A gift for my dad

My dad is an amazing man. He is a daily example of unselfish love. 

Over the years he has spent countless hours helping me with my art program, tackling chores that most people not only don't want to do, but never see. For example, just last week he sorted, washed, dried and stored a thousand soiled flag blanks for me. And these weren't just dirty.. they were rodent soiled from being in cardboard boxes in a storage building. UGH! 

So anyway, I wanted to do something to show my appreciation and I've been wanting to try a new art project, so I figured this would be a good time. When I think of my dad, I think of music and art. Specifically, screen printing... and I just happen to have access to some of the screens that he used in his business for twenty plus years!

I pulled this photo off my dad's facebook page. This is so him!  In fact, this was him in his early twenties.

I took the picture and edited it in photoshop and used it to draw on the silk screen. I used a couple of different kinds of sharpie markers as I found that the plain sharpie dried a grey color, but the one that was created for fabric dried black. You can see the difference in the two below.

Here is the piece in process. I ended up going over the entire thing a few times as I liked the dark contrast on the screen. (If I had time, I would have used both shades to create more depth.. but no time!)

Here is the piece complete.

It was so much fun giving him the gift. 

I have to say, this was one of the best gifts I have ever made. I loved creating it and I loved giving it! I know that what made it special was the meaning behind not just the piece but the screen as well.

Music is Good for the Soul!

I've been playing around and painting just for fun.Well, actually, all my painting is just for fun, but my music series of paintings is really just completely fun and freeing!

Here is my first one.  It is 2 feet tall by 4 feet wide.

It is currently hanging in our school office.  It's nice to have a "gallery" space to hang my oversized artwork! (and I like for my students to see that I create too!)

This second piece is actually a rectangle as well, but I posted a picture of it on instagram, so it is cropped to a square. My dad is a guitar man and this painint is for him.  I have painted this on top of a different painting, so the layers underneath provide great depth.  I can't decide if I am finished with this one yet. 

My goal is to paint three or four more music paintings before I move on.

But.. Remember this "selfie" Kylie took when I was working on her painting?

Look at it edited in black and white.  I'm thinking I'm going to have to create something with this!!

Spring Band Concert

Tonight was the spring band concert.  Maddie did great. The band did great. In fact, the band is so good that they are changing my preconceived ideas about what a junior high band is supposed to sound like!!

 

I have a video... but I can't get it to load. Just hum a tune while you look at the pictures!

 

Maddie was in Symphonic (the top band) during the spring semester. It is really hard to believe that she didn't start playing the clarinet until about 10 months ago. She is third chair.. only 2 eighth graders are better than her in her band class! And some of the students have been playing for 3 years!

 

Here is her band director. Mr. Short. Funny really. He is super tall!  Anyway.. he is really good. Maddie says that he is very strict and won't let the kids give up on a song. I love that!! I'm thrilled that the kids are good and play beautiful songs, but I love that the director is teaching them to persevere. That is good teaching!

 

And here are Lexi and Kylie up close and personal to the concert. I love this picture. You see Maddie on stage and her sisters watching.

 

And guess what? With tonight's concert, we have one more end of the year obligation checked off!!

Our Musical One

Maddie has spent the spring semester in music land. As a life long musician/performer I am thrilled.

There are worse plays to live.

 

Today she finished up the school contest season with another great performance.

 

Last month Maddie performed a clarinet solo and received a top score and a medal.Then later in the month the band competed at ensemble contest and did well.

 

Today, she went and performed a vocal solo and received a top score and will get her medal this week!

 

Next month is her piano recital.

 

Whew.

 

This picture is after the clarinet performance.



Here she is this morning.

 

I'm so proud of Maddie for pursing music, it is such a blessing to her and others. I've always been thankful that I read music and can play the piano. Hopefully the other girls will follow Maddie's lead.

Lexi's Second Grade Music Program

Last night was Lexi's 2nd grade music program. Last semester she was in art, this semester she is in music. She loves all things artsy, so she was excited about the program.

This is half of the 2nd graders at Lexi's school. They were soo cute!

One random thing that as a parent I really appreciate... no teacher on stage blocking the kids!!  I know that in choir you have to have the director to make sure everyone comes in at the same time and all that, but as a parent, I just want to see the kids! I love how this music teacher places herself off to the side. The kids know to look at her if they are unsure and she can make herself be heard for the kids to bring them in at the right time. It's a very audience-friendly way!!

 

The kids sang "traditional" cute songs like Puff the Magic Dragon, Red Robin and lots of songs I sang as a second grader!

Finally, as a side note... I took all of these pictures with the same camera I use all the time. It's not fancy and I don't have any special lenses.  However, I finally figured out that for horrible florescent lighting I can use the "sunset" setting on my camera and I get decent pictures! Yay!!

Piano Recital

Maddie had her Christmas piano recital yesterday afternoon. It was great. 4 students, each playing a couple of short songs and a reception to follow. Perfect!! All done in under an hour.

Being a recital veteran, this is absolutely the way to go!! So thankful for our teacher. She's a senior in high school and I hope that Maddie groups up to be just like her. She's on her way, she's already got the hair and skin down!

I have a video of Maddie playing, but it's on a different computer. Maybe I'll add it soon :)

Where Am I?? At work.... and a little song to make the day brighter

Life here has gone into overdrive.  It always does the first of August until say... May. But really, by September we are into a routine and I feel like I can breathe or maybe even take a moment for myself.  This afternoon Lexi gets to meet her Kindergarten teacher.  It makes me sad just thinking about it.  Oh how fast time flies.  Kylie started with a new sitter last week when I returned to work and it is going wonderfully and Maddie starts Intermediate school. 

I'm tired just thinking about all of the schedule juggling!

So, maybe soon I can post a quality post.  Until then, take a couple of minutes and listen to this song.  My sister sent it on to me and it is incredible!!!!

Anthony Evans- Amazing God