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Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baseball. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Meeting Jane LaFazio
In the Chicago environs a few weeks back, I had a little art adventure which included meeting Jane LaFazio at a Create Mixed Media workshop. Jane is an excellent drawer, artist, painter, instructor, and one of the original teachers in this year's debut (3.1 "Beginnings") of Sketchbook Skool. As my class all peered at her, she drew first with pencil, then with ink and watercolor, an old ballet slipper that someone had brought with them to draw. I would think she would feel a little pressured with all those eyes upon her, but she seemed happily oblivious to the stare down.
We started by ripping up papers and collaging them together on two different pages, one lighter and the other darker. Well, I spent too much time on my lighter concoction and never finished the darker one, even though I skipped lunch and continued to work during that hour.
Next we coated the pages with a particular product (take Jane's class--I'm not giving away her secrets (-;) and then we were able to sketch what we had brought with us as models. What did I bring with me? Um, well...I didn't bring anything. I brought a lot of other things, but not little figurines or things of that ilk so I used the contents within my purse. Hey, that's art, I do believe. I also grabbed flowers and buds outside of the hotel and included those--make-up and nature's beauty...a natural combination, n'est pas (right)? We cut out those items and adhered them to our collaged page.
Just an aside, I made this trip with about zippo dollars. By the time I had bought supplies the night before, I made the trip with $20 which included a McDonald's coffee. I had an opened canister of Pringles potato chips in my car as well as a jar of almond butter so I filled myself with that when I grabbed my flower buds mid-morning and once more before others returned from their lunch. I was thinking the boxed lunches were included, but alas at $12.50, they were out of my league. I am going to save up better the next time around! ha! Look, sometimes I post luscious meals I've eaten and other times, well, a girl just has to do what she has to do. I imagined myself as Madonna, taking off from Michigan in a bus with just $35 dollars in my pocket to go to NYC to pursue my art. Instead of dance, of course, I would draw!
O.K., well enough about my budget. I sat with a table with a very quiet and lovely older woman who once sang songs in German cafes! She appeared timid and unsure of herself, but this was her past life--isn't it amazing what lies within people? Perhaps that's always why I'm drawing people. I am fascinated by the hidden stories they hold. The other woman I sat with was named, Ali. She holds a PhD, flew from the East coast, and lived in China for three years. We hit it off like you wouldn't believe. Our other tablemate asked how long we had known one another, and we said we had just met. We're both Aries, although her chart is filled with all Aries! My rising sign is a Leo, but we're both "fire" girls, that's for sure. (-; My Moon sign adds quite a contemplative aspect, but I can't reveal all my secrets, you know.
Laugh, laugh, laugh, I had such a great time. My final product...well, it definitely leaves something to be desired! ha! I originally had my mascara tube in my handmade "map" envelope, but I ended up attaching it to the center of the page for more balanced composition. Afterwards I thought it looked like a marching, purple phallic symbol, but at least it's alert and on the prowl to spread beauty application everywhere! Ah, ha, ha, ha!
I think my lack of focus in group settings is, for me, like going to a baseball game. It's great fun to be there in person, but I end up talking with people around me, watching the track, watching the flashing sign, concentrating on everything EXCEPT the game, whereas at home, watching the t.v, that's all I'm taking in. Anyway, I wouldn't trade the day for anything. Jane was so down-to-earth and had a fantastic sense of humor and the same holds true for Allie, and the happy realization that all over this country/world there are people who you can immediately click with and share a magical moment.
My finished page below, with all my hand-drawn cutouts attached to the background covered with a white, rough medium to make it "drawable."
We started by ripping up papers and collaging them together on two different pages, one lighter and the other darker. Well, I spent too much time on my lighter concoction and never finished the darker one, even though I skipped lunch and continued to work during that hour.
Next we coated the pages with a particular product (take Jane's class--I'm not giving away her secrets (-;) and then we were able to sketch what we had brought with us as models. What did I bring with me? Um, well...I didn't bring anything. I brought a lot of other things, but not little figurines or things of that ilk so I used the contents within my purse. Hey, that's art, I do believe. I also grabbed flowers and buds outside of the hotel and included those--make-up and nature's beauty...a natural combination, n'est pas (right)? We cut out those items and adhered them to our collaged page.
Just an aside, I made this trip with about zippo dollars. By the time I had bought supplies the night before, I made the trip with $20 which included a McDonald's coffee. I had an opened canister of Pringles potato chips in my car as well as a jar of almond butter so I filled myself with that when I grabbed my flower buds mid-morning and once more before others returned from their lunch. I was thinking the boxed lunches were included, but alas at $12.50, they were out of my league. I am going to save up better the next time around! ha! Look, sometimes I post luscious meals I've eaten and other times, well, a girl just has to do what she has to do. I imagined myself as Madonna, taking off from Michigan in a bus with just $35 dollars in my pocket to go to NYC to pursue my art. Instead of dance, of course, I would draw!
O.K., well enough about my budget. I sat with a table with a very quiet and lovely older woman who once sang songs in German cafes! She appeared timid and unsure of herself, but this was her past life--isn't it amazing what lies within people? Perhaps that's always why I'm drawing people. I am fascinated by the hidden stories they hold. The other woman I sat with was named, Ali. She holds a PhD, flew from the East coast, and lived in China for three years. We hit it off like you wouldn't believe. Our other tablemate asked how long we had known one another, and we said we had just met. We're both Aries, although her chart is filled with all Aries! My rising sign is a Leo, but we're both "fire" girls, that's for sure. (-; My Moon sign adds quite a contemplative aspect, but I can't reveal all my secrets, you know.
Laugh, laugh, laugh, I had such a great time. My final product...well, it definitely leaves something to be desired! ha! I originally had my mascara tube in my handmade "map" envelope, but I ended up attaching it to the center of the page for more balanced composition. Afterwards I thought it looked like a marching, purple phallic symbol, but at least it's alert and on the prowl to spread beauty application everywhere! Ah, ha, ha, ha!
I think my lack of focus in group settings is, for me, like going to a baseball game. It's great fun to be there in person, but I end up talking with people around me, watching the track, watching the flashing sign, concentrating on everything EXCEPT the game, whereas at home, watching the t.v, that's all I'm taking in. Anyway, I wouldn't trade the day for anything. Jane was so down-to-earth and had a fantastic sense of humor and the same holds true for Allie, and the happy realization that all over this country/world there are people who you can immediately click with and share a magical moment.
Jane LaFazio and our class
Jane's impromptu drawing:
My supply spread:
Ali with her handmade, stuffed birds as props.
My "light-colored collage page before applying a white, drawing medium.
Jane trying to help our table!
A couple of Jane's pages:
Look at these sweet paper scissors! I love them. Please ignore my ever-present chipped polish and shaggy nail!
My page with a light coat of white medium.
My finished page below, with all my hand-drawn cutouts attached to the background covered with a white, rough medium to make it "drawable."
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Day 117. Beautiful Baseball, Boston, and a Big Papi
One of my greatest pleasures is Sunday Night baseball. Well, it was indisputably better before the "powers that be" booted the knowledgeable and humorous announcers, Jon Miller and Joe Morgan, but still, I love it. There is a beautiful elegance to baseball. I know. When I was in 6th grade and went to see the Cubs with my grade school band (I played the oboe, thank you very much), I thought, this is the most boring thing I've ever seen!
It took my husband to explain the intricacies and nuances that were occurring. I had never realized the signals, the suspense, the strategy, or the stats before that. Once you realize all the things going on, it's the best chess game on speed that you've ever seen! The incredible plays, the wind up of the pitch, bases loaded, crowds screaming. Wonderful! Football held the earlier part of my life, but baseball has taken over.
And was any season greater than 2004, when the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series? I almost cry just typing those words! Truly, it was the Red Sox victory over the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS that probably held more excitement than the World Series. David Ortiz was the MVP of that Boston-Yankee game. I remember an announcer recounting an interview he had had with the player, where Ortiz was walking around the city and saw the sadness of the Boston fans after they had lost game 3 of the series. Boston was going to blow it again. And Ortiz said, "We've got to turn those frowns upside down." And he did! They did. It was beyond magical, finally winning over the big bad Yankees.
David is a big hitter. Sometimes he hits with his bat, and sometimes he hits with his words. I don't think anyone can fault him for dropping the F-bomb yesterday (Sat., 4/20/13), when he said, "This is our f*&(ing city!" Big Papi, your fierce love for Boston is heartfelt!
The FCC forgave him, because they know he said what we all felt:
http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/04/21/fcc-rules-no-foul-on-big-papis-televised-f-bomb/
It took my husband to explain the intricacies and nuances that were occurring. I had never realized the signals, the suspense, the strategy, or the stats before that. Once you realize all the things going on, it's the best chess game on speed that you've ever seen! The incredible plays, the wind up of the pitch, bases loaded, crowds screaming. Wonderful! Football held the earlier part of my life, but baseball has taken over.
And was any season greater than 2004, when the Boston Red Sox finally won the World Series? I almost cry just typing those words! Truly, it was the Red Sox victory over the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS that probably held more excitement than the World Series. David Ortiz was the MVP of that Boston-Yankee game. I remember an announcer recounting an interview he had had with the player, where Ortiz was walking around the city and saw the sadness of the Boston fans after they had lost game 3 of the series. Boston was going to blow it again. And Ortiz said, "We've got to turn those frowns upside down." And he did! They did. It was beyond magical, finally winning over the big bad Yankees.
David is a big hitter. Sometimes he hits with his bat, and sometimes he hits with his words. I don't think anyone can fault him for dropping the F-bomb yesterday (Sat., 4/20/13), when he said, "This is our f*&(ing city!" Big Papi, your fierce love for Boston is heartfelt!
The FCC forgave him, because they know he said what we all felt:
http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/04/21/fcc-rules-no-foul-on-big-papis-televised-f-bomb/
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