busy and wet


The illustration shown is a sketch for the Marie Antoinette cow picture. I was working with the cow and thought to use a bucolic basket as a frame for this picture. The frame thing integrated into the picture is very interesting. I could go with inspiration from silhouettes or from the shape becoming the frame--lots of ways to go. The cow was looking flat, so I created the whole thing on a series of tissues that I scanned (and in the case of the background of the cow, reversed the texture and dropped it into (paste into, in photoshop) into the background. So, three tissues merged. Fast sketch. Would like to fiddle more with the flowers (a la Dutch paintings) adding butterflies and bugs. Three down, three (or four) to go).

Raining today. More fun at the house of health...with new torture machines to make me fall down and breathe deeply. Last day of school for the Middle School. We have the moving up ceremonies with the handing out of the silver bowls for the A students (we are not in that group), the band playing marvelous, hopefully tuneful music, and some droning on of the school management team. A can't wait for it to be over. There is the celebrated eighth grade dance from 8:30 until 11 for the mover uppers...and I was drafted to be a chaperone so that they could open the gym doors as its going to be humid and hot in the gym. A. was disappointed I was coming as I think he had some antics planned. Oh well...

K solved her AP History course issues yesterday before she goes off to Fredonia for the month of art. I am thrilled she did this all by herself--and that the reading and work for this course will be exciting and fun for her. We have a non-fiction book on the Salem Witch Trials she was interested in reading as part of the homework (book, text book reading and a critical essay).

We had 9 seventh and eighth graders in A's room yesterday "listening to vinyl". They all bring their parents' "old school" albums and sit and listen very intently to the music. And then, they discuss it. Intently. We had 2 jumping on A's bed that I had to go and be the "management" and tell them (no asking) to knock it off. Their choices are to be civil and gentlemenly or to leave. A was thrilled (imagine!) that I broke it up. Next time, I told him to text me...and I would be more than happy to oblige. I am often reluctant to be the pain in the ass parent as some acting up is okay. It would have helped my childhood if I felt I could push the envelope a bit.

Tim Dietrich is here setting up scaffolding to begin to repair and paint the rest of the monster trim on this monster house. This, THIS is very exciting. Progress.

Working on quotes, finalizing projects and prepping for the week Erich has off. He handles a ton of details, I am going to need to get my head into this prior to his departure--or just flub and fumble for the week he is away. Maybe I will have time to throw 90% of the crap on my desk away (if there is time).

More later