I'm super excited to start another commission.  This time it is for the principal at the school where I teach art.  I've decided to call it Virtus which is latin for virtue, valor, strength, goodness, & excellence. 

You can watch its progress on it's own page under sold work, Virtus.

I'm still working on Vote!, the painting that pays homage to Indiana women's suffrage, but I will wrap it up after Virtus.

Well, I am not the greatest blogger by far.  Here is an update for you, anyhow.

Vote! is progressing nicely.  I've been working on a design for my next commision as well.  

Next week Roma is going back to Mavris Art and Event Center.  Nike, and part of Theorem are as well.

I think I might ask for my painting of the speedway back from the Mayor's offices, as I have not seen it in a while.

Below is a lil' slideshow of the progress on Vote!

I have had a pretty good week as a teacher and artist.  The school that I teach at started a hybrid schedule so that half of the kids are there and half are virtual and it alternates every two days.  I think we might make it past fall break on this schedule!  *Stoked*

So the bad news first?  I am enjoying using this platform to vent frustrations of the world in general.  I like to trail run.  It is a less-than-popular past time.  And I'm happily antisocial.  So I run alone with my dog, and OH MY GOSH I am also a woman.  Today, I crossed paths with two men three miles out on a trail, which is a normal experience.  Upon returning to my car I saw them by theirs and they asked about the trail we were on.  Then the older gentleman felt the need to tell me that it isn't safe for girls to run alone in the woods.  WHAT* THE* FUDGE*. no shit.  That is why I run with one earbud instead of two, and either have a knife or a small handgun on my waist.  Guns, knives and rapists all make me uncomforable, I just choose to keep the first two in my company alone on the trails.  I guess I should just stay in a basement somewhere so that I can be safe always... grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

The good news?  The principle at the school that I work at has commisioned me to make a painting for his office.  Sweet!  I told him that I would cut him a deal, and he said no!  So that is good news too...

Vote is progressing.

 

And a really sweet moth from the run this morning.  And a pawpaw from the trails last weekend.  They kind of remind me of coconut when they are ripe.  

My summer full of painting rooms in my house has come to an end.  The foster parent licensing process is finally nearing the finish as well, woo!  My biological son had his first day of Third grade this past week.

Now it's time to get back to my favorite thing, working with kiddos.  I looked into life insurance, and actually made a Will so I am ready as I'll ever be to teach during a pandemic.  The other teachers and I have been jokingly making bets how long this can last.  I said Fall break (early October- a solid 8 weeks) until I had lunch duty.  I have now revised my bet to three weeks tops... I hope I am wrong.

In the meantime, I have continued painting every night.  Vote!​ continues to progress.  

I am painting earlier tonight so that I can watch some backyard fireworks later.  I am continuing to work on Vote! and I'm also thinking of renaming it, but I can figure that out later.

​Happy fourth!

I am working on getting my foster license with my husband so that we can foster to adopt a kiddo.  I think I am falling into some sort of nesting behavior, because I had a sudden urge to paint a family house sign.  My son, Liam, is excited to be a big brother : )

Another hike with my lil guy.

And, progress on Vote! continues.  The first of four panels is done with its base coat so it is onto the next panel tonight.  

I am having a pretty awesome summer so far.  Liam and I hike almost every day.  I was an essay reader for AP Art History Exams all last week.  And, I've been redoing a lot of the paint around the house, and in the evening I have my precious hour to work on my own paintings.  

Vote! continues to progress.  The first panel is almost done. 

I keep loosing track of the days and forgetting to post my updates...

Any-who,  the world is on fire, and I am working on the Hoosier Suffrage painting Vote!

​

Classes are done!  My kiddos wrapped up art class with Virtual field trips to the Art Institute in Chicago, the Contemporary Museum of Art in Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, the MOMA, and Museo Bilbao.

I've been listening to two really good art podcasts.  ArtCurious and The Art Angle are both great ways to pass the time and learn something new about the art world.

Vote! started this past week and I am having tons of fun painting it.  You can see the entire progression at it's page under the Recent Work tab.

My Studio buddy, Faye.

Well, the school year is about over.  Teaching entirely from home has been weird.  Adobe Fresco has been a really fun tool for my students to use, but I miss seeing them and the physicality of the normal media.  

My AP Art History class took their tests yesterday.  I feel like this is the best job that I've done teaching the class thus far.  I am also potentially going to be a  reader for the essays, so that will be  great experience for the future.

I just varnished Theorem yesterday.  Tonight I begin work on Vote!.