Reduce, Reuse, Recycle... Into Art!

My student's have another art show opening tomorrow.

Yep, I am truly certifiable.

I'm thinking I probably have 50 pieces in the exhibit.  This is in addition to the hundreds we have on display at another exhibit right now.  CRAZY!!  But my student's and parent's can't say that they never got an opportunity for the community to see their art :) !!

The show that opens in the morning at Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council is a

 Trash To Treasure

Or

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Or

Techwaste Art

It's a very creative and strange and fun show.  Below are just two of the many pieces as these girls turned their projects in early and they are already on our online art gallery.

Maybe one day soon I can post more of the really cool pieces in this show.  Or not.  We've got the state art contest in a week plus prom the next weekend!  Oh my!

The NKF Kidney Walk and Maddie's Team

There are many days when we feel like we are alone.

Explaining IgA Nephropathy to doctors.

Explaining symptoms and conditions to teachers.

Teaching friends and family about our "normal."

We struggle with the fact that Maddie hurts

and is in pain daily, but looks healthy.

Other's can't see our pain.

Kidney disease and pulmonary issues and a

compromised immune system

don't go away.

They are not mono or the flu.

But today was not one of those days!

The gift of the National Kidney Foundation

and the Kidney Walk

for us

was feeling of belonging.

That we are not alone in this journey.

That our family and friends and even people

we have never met have our backs.

That we have people in our lives who will stand together and make a bridge

for us when we can't see how to cross the next ravine.

That gift is priceless.

The purpose of the kidney walk is to raise money for

kidney research.  And we did so gladly.

Maddie's Team raised almost $5000!!

Maddie's Team was made up of  close to 70 people!!!

Isn't that incredible!

Here are a few pictures from the walk.

 They even had cheerleaders along the way!

God smiled on us with incredible weather

and a beautiful day.



We look foward to a repeat performance next year!

UPDATED for the 2012 WALK: 

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN OUR TEAM... PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW!!

http://donate.kidney.org/site/TR/Walk/NorthTexas?px=1768506&pg=personal&fr_id=4300

SISD Youth Art Exhibit

SISD Youth Art Reception.

Done.  Hallelujah!

 

(The SISD Art Teachers!)

We had more than 400 people at the reception!

It was great!

Here are a few pictures of the show.

I don't think I was exagerating when I said 1000 pieces!!

The show is held in our district audtiorium that used to be a church.

The space behind the pews works great for spreading out all of the work.

So there you have a virtual tour!

Little Girl Blue

When I started this painting, it was all in shades of purple.  And actually a happy-ish painting. 

Then I realized that from the angle and the purples it looked more like a domestic violence painting.  UGH!!

So in photoshop I played with it a bit. 

I really like this version. 

It's melancholy without being traumatic!!

And no, there is no meaning in it.

The only significance is that I'm working through the color wheel in paintings.

Have a great day!

A Family Trip to the Fort Worth Zoo... along with 20k others.

A Family trip to the zoo.

An awesome zoo.

Really.

The Fort Worth Zoo is incredible.

But I have to say that I like it better when:

It's not Spring Break and everyone else on the planet goes. 

(at least we didn't go on 1/2 price Wednesday!!)

and I like it better when I don't have a sick 18month old baby.

But other than that, we had a great day :)

See...

I love this picture of Maddie.  She looks like a little girl here!

Yup.  I'm wearing complete mom gear.  I recently went shopping and have more stylish clothes.  No, I'm not wearing them here.  Heck, at least I'm in the picture.

Yes, It was a good day.

The best $9 spent of the day?  Renting the double stroller!!