Salt of the Earth

I always feel so different on days I have my art class- day’s I’ve spent in the printmaking studio. I think it’s just doing art that makes me feel this way- that and being around like minded people that i enjoy. Today our drawing class was in the printmaking studio to complete a dry point project. I got to spend 5 hours in there. That’s why I’m in such a good mood. ALSO, i took Graham with me to school today-as a special treat. I taught him how to do Monotypes and he was a natural. He did art for 5 hours and never once complained that he was bored. Around his normal lunch time he told me he was HUNGRY a few times- then we went to have lunch on my campus. He’s very excited to go to college when he gets older. His favorite thing was meeting my teacher. I’ll take pictures of his prints.

My buddy Miles has a memory like an elephant. He remembers parts of our conversations that I have long ago forgotten. I had asked to see his actual wood blocks at one point and he brought them in for me to see today. WOW. That was a lesson in itself. He is SO talented. Graham really liked him- and vise versa. There’s a lot of innocence in Miles. He’s young. He seems to be handling his mom’s death ok. He talks about her from time to time- but he never gets emotional and loses it.

Tomorrow is the big carnival at the kids school. I will be painting faces for 3 hours. It will be fun. I always enjoy those events. I’d like to walk around with the boys the whole time but part of the fun for them is that I give them a walkie talkie and they get to run around with their friends.

I’ve been thinking about my first art teacher, Jules Heller. He’s the one who introduced me to art. I thought I was going to be an international business major- and then by chance I took his class and that was it for me. He has a museum named after him now at Arizona State University. He did incredible work. Have I mentioned that I love printmaking?

It snowed today while we were at school. It didn’t stick but it sure was beautiful! I’ve been thinking about sun a lot lately and tropical islands. I remember Arizona being REALLY hot but it sure was beautiful.
Anyway…..

T

Along the Way There’s this girl in my art class…. it took me awhile to warm up to her and now I actually like her. She’s an identical twin and the only thing that separates her and her sister is her sisters long hair. She has this thing with space- MY space. She always gets REALLY close to me when she talks to me and when she sits next to me she scoots her chair so close that are elbows touch. I find this odd not only because there is plenty of room in the printmaking studio so that we don’t have to sit shoulder to shoulder. Today as she pulled up next to me on the left and I found my self leaning over to the right to give myself some space. I couldn’t scoot over any more as I was at the edge of the table. I like her though. She’s interesting and talented in ceramics and photography. She’s one of those gals that has blond hair and dark brown eyes- that stand out in a really nice way. She works at Dairy Queen on the weekends and her mom is an artist as well. She has something new to show me everyday, a piece of art, her camera, a book she made. All very cools stuff that i enjoy seeing. Like I said before, she’s interesting and i like her.

Today was Pinewood Derby. Very exciting day in the cub scout world. After 3 years of racing, Thomas finally got first in his den AND the pack AND……(drum roll)……. had the fastest racing score in the entire pack for the last 4 years! His car rocks!

Graham did really well too. He got first in his den and 4th in the pack. Somehow he ended up with Thomas weights and a loose tire. BUT he managed to stay in and several races were ‘brother vs. brother’. It was awesome.

Thomas was so happy and started comparing himself to Apolo Anton Ohno because he got a bronze, silver, then gold. (Thomas has gotten 3rd, 2nd and now 1st in PW Derby)
It was a really fun day.

Thomas and Jordy (first and second place in the pack).

T

It’s early Friday morning and I’ve been up for a few hours. My ear plugs don’t seem to be efficient and I can’t get back to sleep. UGH I hate nights like this.

Thursday was a good day. We had a new model in our drawing class- she was good and didn’t wiggle around while we were drawing her. My buddy Miles hasn’t been to class since the last time I saw him a few weeks ago. He seems to be doing well- at least on the outside. He brought a book for me to borrow. I’m excited to read it.

Mick took the day off and therefore was able to pick the boys up which allowed me to stay in my printmaking class the whole time. It was awesome. I got my hard ground done. Now to start on my multiple block- which I’m a little excited and worried about. I have to use that new technique my teacher told me about and I just don’t know enough about it yet to feel comfortable carving away. Two nights ago i was on the internet researching the technique and I stumbled across my art teachers web site. I came across this print.
Yesterday I told my teacher that I discovered her website and she wanted to know which picture I liked best and I told her Broken Bones because it evoked such deep emotion. She then told me why she did that print- as a result of her sister being abused by her husband. She said it was a way to manifest her anger that she had and in doing so-she realized that she herself was in a very abusive relationship. It’s so interesting that feelings manifest through art work. Eventually she left her husband because he became more verbally and mentally abusive. She warned me that her prints are not happy ones. Her story was a sad one- but now the print has so much more meaning.

Graham was chosen to read in front of people at a coffee shop yesterday to celebrate Dr. Seuss 102nd birthday. He read his poem and then Fox in Socks. He did SO well. I made a little ‘movie’ of him on my camera and I will try to figure out a way to put that on my website or something like that. I was SO proud of him. He even went first- raised his hand and volunteered. It was sweet. Since not all the kids showed up Thomas got to read to. He read One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. He did really well too.

I have an hour until it’s time to get the boys up.
T

Along the way This is about another girl in my art class. I haven’t been able to figure her out yet and part of me feels kind of bad for her. She’s tall and thin and somewhat pretty. She refers to her boyfriend as HIM or HE and never uses his name. She’ll say stuff like ‘this jacket smells like HIM” or ‘HE walked me to class today”. It’s almost like a deity when she says it- which is a bit disturbing. We were talking about various art classes- she’s trying different mediums to see which she likes best. Her all time favorite is ‘pencil and paper’. She loves to draw people. My teacher told her she should take the life drawing and she said ‘I already said I wouldn’t. HE doesn’t want me to” . My teacher and I exchanged glances and the outspoken girl in our class (the one who almost overdosed a year ago) said something about not letting him rule your life and make decisions for you…… I watched the girl to see her reaction and she just shook her head and repeated “i already said I wouldn’t. HE doesn’t want me to take it”. But she has a smile on her face when she says it- not a sarcastic smile but one like she’s pleased HE’S making these decisions for her and controlling her life. Like it’s a sign of him caring about her because he won’t let her do something- he’s the big strong man protecting her. But really, it’s what she wants to do. HE’S a little weasel of a guy- and not even attractive. HE thinks he’s the shit, but HE’S not. I’m sure HE’s very good at manipulating these girls- HE just has that look about him. Sad. She’s really nice but once again, a bit off. She argues with our teacher from time to time- about stuff she doesn’t really know about but thinks she does. I don’t think she realizes that this makes her come across in a negative way and is very annoying. I believe she’s a philosophy major so she tries to talk philosophical with the older students. I guess she’s smart. But not with men.

Today is a day of apologies. I’ve received several today. One was well deserved from someone who acted VERY badly and inappropriately a few weeks ago. A few others that were nice- and very appreciated. Also, Thomas best friend finally talked to me today. She has avoided eye contact and conversation with me since the whole insurance deal. Her grandma picked her up today and she even walked up to me and talked to me. She’s so sweet and I’m so sad that she’s somehow been caught up in the midst of what ever it is that’s going on. She’s just a kid- she shouldn’t have to carry her mothers grudges. In any case, I had said I needed something good to happen- i guess I need to look at the good ‘little’ things that have happened today. Hopefully this will continue and I will get out of my funk that people suck.

I have been seriously missing having Graham around during the day. I knew I’d have trouble when he went to school full time in the fall since I had gotten so used to having him with me for lunch and the afternoon. When I’m at school or busy I’m fine. But when I’ve got a slow day I really miss having his little hand in mine and having sweet little conversations with him, going to Starbucks to play UNO or just snuggling up together. It’s been a huge adjustment for me. I am one of those moms that truly misses her kids while they are at school- and there have been several days when I’ve been so excited for the bus to drop them off after school. I’m a sap, i know. Thomas has developed a bit of a smart mouth on him lately- that and he argues with me CONSTANTLY over things he knows NOTHING about. I am constantly telling him ‘do not argue with me” or ‘are you seriously arguing with me over this” ? He somehow fell in the van today and hurt his ear on the ‘oh shit’ bar that’s behind the passenger seat. I swear I am going to take out a separate insurance policy on that child or somehow get extra medical coverage. As sweet and as wonderful as he is- he certainly knows how to push my buttons.

Gotta go make some dumplings for my soup.
T

Along the way There is a gal in one of my classes that is pretty funny. She’s very outspoken and doesn’t take shit from anyone. I really like this about her. She has a little MP3 player that she wears on her arm and every so often she belts out the chorus to the song she’s listening to. She LOVES Joan Jett and Leta Ford. She came over to talk to me the other day and laid across the table I was sitting at, cupping her face in her hands- almost like a child watching tv. She told me she was in recovery because a year ago she almost over dosed on drugs and then she wanted to know if I was pro choice or pro life. The girls from the beauty school on campus scare her- because they all look alike and wear black and are usually never seen alone. Her favorite words are ‘tight’ and ‘fuck ya’. She’s very talented and wears fish net stockings and leopard prints a lot. Even though I find her intriguing her instability scares me. She strikes me as the type that could go off like a rocket at any time- very unpredictable. But that’s what makes her her- that’s what makes her unique.