Cob Caterpillar Bench at Brentwood Elementary

For the last couple of weeks, we have been preparing this lovely foundation to support a COB CATERPILLAR BENCH at Brentwood Elementary, where I am the ART teacher, and instigator of this project. Thanks mainly to CAJUN LANDSCAPING for all the mortaring expertise and long hours of donated time, and to Gayle Borst of DESIGN- BUILD- LIVE: an organization dedicated to natural building. Gayle is an architect who specializes in natural building...so wonderful to have an expert on the project! Her many hours working on the planning and coordinating of volunteers has been indispensable! The foundation floats on a rubble trench. This HUGE art/building project, couldn't be completed without the many hours of volunteer help. Besides Cajun Landscaping and Gayle, Jean Graham, neighborhood sculptor, designed the maquette and will sculpt the face of Mr. Caterpillar; Steve Ashley, sculptor and rock hound, donated the many fossils imbedded in the foundation, and the many cobbing volunteers from DBL.

Here is a volunteer from DBL, helping some young students mix the cob with their feet. Cob is a natural building material made of clay, sand and straw. The next picture shows Gayle showing the kids how to apply the cob to the foundation. Friday, April 30th, was Brentwood's EARTH DAY celebration and the COB CATERPILLAR was one part of a host of environmentally educational "centers". See more photo's http://galleries.statesman.com/gallery/earth-day-fair-043010/#81617

Look for more updates as this project proceeds! Future sessions include a sculpted layer of cob, plastering and 10 layers of linseed oil! We hope to have him finished by August.

Story of the "KELPIE and the PRINCESS"

I have just finished two sessions of CHILDREN'S BOOK ILLUSTRATION, with Mark Mitchell Mark@howtobeachildrensbookillustrator.com. Fantastic workshops!!! I completed a dummy book (almost) and four color illustrations. This is the princess lamenting the loss of her brother, stolen away by the KELPIE, a Scottish sea monster, part horse and part fish, but also able to shape-shift.
Here is the princess being consoled by a stranger to whom she tells the story...
...of her dear brother and his six friends being seduced to ride a beautiful horse...really the KELPIE in disguise!
She falls in love with the stranger, but discovers that he is also the KELPIE in disguise!! He is revealed when inadvertently falling asleep and shifts back into his true self. Luckily she gets away! The KELPIE is so distraught to lose his love, and for her sake, returns the boys safe and sound.

"Cat In Hand"

A new painting at the end of the old year.

2009 Wassail Backdrop

This past Solstice Wassail (for annual MUNDI Presentation) I created a backdrop for the stage. Recreating the shape of the windows in the chapel, a snowy scene was depicted outside, complete with birds and even a little elf. The play was done on stage this year with the band "Bucolics Anon." off to the side. The "faux" window was made using canvas glued to shaped foam core.

Faculty Art Exhibit & East Austin Studio Tour

November, 2009
I displayed two paintings in our faculty art exhibit this year. We again chose the HIDEOUT Coffee House, co-owned by a fellow art teacher, as our venue. Somehow I manage to get on this committee every year and enjoy putting the show together. Jean Caffein, newly returned to our ranks, performed for the event. I also bought two wonderful paintings from another art teacher, Eric Cannon. Living Tree #1 & #2, pen and ink with ink washes and prismacolors . I hope to get a photograph so I can post them here. I rarely buy art, but I couldn't live without these...

Our small group of neighborhood artists (16 all together) joined the ranks of E.A.S.T. this year (East Austin Studio Tour). Artist studios were open to the public for two weekends. Carol, across the street, opened her huge back space (3 households of Kents, fences down, large deck space and covered galleries, fire pit, stage with live music...much food and drink) for an eventful affair for all. We all had a marvelous time, though not much art was sold. These days, only smaller inexpensive items seemed to be attractive; cards, baubles and the like.

Winter Solstice

December, 2009:
The official Wassail poster for MUNDI is now posted! The inspiration for the character on the poster was Jim Carpetas, the Father Christmas of the procession, who also plays the tin whistle for the house band, Bucolics Anonymous.
I am also creating a backdrop for the stage this year, a snowy scene through a Gothic window. I may not be able to resist putting some fairies and elves peeking in...they will be discreet.

Other projects during 2009 summer.

I've also started a series of paintings about communing with animals. This one I call "Exciting News from a Large bird". My summer is coming to an end in a few weeks, so I hope to finish up several paintings from both of my summer projects.

A third project has been a curved counter top for our kitchen. It started out being an art project, but ended up in having to hire a carpenter/plumber as it got out of hand.

A fourth project was doing a series of three bird drawing workshops for kids. I came up with a set of posters that helped the process. I don't have to talk so much.