Whirlwind Days
& New York Minutes
April was a lovely whirlwind of activities- meeting people, going places, and spending time with family. For Easter I had my sisters stay with me. The holiday led right into their birthday this year and so we were able to celebrate that as well. The kids really enjoyed spending time with their twin aunts, and the weather was so nice for a change! These events also marked the beginning of the K-12 spring break (playdates, visits with grandparents, bowling maybe??) and by Thursday of that week I was on a flight to New York for IDSVA’s residency and commencement ceremony.
It was a packed 4 days! I accompanied students and faculty to the MoMA, the MET, the Guggenheim, and the ISLAA. The commencement ceremony was held at the beautiful Morgan Library where 14 graduates accepted their degrees and we enjoyed a fabulous musical ensemble led by Kahil El’ Zabar, an honorary degree recipient awarded as such for his contributions to the world of contemporary music and jazz. Magali Lara, the feminist Mexican artist who had accompanied us in Mexico City, was also there to accept her honorary degree.
I only just unpacked from this trip, and we are straight into overdrive in the final planning phase for the “Big One” at the end of this month! This year students will visit Berlin, Spannocchia, Rome and Athens. Every first year student gets “initiated” into the program by taking summer residency in Spannocchia, Italy. I’ve been told it’s like a boot camp for artist-philosophers, and I’m so excited to be finally get to see what this leg of their journey is all about. The Italian residency is the only one I will be embarking on, and I’ve been dusting off my Duolingo lessons in preparation.
Work is kicking into high gear, and admittedly the studio has gathered cobwebs over the past few weeks. However, I did finally finish my spring illustration, and I’m thrilled to finally post it here! Other pieces coming out of the studio include one small acrylic on panel, a figurative painting. That’s it so far! But I have my fingers crossed that it’ll make it into a local show- I have yet to find out. In the meantime, I have a lesson to plan for World Community Arts Day at Lincoln Middle. It’s one morning only and I’m looking forward to teaching in the classroom again! While teaching as a full time job wasn’t my calling, I do find that sporadic workshops strike that perfect balance and keep me on my toes in a good way.
When time allows, I’m fully back to works on panel both large and small. I am so excited for warm weather and taking my work outside for plein air! I haven’t yet put any thought around teaching outdoor workshops, but feel free to send me an email if you are interested in a private lesson. Those do happen on occasion and I bring the best snacks!
I hope everyone is hanging in there, waking up, getting energized, and connecting with their creativity.
Spring Flowers & Birds
Gouache on illustration board
12 × 9 inches
