Well, hello there!

Hello.  Can anyone hear me? 

Look Mom!  I match my art lesson!

 

Probably not.  But here I am, starting a blog.  What inspired me to create this little space on the interwebs?  I’ve been kicking the thought around in my mind for awhile.  I’ve blogged before, but never about doing the one thing I’m truly passionate about—my job.  I am an art teacher and I love what I do.  Love is not even the right word.  Crazy, super amazing enthralled with my profession is more like it.  I’ve always want to share what I’ve done, but usually only do with my Facebook friends, who in turn “like” the pictures and move on.  Which is great, but I’m looking for community.  I’m looking to explain my process and get critiqued and start conversations.  But I’ve always been too scared to jump in. 

Until today.

This morning I had my “post observation conference” with my principal.  That worked out wonderfully for me, because last night we had our district Spring Art Show and Music Concert to go along with the budget vote.  Our show was amazing, and I will be posting about it soon.  But as I was talking to my administrator earlier today, she said one thing that stood out for me: “You could teach a class on this.”

The “this” that she was talking about was intergrading art into other subjects.  It’s the thing that I do.  I’m always working with someone at my school on a joint art/science/English/social studies/ whatever project.  So, with that boost of confidence, I’m starting this blog.  I’m going to introduce myself with ten “facts” about me; five dealing with my professional life and then five dealing with my personal life. 

Doing what I do best.  Painting monkeys.

 

Let’s start with the professional:

1.       I work in a farming community in New York, near the Adirondack Mountains.  I love where I live. 

2.        I teach middle and high school, grades 6 to 12.  My dirty secret is that I prefer middle school.

3.       I am advisor to the High School Drama club (along with a teacher friend) and CFES (along with another teacher friend). 

4.       I am located in the F wing.  I’m pretty sure the F stands for fabulous.  This is the hallway that is all the other side of the school from the “normal” classrooms.  I am located with Home and Careers and the Agricultural teacher.   Oh, yeah, and ISS.  At least nobody complains when we play our music loudly. 

5.       I worked part time for four years as a middle school art teacher. I shared a room with a full time high school teacher, Mr. S.  Two years ago, we switched.  Now, I’m the full time teacher and he’s part time.  Mr. S is amazing because he lets me be as messy as I want.  Plus, we get along fabulously. 

Now the personal:

1.       Besides teaching art, I am also a published author.  I have been published in many small run literary magazines for my short fiction. 

2.       I am big time into fashion, which I believe comes from my love of art.  I get excited to get dressed in the morning.  When I wear jeans to school though, students know something fun is going to happen!

3.       I love to do stuff.  I garden, grow pumpkins, cook, paint, write, sew clothes for myself and my daughter, scrapbook, alter book, swim, take walks, and a million and one other projects that are stuffed into the attic right now.  I’ll get to it all someday.  Or I’ll add a blog to the “to do” list. 

4.       I have 2.5 kids (step-son, son, & daughter) and a wonderful, supportive husband who has helped me hang more than one art show.

5.       I’m a night owl, married to a night owl, with two night owl kids.  I think that explains itself.

 

 

Until next time. 

 

           And now I have wrapped up my intro blog post.  It is almost the end of the school year for me, so I won’t have much new stuff to talk about.  Instead, what I’m going to do is go back through all my pictures and write about the past.  I have six years worth of projects to post about, so I’ll be busy all summer.  In the fall, I can post about all the new and crazy art we will be doing.  Stay tuned!!!