it's almost over

I am posting the last of the marks for the FINE 107 class at CNC this week, and as the dust settles in the mac lab, I am left to ponder who learned more this semester, the students or me. I must send a thank you to the students who helped shape me, mold me and humble me into a better instructor. As for the summer, my hope is to spend it creating so that I will actually have something to show in the 3 venues I have committed to this fall. It feels great to work towards a deadline!

we want one too!

Kevin and I went out for a fine dining experience on Saturday. His supervisor at UNBC is moving to greener pastures and a group of about 28-30 people gathered at one of the finest restaurants in town. The food was fabulous as was the service. I received some extra goodies that had everyone at our end of the table looking at me with envy. The parsley on my appetizer, grilled polenta, had a small, white, inch worm who was actively practicing his pilates. Well, the vegan sitting next to me was stunned into silence, and the carnivores at the end of the table were roaring with laughter. Our server, however was not amused and began an apology that lasted all evening long. While I waited for my replacement, the vegan next to me tore his salad into pieces, looking for any signs of the worm's cousins. Satisfied that they were not in his meal, he sighed in relief and timidly began eating his veggies. The carnivores were enviously looking at Kevin who's drinks were now on-the-house just because he came with me. "We want a worm too." They chanted. However, they dealt with a crisis of their own when the steaks they ordered were served well-done instead of blue-rare. Their replacement meal came and the steaks were double the size of the first set. As we were leaving, each woman in our group was given a long stemmed rose, I, however, received two long stemmed roses. It was truly a night to remember.

something ELSE to look at

You heard it here first folks, my hubby has just joined the world of blogs!

something to look at

Have a look at The Fire Painter, Russell Maier. One foot in the analog art world and one foot in the digital world brings about some surprising results. Right now he has a feature on Perry Rath who recently had a solo show at the Two Rivers Art Gallery. I find Perry's work to be conceptually sound, speaking about topics that are sometimes tough to talk about, like our mortality. Thought provoking work.

signs of spring

• dust and dirt everywhere, including my entry, down my stairs, and inside each pair of shoes
• rain, rain, rain
• excess dog hair clinging for dear life to all black clothing
• honking of the geese as they move northward
• kids with soaking wet clothing, every pair of shoes and boots are wet right through
• the reappearance of gardening books and magazines on every end table
• and the joyful way I feel inside as I think about the sun's warmth, the return of plant life and the buzzing of insects!

not for the faint of heart

My days have settled into a peaceful routine. I have finished two large freelance jobs and I now have time to relax. I am still teaching Digital Art and Media at the College of New Caledonia, but the class will finish by the end of April. What will I do with all that free time? My kids are still in school until June 29th and there will only be me and the dogs here most days. I am thinking this would be a great time to finish smoke-tanning my deer hides. It is an unusual hobby, but one that I really enjoy. Nothing feels softer, or smells better than homemade leather. I am hoping to finish 3 deer, one moose, a buffalo robe and a bear skin rug. The deer, moose and buffalo were killed by others for food, and it seemed a shame to waste the hides so they brought them to me. Sorry, I guess this post is not for the faint of heart. This work can be messy and smelly. And those of you who have emotional feelings about using animal skin for clothing may not like what you hear. In my defense, I am doing the same work that my great-grandmother and her family did when my dad was a boy. The resulting garments are ecologically congruent in that they will wear long, and return to organic material to nourish the earth when we are done with them. In contrast, think about what happens to those lovely synthetic garments once they hit the landfill. Post a comment and tell me about your own interesting projects you've planned for this spring.