Frida

My cat Frida. I have a tri-level home and one of her favorite spots is on the ledge of the third level. She likes looking at us walking underneath, but you could imagine how nerve racking it is for us to see her on the ledge.

Plein-aire workshop

I took a plein-aire workshop today along with three other friends. Our workshop was held outside, in 100 degree weather!! It was very hot to say the least. Even though the weather did not cooperate I had a good time painting. I finished one painting and started another, hopefully I can finish it soon. I want to work on my jewelry tomorrow, I've only done orders lately and there are a few ideas I want to work on. Well, dinner is just now on the way (Whataburger) and a shake!

Life Drawing Workshop

I had two workshops today, one was on life drawing, and the other was on monotype printing. It has been at least four years since I have done any life drawing and I was a bit rusty. Even though my work was not that great I am encouraged to keep on going to a weekly workshop. The printing workshop will serve me well for some student lessons. My daughter is also an artist and writer and I just love showing her my work because she gives me great critiques and encouragement. I'm blessed to have someone that appreciates art as much as she does. My two sons are more into music which is an art form also, but they don't have the same amount of patience with art. I bring this up because I was convinced that my work was really bad until my daughter gave me some encouragement.

One of the figures was drawn in 15-20 minutes & the other was done in 30 minutes.

Teacher Workshop

Finally, it is over. I gave my teacher workshop today and it went quite well, if I do say so myself. The theme of the workshop was how to make jewelry using alternative materials, including items we might already have in our classrooms. I guess I was nervous because several of my peers were taking my workshop and I know that many of them are very good artists. I had enough material to cover three hours and they all walked away with some finished products. I also got an inquirery about another workshop for a different set of teachers. I guess I can do another one. I will be attending a life drawing workshop tomorrow, and then I will be having a plein-aire workshop on Fri. Hopefully I can start working on my personal jewelry this Sat.

Happy Fathers Day

Happy Fathers Day! I'd like to wish all the dads out there, especially my dad & husband a very happy fathers day. We celebrated yesterday & today with a little cook out. It was a very nice day.
I've been working non-stop (finally) on the jewelry for Tues. workshop. I hope I have enough material to cover three hours. It didn't help that administration got all the wrong materials. I'm going to go to my classroom to look for things that I can use for my workshop. From what I've been told I have 30 teachers signed up, but I only know of 19. Well, we'll see what happens.
I decided to post my first summer home project. Well, it really isn't my first, I also created a mosaic frame for my large bathroom mirror, but I haven't taken a picture of it. My husband was out of town and I thought it was the perfect time to do it, you know what they say, it's best to ask for forgiveness than permission. The mosaic tiles are left overs from other projects. I almost took it apart, when I was 90% done I felt a rush of doubt, but my kids encouraged me to finish it and I ended up loving it. My husband liked it too.

UVAs Swap

As an art teacher I felt there was something missing once we graduated from college. I felt it was important to reach out to other art teachers and help one another. From this UVAs was created. We are a group of female art teachers that meet about every 6 weeks. We get together and share issues with one another. We started with four members and now we are close to 20.
I also created something called an "Art Swap". I give them an art challenge, which we complete on our own. We then bring our "swaps" covered up and pick numbers. Everyone walks away with someone elses work of art. This month the art swap was based on the newspaper. Artists were to create a work of art based on a news article. The pictures are just a few of the works of art that were created by some of the art teachers. Their names are Dolores, Elisa,Virginia & Milly. To view more of our swaps you can do so by going to www.myspace.com/uniondeviejasartistas Next months swap is to find a chair and paint it in a creative way.

I'm sitting here in my studio watching "Will & Grace", waiting for my daughter to get home from work. I can't fall asleep until I know she's home safe.I'm also trying to come up with ideas for the teacher workshop that I have next week. I hope someone answers my plea and gives me some good ideas.

This wooden "house" was part of a fundraiser that was held two months ago. Artists are asked to turn the houses into works of art, then they are auctioned. I like going to the auction and seeing the many different interpretations.

I was also looking at other blogs and there are some blogs out there that blow me away. I hope in time I can learn how to do some of the cool stuff I see in other blogs.

A Plea

I mentioned earlier that I will be teaching a workshop to other teachers next week. I was asked to show 30 teachers how to make jewelry out of house hold items and things we might already have in the classroom. The workshop has to last 3 hours. I have a few ideas-
*Pour plaster in bottle caps and create designs.
*Fabric and paper beads.
*Button beads.
I have very few materials and the materials I requested were purchased, and yes, they were all wrong.
Any suggestions?

I am fortunate to have my necklaces sold at two shops here at home. This was a new venture for me and I was quite nervous. What if no one liked my work? I made 40 in April and as of last count a week ago we're down to 15. YAY!!

I have so many other ideas, but I have to prepare for a workshop that I will be teaching for my school district. I will be teaching other teachers which is a scary prospect. Teachers make the worst students!

Also, the exhibit I put together has come to a close. I had area art teachers show with their students. I am happy to report that several students sold their work!

My Garden is a little sketch I created when I was in a workshop. I entered the wrong workshop by mistake and was not able to leave, so I spent the time sketching instead. "My Garden" is a garden that you may find some time in the future or in an alien environment.
It is also a garden that can grow when I put all of my frustrations, fears and disappointments into the ground, instead of aiming them at the ones I love.

Graduation

My oldest graduated from high school last week, with honors. I am still on cloud nine. I am very proud of her and was very lucky to share in her joy.
Thank you God!

This is a little painting that I did for one of the UVAs Swaps. It's about 8 x 10.

Graduation! My Baby Doll graduated on Wed.!! I will be posting pics soon from her graduation. I was lucky to sit on her row (since I'm a teacher at her school) and I was able to share in her moment. Thank you God, one down, two to go.
I've been getting several orders lately for necklaces, which is a good thing, but I havn't had a chance to work on any new things, not even on my sketches. I have a long list of things I'm trying very hard to get to. Hopefully next week will be a good time to start.

Flowers

I made this small little drawing at night, just trying to kill time. I have such a HARD time trying to think of things to draw. I need to just sit down and draw whatever is in front of me, instead of looking for inspiration. Some of my materials for my necklaces have finally arrived. I'm just waiting for summer vacations to start! Just a few more days. I also have to make some samples for a jewelry workshop that I will be giving to 30 teachers. I'm a little nervous, teachers tend to make some of the worst students. The hard part is having to use materials that I'm not use to. Hopefully I can get those samples done quickly so I can start on my own stuff.
Today was also my Baby Doll's last day of school. I can't believe she is graduating, I still remember walking her to kindergarten!

Autumn

Autumn and Good-byes

Autumn is the second piece of a series of paintings that I am creating that incorporates paint with fabrics. This is a smaller piece than my Virgen de Guadalupe piece, but I seem to enjoy it just as much. This particular piece appeared in the Sunday edition of our newspaper. I am working on another piece with the same concept, but I am incorporating more threads and it has a "looser" feel to it.
I havn't worked on any jewelry for about three weeks. I'm waiting for school to be over! Just four more days!!!! I don't know who is more excited, me or my students? It has been sad seeing my seniors leave today. Especially when I see them taking their beautiful art work with them!
I'm also feeling soar from my ortho today. Hopefully my braces will be out soon. Not such a happy day today after all.

Collage

Collages

I love doing collages. I sit at night, after the kids have settled down, surrounded by several magazines and my small 8" x 6" sketch book. I find an interesting background to work with, then I scour through my old art magazines. I like to create "mini-scenes". This particular collage that I created has an old world feel to it, but if you look closely you can see some familiar images. It's my way of showing the best, and the worst of human kind.
The second collage shows the hidden communication happening between two train cars. I like the tension between the two.

Labrynth

Labrynth

I wanted to mention that while in Santa Fe, NM, with a few students and another teacher, we happened to go to the Museum Trail. There was a Native American labrynth in between two of the museums that is suppose to bring back special memories after having reached the center. What was really cool about the labrynth is that if you speak in the center your voice is amplified and echoed back to you at a different pitch. What was even greater is that only the person making the sound could hear it! Our students spent so much time reciting poems and songs, just to hear themselves. One of the funniest sounds was the sound of clapping. It sounded like a rubber duckey. People passing by that didn't know of this sound effect must of thought we were crazy making all those sounds and talking at the top of our lungs. If you're ever in that area, you must go and see for yourselves.
Oh, and yes, some of us did experience a special memory. Not to mention that walking the labrynth was quite medatative.

Calle Meoqui

I had already named my blog Calle Meoqui, but I received so many messages from friends asking me how to pronouce Calle Meoqui. Calle Meoqui is a little street in Mx. up in the mountains that my grandparents lived in. I spent my summers and holidays there when I was young. That street represents fond memories, love and many adventurous expeditions. Naming my blog after this street was a way for me to connect the past with the present and a reminder for me of what is important in life.
As a full time high school art teacher, I am slowly finding my way back to my own art and jewelry designs. I hope to chronicle this new adventure and hopefully be of help to others in the process.