Grad School

It has been a while since I've blogged, I have been sooo busy. The artist's studio tour is this coming weekend and I have been working diligently on my jewelry and paintings in preparation for the tour. I have to tag everything by tomorrow so I could concentrate on cleaning up my studio this week.

I am also hosting the UVAs meeting at my house this Fri.! Like I said, soooo busy. One great piece of news is that my group is going to be featured in a magazine. I can't wait to see.

I've also been asked to have a jewelry show at the store where my jewelry is sold. The only bad thing is that the show would be on Mother's Day weekend. I am going to try and work on some new things for that show. I have several ideas, but I haven't had time to sit down and experiment.
I am looking forward to summer vacations. I am eager to paint and create new jewelry without the added pressure of work. The piece that is pictured is a small watercolor collage that I made just to relax and keep the creative juices at bay. I have several paintings I'd like to start on right away, but I have to take care of business first.

Oh, I almost forgot, I find out this week if I have been accepted to grad school. Keep your fingers crossed.

'Till next time :)

I'm sitting here, listening to the wind roar outside. We have 60mph winds and so my allergies are having a field day. Since I don't feel up to working on my jewelry I thought I'd just show you the last few pieces in my collection. These were some of the pieces I had at my exhibit. I added some enameling in my pieces and I have to say that I really like how they look. I especially like the one with the blue. I think I might just keep it for myself.

I want to create some bracelets, I just havn't quite decided on the style. Maybe I'll sit and sketch while I watch Project Runway with my daughter.

I'm still preparing for the Artist's Tour which is three weeks away. I have my house to clean, my studio rearranged and jewelry to make. Yes, I am stressing a bit. I hope to have my bracelets in time for the tour. Wish me luck!

Stained glass necklaces

I have signed up for the "Artist's Studio Tour" in April. Artists open up their studios for two weekends and the public is welcomed to tour the studios. I will be selling several different types of necklaces and prints of my paintings. I should've spent spring break making new pieces but I spent the whole week working on the house. If I work two hours or so after work I should be able to have enough pieces for the tour.

One thing I am struggling with is finding a new supplier for chains. I havn't been very happy with the chains I've been using. Any suggestions?

The UVAs exhibit is still up, but this is the last week. I wish it could stay up forever, it is such a beautiful show, if I do say so myself. If you type in "Union de Viejas Artistas" into your search engine you will find several articles written about us.

Well, time to get ready for bed and prepare to face my students once again. Eleven more weeks until the end of the school year :)

Exhibit Last Night

We had our exhibit last night. We had a very good turn out and several of us sold some pieces. My jewelry also did very well, I sold several necklaces and picked up some orders. I was very impresssed by everyone's beautiful pieces, the caliber of work was of higher quality than last year. A total of 14 female members exhibited.

I made some "collaged" pieces using the faces of the UVAs and put them in famous images. They were a big hit at the exhibit as were our bra purses. We wore buttons that said "Ask me about my bra". ( You can see some of our bra purses in a previous blog.) If you're passing through El Paso, please stop by!

$28,000 scholarship!

I had a hard time deciding what to title this post. I have had an extremely busy few weeks with many things going on. The biggest news this week is that one of my students received a $28,000 scholarship to go to art school in California. This happened on Friday, and even though I've been fighting a bad cold, I was on a cloud! Then my students competed in several competitions and they all came out winners! Four of my students will be traveling to Houston to compete in state. I wish I could post their art work, it is absolutely beautiful, but I have already turned them over. My kids are amazing! I am going to give them a little party tomorrow, I think they deserve it.

Also the UVAs exhibit is coming up. It is this Saturday and I still haven't finished my jewelry!!! I will be working late everyday this week and hopefully I can get everything done, including any last minute things that come up.

In case you are wondering those are our bra purses on our invitations.

Still at it

Three weeks away from the exhibit. I'm beginning to feel the excitement. My group the UVAs will be featured in our local newspaper, on tv and a magazine! If only I could lose a good 20lbs before the interviews. Oh well, no can do.

My goal is to make at least 50 pieces of necklaces for the exhibit. I work late into the night, or at least until my back gives out. Aside from making the pieces I still have to make all the tags. I'm also loading up the kiln tomorrow, I'm experimenting with some clay pieces. If all goes well I will include them in the show. The pictures above show my jewelry at La Galeria Azul. This gallery is located in historic Old Mesilla, an hour drive away from El Paso. It was a big thrill when my work was accepted there.

Still working hard for the upcoming exhibit. I'm not sure about this piece. I like it, but I don't know if I'm going to exhibit it. It might just end up in my house somewhere. I had a week of slow paced work, but now I have tons of work to do. My students have three art competitions to prepare for which means I have matting to do, I want to make at least fifty pieces of jewelry for the exhibit and I was hoping to finish one more painting. To top it off I've been informed that I have to attend four prof. development sessions at work.

All this plus finish putting the exhibit together.

As if I don't have enough to do, I applied for graduate school yesterday. To be honest with you I'm quite excited about returning to school, it's been something I've been thinking about for some time. God help me, I hope I can pull it off.

Happy Birthday to me!

It's my birthday tomorrow! I celebrated today since it's back to work tomorrow and my honey is going out of town on business. I love being surrounded by my family. My mom had her surgery and everything is going fine, she was sitting right next to me as they sang the "Mananitas". Singing this song is a family tradition and the water works began as soon as they sang the first notes. This should also be the last picture with my braces on.

MY BRACES ARE COMING OFF ON FRIDAY!!!

Am I going to do anything different this year? Yes, I promised myself to live with passion and look towards the horizon. I've finished a total of four paintings in two months, I'm starting a small series of paintings tomorrow and I have an idea for three others for the summer. My jewelry will also have my full attention. The exhibit is two months away!!

As for my family, well they are my first priority. My kids are my life.

Happy Birthday to me!

My New Painting

I've been working every day on my paintings trying to finish my pieces for the exhibit I'm participating in. This particular piece is of my cat, Frida. I don't know what possessed me to paint my cat, but I have to admit that I really like the finished product. This is Frida's "sitting" pose. The day I decided to make this painting she sat in this pose for quite a while. I had enough time to take several pictures and sketch out my idea. You think she knew I was about to make a portrait of her? I doubt anyone will want to buy it, but that's o.k because I already picked out a place for this painting in the house. Now I have one more painting to do. I want to do a small abstract painting, but I have no real ideas yet. I'm also thinking of making some small drawings....hmmm, where's the dog?

Word for the New Year

The art swap for my art group (UVAS) this month was to create a work of art that incorporated a word that symbolizes the new year. The paintings that were revealed were amazing. I ended up with a wonderful piece and I hope the receiver of my piece appreciated mine. If you would like to see everyone's pieces you can do so by going through the link on the right.

The word that I chose was "horizon". I was sitting on a bus with several art teachers and art students on route to Santa Fe. I was admiring the desert landscape and the word just came to me. Horizon. I just have to keep looking towards the horizon. In our lives we try so hard to keep going forward but life has a way of throwing curve balls your way. Unfortunately, I have started the new year on a sour note. It's the first time I have begun a year feeling so down. The things happening to me are mostly out of my control. My mom is having surgery next week, a colleague took his life, a person I admire very much lost her battle to cancer. Two memorial services on the same day. I didn't go to either one of them, I just couldn't. To make matters worse, my job, along with the job of all of my colleagues, is in danger thanks to the TAKS tests. One of our sub groups at our school is not meeting state standards in math and the school may have to be restructured. My money is gone as soon as I get it...the list goes on and on.

I must keep looking towards the horizon. What will be, will be. It is also fitting that the word that I received was "change". That is what I feel like, I am going through change. Unwanted change, but change none the less.