Check out How to Paint an Interior Room. by Emily McLemore on Snapguide.

A Servant's Heart Painting. Finished. Finally.

I finally finished the painting that I created during church a few weeks ago. It was a hard one. Thankfully my dad came over and did a good critique for me and helped me move past the "i just don't like it" stage to actually fixing it! I don't know what artists do that don't have dad's or mentors to help them!

Let's revisit where I left off during church.. Here I was at 1 hour or so into the painting. It was desperate for help, but I wasn't sure where I even wanted to start!

So I didn't.

I left it sitting on my easel in my "studio" for a couple of weeks.

But then I had a friend that wanted me to paint something for her and I felt like I had to complete this piece before I started something new.

So I started working on it and was bummed. It was bad.

But my dad came along and helped me to look at it the way I look at my student's work. Objectively with a critical artistic eye.

Hallelujah!

So after not too much more work, here is the finished piece.

I made a conscience decision to not revamp the entire piece. I felt like it needed to be a reflection of the church and the service that I painted it in. But I worked on the perspective elements a bit and the proportions of the figures.

Through this process I've decided that I really LOVE oils and I really DON'T like acrylics. I just can't blend enough with the acrylics. I'm already working in a rushed tempo with the palette knife, but you add the drying time of acrylics to it and it's hard!

So thankfully, at least for the summer, I am going back to oil painting! And I can't wait!

Now I just have to get some of my to do list accomplished so that I can relax and paint.

My kind-of season

Tball is over. Awesome. Tball is my kind of game. Two practices before the season starts, 9 games (and we missed 2 of them) and we are done.

 

Kylie loved tball once we arrived at the field. Getting her there some days took bribery.  But that's what being 4 means. Meltdowns and bribery.

 

Here is the team. Aren't they adorable. Kylie is in the center on the first row.

This last game was Kylie's best. I love ending on a high note. Here are a few pictures of the game.

Warming up. I found out how to get Kylie to throw the ball well. Show her a picture of the ball in the air. She LOVED seeing how far she could throw it on my camera!

 

At bat.

 

 

  

Fielding the ball??? No, probably dancing!

 

 

 

 Love her.

 

 So long tball. Hello SUMMER!!!

Official Documents

There is just something extra special about a fancy envelope!   I got four of them in the mail this week! They weren't mine, they were for my students, but it was really cool! 

 

Take a look. Yes, I scanned one. Had to, we don't get cool things like this very often!

 

Why did we get these? Well I had three students compete in the Congressional Art Contest. One student placed 4th, one student was awarded Honorable Mention, and the third student (not pictured as she was absent) didn't place, but was awarded a $500 scholarship!

These students have done fantastic work all year and it's fun to see them excell.

Can't wait to see what they do next year. Maybe we can get some more of these official documents!!! :)

The end of the year.

It has been a fantastic school year. But I am exhausted. 

 

Stolen from facebook. No clue who to credit! :(

So many wonderful and exciting things happened this year, and everyone of them where my choice to participate in.. so when I say am exhausted, it is completely my own fault.

But here is my school year recap.  (For the record, we have one week left, but I'm finally in cleanup mode!)

June: Worked on the "Big Show" and put on a week-long art camp for kids.

July: Big Show and took a graduate level art course

August: Big Show and start of school

September: Big Show performances and art show

November: Taught teacher workshops at art convention

December: Scholastic Art Contest

January: Youth Art Month, other art contests and another
graduate level art course

February: VASE Art Contest and Theatrical Design Contest

March: Youth Art Month reception and UIL OAP judge

April: State VASE contest, district art show, Congressional Art Contest

May: State Theatrical Design contest and prep for this summer's art camp!

And let's not forget that I trained and ran a marathon during this time and still somehow spent time with my husband and children!

My plans for this summer are to chill. Which means lots of art projects and painting and afternoons at splashville with the girls.

Life is insanely busy and at this point every year I am totally exhausted, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm already working on next school year and thankful that I have a great job that provides me with all of the professional accolades that I need, but weeks to recover and renew myself. 

So come on summer!!