to call it done!  I need to work out how to hang it (it's very heavy) and I'm still messing with the wires but otherwise I'm happy with the way it came out.  

The name of the piece is "Disconnect" I mentioned in a previous post that it is a commentary on my love/hate relationship with technology and our society's growing disconnect between the real people and things in our lives and our virtual experiences.  The inspiration for this came after a discussion with one of my sons whose life sometimes revolves around computers more than people.

I've always wanted to be an artist when I grow up and now I'm old enough I can't keep thinking of it in future tense. I finally feel like I'm getting the "art" part down but I still struggle with the business end. I've been playing with my website and have made some changes that I think are for the better. Let me know what you think if you get a chance to take a look.  I hate shameless self promotion but I'm learning that it's part of the dance.
http://www.kimgrace.net/index.html