This morning

was rainy and dreary.  But my son, with gusto in his heart and determination in his stride, walked up those school bus steps.  I promptly started to cry as the bus pulled away, but really I cannot be happier inside.   He has taken to this world with excitement and confidence in who he is.  He heads out with curiosity and a delight in the prospect of learning to read (as then he can "take books everywhere" he tells me, while I nod in complete understanding at that wonder upon wonders).  He knows to say thank you and please and he knows to help those who might be a little sad today.  I am so proud to be his mother.

New studio phase

It's been about a year since I first cleaned up the unused garage just off our house so it might become my studio.  The space has really good bones--solid, wood paneled walls, a built in work table and rafters that will be perfect for an eventual lighting update.  But first we needed to get rid of the garage door and cover the main working walls with drywall.  This all happened in the last month and what a difference!  I am thrilled with all of the new light streaming in through the big glass door, and I am so happy to have good tackable wall space again.  Now I can get some new collages going with a lot more ease. 

Melting

An older drawing on paper--from Fall 2009.  I am seeing it anew of late though.  Of the pile of images made at that time this one has risen to the top.

I am back to writing syllabi (two down, one to go) and I'm hoping desperately to grab a few moments in the studio before the semester begins next week.  Maybe, just maybe.  Though realistically this notion will not happen.  As Alex is no longer in his summer program, Chris and I are back to balancing our work day with a lovely, energetic five year old who has just one week left until he begins kindergarten.  We go about our days normally, with an eye toward preparing for the start of all our schools.  But in some way we are all also waiting/dreading that moment when Alexander will disappear onto that school bus...which will then drive on down the road while I stand still, watching, no doubt feeling just about ready to implode.   

I am not sure how the above image turned into a post about me imploding.  But then if this blog is anything it is an attempt to see what happens when an ostensibly formal abstract image is placed right next to these lived (visual) moments of a life/our lives--a pile of orange carrots, a yellow school bus with black stripes, my son's red hair.

Before and after

It's been a lot of days since I've posted.

Not a lot of studio work has happened because the studio has been under renovation.  Principally, the garage door was taken out and a glass door with screen was installed.  In addition two major walls were covered in drywall.  I suppose one has to be be a painter or an artist keenly interested in tackable walls to appreciate how wonderful these changes are to my studio.  I finally got everything back to working order today!!!!! (Just in time for classes to resume next Tuesday.....)