“Paint by Number”

Posted on September 16, 2012 by susan

These last few weeks I have been teaching “Paint by Number,” a lesson I created to promote success in student behavior. When someone feels you are vested in their successfulness, then they happily produce quality work. The project details history of the hobbyist kits from the 1960s sold to let anyone without artistic talent produce a realist painting. This kits are considered crude by anyone with talent. An interesting turn of events, these are now coveted by collectors. To me they are kitsch, humorous and remind me of my childhood when I painted sets of ballet dancers, clowns and horses.

I took this concept and had students photograph themselves, tweak them in Photoshop using hue, saturation and cut/paste filters to get the monochromatic out lined composition. Using an opaque projector these images are enlarged and traced on canvas. The novice student with no drawing or painting ability will have a wonderful rendition of themselves upon completion. Students love this assignment because when completed it looks like them and creates a feeling of success. Afterward, I will teach drawing skills and paint mixing. Their positive experience with the first piece has instilled a trust that will lead them into more complex ideas and projects.

Isn’t life about being successful and appreciated for what you do? Teaching is a wonderful way to not only teach history, media and techniques but trust, worthiness and success.

Moving Up

Posted on September 9, 2012 by susan

September! Did I miss August? I started my new job in Houston, teaching International students art and worked the entire month of August. Whew! I am enjoying my Chinese boarding students. They miss their family and home towns. I can relate my overseas experiences and watch them smile and “light up” hearing similar stories. It seems to me life is about familiar experiences and feeling accepted. It is good to be in Texas teaching! This girl is happy to be back on American soil and near family and great friends.

My house hunt has been exhausting, looking close to 150 condos, apartments, town-homes, single family homes, and multi-family homes. I put bids on four different places, with competition on three. This last bid on a town-home I was fortunate to have accepted. The Heights is an extremely popular neighborhood and is transitioning into a really wonderful place to live.

The town-home is three story and three bedrooms, one of which I will use as a studio. It has everything I wanted, from a dreamy kitchen with granite, a bathroom with a soaker jetted tub and a space to create art. There are any windows with interesting views of Houston, including the train tracks—toot toot! I know I will like the Urban environment and richness of diversity. It will be wonderful to finally get my gear out of storage and in one location, where I can continue my journey from my very own new home.

When I get settled I want to have my first art opening and feature a retrospective of my art. My home will be a lovely setting for this event. If you would like to attend, let me know and I will include you in the festivities.

Life is about boundaries

Posted on July 22, 2012 by susan

“Life is as life is,” my new mantra. I am searching for a home to plant myself in and it doesn’t seem to be surfacing. So I wonder, is this where I am suppose to be? Alone, but not lonely, I search for my hearts desire. I know what I like and what I don’t like. I can sure draw a boundary when it comes to things I don’t like.

Boundaries are those lines that limit you from certain objects of your desire. I am noticing my wonderful American culture does not really understand boundaries or they have “blown them off.” Can American’s say no? Not really, they want bigger, more expensive, and an unending craving for more. Our society is feeding us with commercials that make us feel we need to spend to be fulfilled. But are we? No, of course not. But when your boundaries have been compromised by commercialism it causes you to forget what you need is surprisingly very little.

I am noticing people have more stuff than they need, they have filled their homes with so much there is no longer space for people. It is unbelievable how many homes I have visited and there is just no where to sit or sleep due to pillows. Yes these fluffy little squares have taken over all the free space. Their closets, drawers and cabinets are filled to overflowing, It has become overwhelming. No wonder Americans are laughed at by international countries. We are in-debt because we buy too much to fill up our lives. In theory it would be better to fill it with good relationships. Quit buying junk. Learn to cook and stop indulging in processed packaged products. Walk and bike ride, know your neighbors, get off the iPhone, iPad and become a person connected to real life. Set a boundary, it would do you good.

As my life goes from day to day, I cook, paint, write and meet new people. My life is different now, I realize I can have boundaries and say “No, thanks!” I learned from my Asian culture experience, “Less is really more and Life is as life is.” Life is really good.

Homeless… without ocean and art studio!

Posted on July 2, 2012 by susan

A week with Hurricane Debby and you realize how noisy, windy and wet nature can be. Storms can be challenging, especially if you have a ring side ocean view from your hotel window. I taught a week of IB art classes in St. Pete, Florida and saw only one day of sunny weather. I love the beach and living on the coast would be the most wonderful opportunity to experience sand, surf and sun.

Storms and sunny days, are like the ups, the downs of life. We all have challenges, I suppose how we handle them is the key. My stormy days have subsided and now nice sunny ones are on the horizon. I want to live by the ocean, but with my new job I will be sixty miles to the surf. Now what? Deciding on a second best scenario is difficult. Should I live in a high rise, suburban home, older home in a more trendy location or even an apartment? For me, this is too many decisions. I make my mind up quickly, now I am weighing options. I decided the other day that an art studio was the most important for me. Did you ever try to find a home with an artist area? After looking, I find the art studios as a part of a home are over a half a million in cost. Tell me how is an artist going to afford that? What an oxymoron!

Life is throwing me a curve ball, no ocean, no artist studio….. What do I do?

My brother-in-law humorously calls me a squatter, I am sure they would like me to move on, but where do I go? Anyone in Houston got an artist studio I could buy, rent or squat at?

In the GAP

Posted on June 11, 2012 by susan

“In the GAP!” This is the in between space where one has been and where one is going. I am there! Coffee in hand, a nice latte from Starbucks and back to the blog. Jess’s comments on my last post about a coffee, blow-up mattress and a warehouse, might be a true definition describing my future new space. I would add a kitchen with a granite counter, convection oven, a dishwasher and my Jura-Capresso coffee center. I haven’t seen a dishwasher in two years or my coffee maker. Hopes are high it will be soon. My brother-in-law, Jeff describes me as a squatter. Today I am “slumming” around Austin, camped at my daughters duplex in Austin. The possibility of living in this “neck of the woods” intrigues me. Can I find a real artist studio with home attached? Something to consider, since I have a “Do Over” life.

I like the opportunity at my age to make new life changes. I can pick where I want to live, teach if I wish, paint, write, cook and enjoy the last half of my life as I choose. I am free of being
stereotyped as normal, wife, mom, teacher, daughter! Yes, I was these things, but now there is more to me. This empty vessel is ready for filling. Buying the VW doodle bug a couple weeks ago, set that direction for me. I get in it and see the cute little “Black Eyed Susan” flower my sweet sister gave me and off I go on my journey. Didn’t I always say, “It is about the journey and not the destination?”

Enjoying my GAP Time and letting doors open, watching doors close and seeing the new possibilities is so fun. Today I want to drive around, look at homes and see if this is the landing spot. If not, it might be Houston or back to Dallas. China and Australia were good for me. I learned about going with in and exploring the authentic self. Moreover I met honest nice people. I want more of that in my new do-over life.

Empty Vessels and the 3 P’s of Art

Posted on June 6, 2012 by susan

My ART! I’ve done some mulling these last few days concerning my style and why do I create as I do? This ruminating of the mind began after I saw a wonderful retrospective art opening by artist Perry House. The Houston ART CAR Museum housed a collection culminating with thirty years of work. What a sense of humor he injects into his pieces on violence. His expressionistic canvases embody foreboding ideas using cheerful color palettes making quite a statement on society. I loved it! Americans are so into the packaging, and he sure had a way of showing it.

Thinking about art to create and commentary has spurred a review of my work. Brainstorming words, “Empty Vessels,” comes to mind whether that be people, places or pottery. This acronym, “The 3 P’s!” describes my work in a “less is more” vocabulary. In general empty spaces appear in landscapes with extreme cropping, strong lighting and shadows. The people I chose seem to be looking another way, are expressionless and empty. Pottery I create in bowl forms incorporate slip painting of blank looking blue cubist women. So what does that say about me? Am I rummaging to fill the desolate spaces, do I show society in its infinitesimal form or am I probing for light to feature dismal objects? You the reader may think I am over analyzing my exploration of art. To me I am trying to figure out my purpose and why do I pick this subject matter.

Homeless at this point, living off family and running around like a gypsy with two suitcases in a green doodle bug, I am looking for a nest! For two years I have flitted around the world, learning and teaching. Time to settle down and create for real. This time the art space is more important than the living space. I need to have an ART STUDIO. Where that will be is still another journey and as always another story!

Home in Texas

Posted on May 29, 2012 by susan

TEXAS — Land of Large! Large state, large people, large voices, large portions, large, large, large! I am home! I bought a “small” car and already been flipped off and honked at to move on, not once but three different occasions. GEEZ TEXAS what happened? You are so rude and it is so unacceptable. Why are you in such a hurry?

Do I fit here, good question? Driving around in my little gecko green VDub Bug, with a sunflower in the vase, I am just enjoying the view, the sun and the climate. 500 miles later maybe I should have bought a tank with a driver! There are new streets, new places the old GPS can’t locate. I got lost driving to a Post Office, where my GPS directed me. Turned out fifteen miles later I was in a wheat field. I need updating!

The Apple store on Knox-Henderson was my next stop. Randy says I need an iphone4S. After two hours loading info and trying to figure out apps, I am technology appropriate. Ha, but can I use the thing? Someone call me and let me see if I can answer it. My cute little pink flip phone is now gone and I have a 3 inch miniature flat screen computer-esque phone. I believe I need to purchase glasses to read the fine print. I am savvy but do I really need this much stuff?

Life overseas was about “Less is More!” Life here is “more is overwhelming!”

Fitting in, may be harder than I thought.

Australian Pubs on Andy’s birthday

Posted on March 25, 2012 by susan

The day started with lunch at Bundy Sushi owned by Ross’ friends Dave and Toby. I ordered about every Vegetarian Sushi dish on the menu. It was delicious. March 24th is my son Andy’s 32nd birthday, the day we would go to “Red Lobster,” to celebrate. He would order the most expensive item on the menu. Today I am celebrating in “OZ”, keeping his memory alive.

From lunch in Bundaberg we went to the town of Apple Tree Creek and walked through a mesh enclosed open air bird sanctuary. Greeted immediately by a friendly blue Quaker parrot that flew to our shoulders, called the terrorist bird, he escorted us on our tour. I so enjoyed his company as we walked around chatting with the assortment of colorful tropical birds. We left the enclosed bird area to visit with kangaroos as we finished up our trip. I love roos, they are the cutest guys with curly eyelashes and big brown eyes.

Spending the day touring around the country side we came upon Cordalba, an off-beat town located in the midst of a sugar cane grove. The main street housed the only business being a pub. It has been in existence for 120 years. Your typical Aussie bar, with a hotel upstairs it felt like stepping back into time when cowboys clamored into the saloon looking for your typical “Miss Kitty” gals. The owner and his friend showed us around talking in a thick Aussie dialect, causing you to strain your ears to understand what was being said. He loved telling jokes and rambling about his life, loves and business. We realized much of chatter was true Aussie bull-shit. We laughed, drank our XXXX Gold beer and photographed the local four bikers out front.

Driving back to Bundy I couldn’t but smile thinking Andy would have loved the day ‘down under’ with his mom as she continues to see the world.

Love you Andy and Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday Andy

Posted on March 24, 2012 by susan

Today March 24th, Andy Zorn would be 32… Happy Birthday, son.

A few images that are great memories of him. Love you kiddo.

He was the life of the party, red headed, green eyed and always into something. A fabulous fisherman, he could out fish the lot. He was a wonderful son and a great friend. Missing you on your day.

You are gone, never forgotten.
Life goes on, so live it well, it could end at any time.
Go for the gusto, travel, meet new people, listen and help others.
Be KIND.

Wish you were here I’d take you out to the Great Barrier Reef and let you snorkel and eat a lobster.