A New School Year Leaves Port

Hello again Lost Coast Posties!  I'm back at the helm of this ship and ready to set sail across Internetlandia once again!  It has been a very crazy couple of weeks and I'm so glad I took a break from blogging because one more thing on my "To Do" list might have sent me over the edge.

As you can see, I completed another piece for my show but really the last ten days have been completely devoted to preparation for the new school year.  This time around, I have 24 middle school students for cartooning.  They are a young group, many of whom have just moved up from primary.  There are quite a few fragile art souls scattered amongst their ranks but they also seem very willing to try something new, even if it seems a bit scary at first.  I will be spending the first few weeks building their art esteem and banishing the Negative Nellies.

I also have 12 high school students this year for a class I developed called "Design Masters: From Sketch to Reality."  With only two exceptions, these are kids I have been working with for years so it will be fun to push them a little bit.  During the first semester, we'll be studying the elements and principles of design using projects that are strictly non-representational.  After the basics are cemented in their brains, we're moving on to sculpture during second semester.  We'll also be learning how to assemble a portfolio, how to keep and use a sketchbook, how to critique the art of fellow students, and how to display art for sale.  I hope to have these high school students present and run a school-wide art show in May.  I have this group for three hours on Friday so there's a ton of cool projects ahead.

Anyhoo, that's what I've been up to in a nutshell.  Honestly, the crazy days have only just begun!  So hang on everyone!  If you'll be joining me for the ride, I suggest you buckle on your life preserver.  This blog is all about my artistic life and when 36 youngsters climb aboard, the seas can get a bit wild!