Waking Bear Studio

Gorgeous Mobile at Latrobe High School

2012-01-16T16:28:00.001-05:00

Decide for yourself, but I am partial in that this installation is glorious and gorgeous. The installation of this piece took about 3 hours and we hung it from the common area at Greater Latrobe High School. The enthusiasm and help from the class was just great. Dan became the man on the ladder and the students carefully chose where the pieces belonged. Several students stayed after the class ended to help finish the work.

I think the photos really explain themselves. The final mobile boasts more than 26 batik dyed silk scarves that move independently and dependently to each other. We used the outside light fixtures to suspend the other scarves and the final result is awesome! Thank you for having us back, this is my favorite project in a residency in a long time.

Day 8 at Greater Latrobe High School

2012-01-11T20:16:00.001-05:00

Progress on the mobile has been very good. This class of 13 students has proven to be very creative, helpful and eager to work. Our initial plan was to only include the silk scarves but upon further thought we may include some simple aluminum sculptures to pull the piece together. Today and tomorrow we will finish cleaning the scarves, gluing them to the pre-drilled dowel rods and will start placing the scarves. So far our only glitch has been in geting the paper removed from the scarves. However, with a good soak in the water, the students have been very positive about the extra work.

With the help of our fly tying fisherman, Dan, we have used the fishing line to great advantage in order to keep the idea that the scarves are suspended magically in the air. All of the students have helped to iron the pieces between paper so we do not ruin any of the irons from the sewing studio. This class is of a fairly short length so on Thursday I will stay later to finish up the scarves on the dowels as necessary. Monday, Rick will help us actually install the final mobile piece in the center lobby of the school.

Mobile Silk Batik at Latrobe High School 2012

2012-01-07T12:26:00.001-05:00

I am back at Latrobe and working on a brand new large scale project. This January we are doing silk batiks but not in the normal way with wax. Instead, Mrs. Mack learned a quick process that involves white silk scarves, Elmer's Glue, artistic talent and silk dyes. The students were encouraged by us to pick a theme because their works will then be displayed in a moving aluminum mobile in the center foyer of the school. They chose the theme of birds, feathers and movement.

The first part of this process involved working out their designs on butcher paper the same size as the silk scarves. After using marker on their designs, silk scarf is then taped over top of the design. Using Elmer's glue, they trace over their line work with glue. After letting the glue dry for 24 hours, they paint over the scarf with silk dyes, let this dry for 24 hours and then soak the pieces to get the glue to come out. Our own blunder was not having the correct paper, so we had to soak the scarves and paper to remove everything without tearing the scarves.

Rick and I had Gross Brothers Welding form three circles one with a diameter of 6 feet, 4 feet and 2 feet across. Using fine braided wire, we have three circles which will be attached but also move independently from each other. We will use fishing line and dowel rods to attach the silk scarves and these will also move with and independently from the mobile circles. This is a first for us in an installation of this size and caliber. I am super excited to see the final piece!

Residency for Latrobe High School Fall 2011

2011-11-06T17:56:00.001-05:00

I am probably the luckiest artist in residence ever. My pleasure has been to be invited this fall for a 5 day residency with Latrobe and then a 10 day sculpture to start out my 2012 year in January. Working with Ms. Ross and her students is always such a joy with their strong work ethic and interest in the projects. With such a short painting project, my primary goal is always about color mixing, composition based on an Impressionist approach. This class we concentrated a good bit with working on our paintings upside down so that students did not get too focused on their subject matter.

I can hardly wait to see the finished pieces! It is a short class period and with clean up and start up we have about 30 minutes to cram our lessons and painting in at the same time. It is a large class but well intentioned and I am sure they will end up with some fine paintings.

Finishing Residency at Altoona

2011-09-29T08:17:00.000-04:00

Today is our last day at Altoona. The class diminished a bit but we ended up with between 14-16 students. I fired four full loads in my kiln here at the house so that each students ended up with at least two viable sculptures to take home. The class was quite a mix with gifted, learning support and life skills students. All in all, I think it went well and that the students were successful in their ventures.

After School Arts and My New Work

2011-09-20T10:56:00.001-04:00

I am at Altoona After School Arts and happily there in the fall. This is my first year in many that I do not have to battle blizzard and hazardous road conditions. My initial class sign up was 72 students, but I only have taken about 20 students. We are making clay works and with my travel time and having to fire in my own kiln, any more students would have been too many. This is a great class size and although the ability levels vary, this is a really nice class. I am always so happy to be working in this capacity.

On another note, our studio business has probably tripled in the last month, so other than the teaching, I am quite busy with orders and new designs. It keeps both Rick and me out of trouble but does not allow for much down time. No complaints here:)

New Pieces....Working Hard

2011-09-06T22:15:00.001-04:00

New pieces are forthcoming...so excited with what we are making and how it is being received!

New Pieces On Wholesale Crafts

2011-08-31T21:09:00.001-04:00

Some new pieces that we are working on....fun, whimsical and humorous. I will be posting new pieces as we make them!

Story Walk Images from Seven Springs Mountain Resort

2011-08-22T09:53:00.001-04:00

Saturday for the Story Walk turned out to be a glorious day! Rick and I got to Seven Springs around 7 am to help put up the murals and to place the wooden cut outs. After the installation, we headed to Ohiopyle for Over the Falls and a day of selling my artwork. From what I heard afterwards, the event at Seven Springs was a hit and hopefully we will do it again!

Working Thursday

2011-08-04T16:05:00.003-04:00

I am finished with the Moses and Foxxy Acrylic piece and re-worked an Iris piece also. I have two more small paintings to finish while I still have paint in my pan.

You had me at WOOF

2011-08-02T16:51:00.001-04:00

I have started another painting and as you can see, the favorite subject now is the dogs. This notorious pink bone depicted has shown up in our house in many locations. These would include the middle of the bed, under the covers and even conveniently in the middle of the bathtub where I think Moses believes he also belongs.

I have a show coming up at the Jenners Art Gallery located at Green Gables and the rest of the month is filled with fun shows and a bit of pressure to make some cool pieces. Our work with wholesale crafts is coming along very nicely and being busy like this has been a gift to treasure.

Once this heat dies a bit, I will be off to see Zora and to go for a drive....unless we get the big storm that weatherwoman Jane is predicting!

Some of us Rest, some of us Work

2011-07-28T13:50:00.000-04:00

Granted it has been a fairly hot week in July. Weather and temperatures have soared into the high 80's and even the 90's but today was a bit more tolerable. You might think though that these dogs have worked long and hard by the looks of them. In fact, the majority of their day has encompassed trying out various bed locations much like Goldie Locks trying out beds. Most often, Moses would prefer to be with me, but since I am painting orders, he is officially banned from the room. Not that I mind nose marks in paint but I think customers might! Ah, the life of a dog.....

Paddle Boarding on the Q Dam

2011-07-17T18:20:00.001-04:00

Rick surprised me last night with buying a paddle board. I have seen people doing this in the Cayman's and the beach but never thought to own one. It is really a cross between an open kayak and surf board. It comes with a large area to stand or sit and the paddle converts to a kayak paddle or a long single paddle. I was nervous about my balance not being too wonderful, but at my first attempt found that standing and paddling is great. It is amazing not only what you can see, but how good this kind of core strength building will be in the long run.

You will see that not only did Rick and I love it, but Ms. Foxxy felt her sea legs too. She Loves it also! She swam out to me and was so good letting me put her on the board. Sitting quietly, she surveyed her new found kingdom. We had an awesome day with a 14 mile bike ride and two hours sharing the paddle board. With our sea kayak and board, we are always ready for water in any form:)

Another Busy Day and It is Delightful

2011-07-16T21:39:00.000-04:00

The Country Market went really well again today. It was a gorgeous day and so great to see my mom and give her fresh tomatoes, green beans and brocolli from our garden. Things were postive and really hopping today. Last night however we took a break for ourselves and took the dogs and us for a much needed walk:)

A Busy Day in the Neighborhood

2011-07-08T20:18:00.001-04:00

It's already been a busy summer here at Waking Bear Studio. Progress on the Story Walk for Seven Springs Mountain Resort would not be progressing as nicely without the help of the awesome staff in the carpenter and painter's shop. Tom Close has been doing some jig saw cutting of some of my pieces. He does such an incredible job and the support of the staff on my project has been so positive.

Rick and I have been doing the Country Market in Ligonier twice a month and last week was our best Saturday ever! I am making some new clay creatures and creations and they sold very well and made me smile in the process. Our new garden stakes proved popular and we even sold some custom design signs.

In the meantime, Moses continues to grow and get more ornery each day. On Rick's birthday he insisted upon swimming out to Rick's kayak and swam until he was exhausted. I do love a dog that likes to swim. It is a joy to have both Foxxy and Moses in our house to keep us on our toes. Moses keeps trying to eat my clay sponges.

My presentation for SAMA called Finding Your Bliss went over well. I had a crowd of over 45 people present for that day. It felt like I did a good job and I am grateful to be finding my bliss on a daily basis.

Love workng on the Story Walk for Seven Springs

2011-07-01T22:29:00.000-04:00

I am having a wonderful time creating and painting 8 hours a day for the Story Walk at Seven Springs....giving myself lots of time to really enjoy the experience and relish the time spent on this project. My particular favorite story is Where the Wild Things Are...Some images that hopefully are easy to recognize! Max hanging from the tree is obviously not finished yet, but I wanted people to see some of the process.

Storywalk at Seven Springs

2011-06-22T19:12:00.000-04:00

I have the good fortune to be painting most of the pieces that will be part of the Storywalk at Seven Springs on August 20th, 2011. This event is free and open to the public and the main agenda is to keep promoting literacy for our younger population. Several area libraries will be participating and there will be tons of activities included in this event. Without ruining things too much, 6 books will be represented in both a literary and visual format.

I am posting a few of the things one can find at the Three Little Pigs....This has been a blast to work on and painting for 8 hours a day has proven more strenuous than most could believe. My hands actually hurt but it is worth it for how happy I am with the results.

Beautiful Dogs, beautiful night

2011-06-22T19:07:00.000-04:00

It was so wonderful to get the dogs in the car and to drive up to Dave and Ralph's farm. Moses leaped from the car and with red, laughing mouth ran like a tiger through the tall grass. The joy on his face was so easy to read. He bounded over Foxxy on several occasions and then set off to explore. It is such a relief to let him run free because there is so much space and he comes back when he is called.

We searched for wild strawberries but I am afraid the rabbits and birds got them all. However, the wild blueberries are actually starting to ripen so I may have to go back up on Sunday to check them out again. The ant hills up there are so high and I think both dogs have learned to stay away from all that biting activity. It was a gorgeous night with a good breeze and although it is hot, it certainly feels like summer time.

The dogs are now sprawled out on the porch after this jaunt. I am going riding in the am and am devising a plan so both Foxxy and Moses can come also.

Calypso Girls

2011-06-19T11:57:00.000-04:00

So the summer has started quickly and very busy. I have been doing the Country Market in Ligonier two times a month plus orders plus I start my big project for 7 Springs Storywalk tomorrow. I finally got my clay slab roller back so there will be time to work in clay also:) This will be a fun and productive summer indeed!

2011-05-26T15:44:00.002-04:00

2011-05-26T15:41:00.002-04:00

Finishing at C-L Elementary

2011-05-26T14:38:00.000-04:00

I have finished at C-L Elementary and feel inspired after working at and for such a great elementary school. My last few minutes at the school as the students left to catch their buses...it was a great way to end my time there with lots of hugs and good wishes for a great summer. To say we got a lot done on the last day is frankly an understatement. We finished the last kiln load that morning, grouted all the landscape pieces for the tree pieces, cleaned up the glass and finished the Chinese Dragon too. All the classes helped in numerous ways from helping us grout, clean up work, cleaning glass with tooth brushes and cleaning a room that looked as if a tornado had struck!

At one point, Dr. Wolf came into the room dressed for work and I warned her about the condition of the room. What room would not be a disaster when 9 tables are covered with glass, mosaic boards and grout! How about having 24 eager fourth graders helping in the process? I suggested that the principal might want to come back after the room had some serious cleaning.

Our designs really came out well and I hope that my additions of the metal sun and moon will be a good match for the work already there. I felt reluctant to leave because the energy level was so infectious and invigorating. I truly hope this is a school where I can return......

The Work Progresses at C-L Elementary School

2011-05-16T19:05:00.000-04:00

I am feeling like an old hand calling Clarion-Limestone....C-L Elementary! For such a small school they certainly come up with some ingenious programs included in their classrooms. Liz and I had a busy day but also had time to take a real look at The Living Wax Museum. This is where the fifth grade students chose a person to study in terms of a biography. The students then wrote about this person, dressed up as them, had portraits drawn and historical information about this person. Observers would then stand in front of a child and that child would recite all the information they knew about their person. The kids were super excited and did a great job with information and also handled themselves well when the rest of the school came to see them also. I took photos but I want to wait to make sure I can post them on this site without any privacy issues.

We finished glazing works, painted with K, made clay pockets with 6th graders and worked hard as usual. Liz bought wood for the mosaic over the weekend and we sanded and prepped pieces for the next few days work. I am excited about the after school programs on Wednesday and Thursday.....should be lots of fun!

Clarion-Limestone Elementary Residency through Arts Path at IUP

2011-05-14T17:43:00.002-04:00

To end my school year I am conducting a residency that has energized me and allows me to realize what it is like to work at a great school with great faculty and staff and terrific kids. Often at this time of the year I can feel a little burned out and tired from trying to remember names, places and people. However, this time I an rejuvinated by the enthusiasm and terrific amount of support offered by this small elementary school. The greatest asset so far has been working with the art teacher Liz Huwar who has such a positive rapport with the entire school and it is so obvious she loves her job. Her enthusiasm spills over to everyone around her.

My core group this time is first grade students. The entire school is working in clay and the other classes are making pieces from clay beads with symbols of themselves while the sixth grade classes are making wall clay pockets. Back to the first graders who I get to see every day for over an hour. We have used gray and red clay and work in teams to create sculptures of things you might find in a garden. These pieces after being fired will be incorporated this coming week into a wall mosaic that exists in the school hallway. Liz had conducted a mosaic project with tiles to create two awesome trees. We also have tile leaves with insects and nature pieces from a former class to incorporate as well.

This next week will be a busy one with unloading the current kiln which has about 300 pieces in it currently. We will then fire the remaining works, conduct two after school workshops/collaborations and start putting our mosaic works together. We are using recycled glass from Youghigheny glass, broken tiles, glass beads and of course the wonderful work of our first graders. On one delightful day we even had a fifth grade class join the first graders to help them finish their work and glaze it too.

I can't begin to express how much joy this project has brought for me personally. I feel like an artist and teacher with boundless energy! It is wonderful to feel this way and I hope the students feel the same.

Busy Busy Hands

2011-05-08T21:08:00.000-04:00

Hands and hearts hard at work on my last day of the residency with Hollidaysburg Elementary Schools. Longer School had a spring concert and art display on Friday night so some of the mosaics were viewed by many. Students at both schools for such a short time period did well with using equipment and materials safely and with no accidents.

I am hoping to also participate later this summer on another project as a volunteer depending upon the time frame of the playground project. The bonus of this residency was making a new friend in Greta Halbritter and having an opportunity to work for Hollidaysburg Elementary Schools.

Language Arts with 5th graders at Longer Elementary

2011-05-03T19:48:00.000-04:00

Today we spent in starting on the mosaics, cutting glass, unloading the kiln, loading the kiln and passing out small personal tile pieces. If I were to do things differently it would be to have more than one day with each class to have time to perfect their tiles and glaze their works. Since that is not the case, we will work with what we have and rely on good teamwork to make our mosaics a success.

Fifth grade students today worked with me on a Language Arts assignment I love with Cinquain poems from their hearts. Posting a few indicates the extent to which a child realizes the importance of the Arts on a higher level than we know on the surface.

Paint

wet, messy

painting, imagining, coloring

having fun on paper

create

Slip

sticky, wet

bonding, gluing, scratching

makes all clay stick

goop

Art

abstract, original

wrting, sculpting, drawing

anything you can imagine

Paint

runny, colorful

painting, drawing, doodling

making wonderful paintings of people

pencil

Paint

colorful, wet

creating, making, drawing

makes you imagine things

watercolor

"art helps me express my thoughts and feeling....without it I would not know how to express myself."

"art is important to me because it lets me express myself. Art is important to me because there are no rules. Art is important to me because it helps me learn."

"art is important to me because it makes you smart. Art also teaches you history from way back when. You can be creative with art. You can use real life experiences in art."

"art is important to me because it gives you video games for me to play. art gives me tv for me to watch and enjoy. Last, art gives me art class for me to make art."

More images from Hollidaysburg

2011-05-02T19:48:00.000-04:00

Hollidaysburg Residency Spring 2011

2011-05-02T19:42:00.000-04:00

My residency in Hollidaysburg at two schools is going well. The art teacher Ms. Halbritter had loads of clay, tools, two gorgeous Skutt kilns, glazes and eager students! What more could an artist in residence ask for at this point? I am working with K-6 and each school also has a core group of students. All the students have had a chance to dabble in clay. 2-6th graders each made two small hand formed tile pieces, one to keep and one for the final mosaics. The core groups worked in teams and created the central tiles that are larger. Each of these tiles represents a word of their choice.

In the meantime, we have fired about 1100 pieces single fire, worked on sanding the mosaice boards, painted the boards and will commence to make about a dozen smaller mosaic pieces for each school. I have also contributed recycled glass and glass beads to add to the works. We keep talking about the past Earth Day motto of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Also present for one of my residency days was artist and sculpture Michael Allison an installation artist from the area. All of us worked with the first grade students to make fiber glass tiles that will be included in the final huge trees that will be installed for a playground at the school. The entire project is for a student named Zach who passed away who had debilitating health. I am hoping to volunteer some of my time this summer to go back to the area to help with this huge installation.

Noah's Ark Watercolor

2011-04-24T12:23:00.002-04:00

At most of the schools where I work, there is rare opportunity to actually demonstrate and work on my own pieces. Fortunately, at this last school I was able to accomplish this piece. I was asked not to speak about God if asked by any of the students about the piece. For me, this piece really just is about that fact we are all part of this earth.....small and insignificant....but also whimsical and fun!

Residency at West Hempfield Elementary School

2011-04-13T18:41:00.003-04:00

After firing about 1200 clay tile pieces, I am finally finishing up my residency at West Hempfield Elementary School. This twenty day residency, having been split into 10 day sections allowed me to single fire the clay works, work quickly with a core group of 5th graders and include the works of most of the school on the final pieces. Each child will also eventually take home a personal tile piece as a reminder of getting to work with real clay. Like many schools, this one does not have a kiln and the student body has only worked with model magic clay. I personally bought 150 pounds of porcelain clay, worked with all the students including Kindergarden through 5th grade and watched the true joy and curiousity of kids at work. Rick and I single fired the works to save about 6 loads in our kiln and I brought everything back this time around. While working on the mosaics, we also created a school alphabet that will be used in the library area. All the students got to learn a little bit about color mixing using primary colors and there was a ton of brain storming. Long days evolved and we even got to spend some time with working some creative writing into the mix. I hope to have photos tomorrow of all the pieces to post....in the meantime, enjoy the start of the writing!

From A to Z

Artwork of the West Hempfield Elementary School

Residency March/April 2011

Art

Creative, color

Painting, drawing, imagining

World without art is dull

Paint

Bunny

Furry, brown

Gazing, hopping, eating

Long eared friend of ours

Rabbit

Cat

Clever, curious

Creeping, sneaking, purring

Sly eyes looking for mice

Feline

Dolphin

Green, blue

Searching, swimming, breathing

A beautiful sight in the sea

Mammal

Egg

White, rainbow

Rolling, resting, being

Who does not love eggnog?

Chicken

Fox

Red, quiet

Hunting, seeking, running

A red tail in the woods

Animal

Giraffe

Long, spotted

Gawking, stretching, eating

Green leaves out of reach

Africa

Horse

Sleek, friendly

Galloping, trotting, walking

A friend for life

Equine

Igloo

White, cold

Snowing, freezing, sleeting

Eskimo dwelling on ice

Snow

Jungle

Green, humid

Humming, singing, moving

A place of green and life

Tropical

Kangaroo

Grey, brown

Kicking, hopping, seeking

Baby in a secret place

Marsupial

Lion

Yellow, tawny

Growling, hunting, sleeping

King of the jungle

Predator

Mouse

Quiet, grey

Hiding, digging, scaring

Radar ears hearing the cat

Mice

Waking Bear Studio is Back to Work

2011-04-01T21:08:00.002-04:00

We are so happy to be back to work although most of our work is really happening on the weekends. My schedule is wonderfully busy with residencies scheduled until the end of May. We are both working on some new designs both for Waking Bear Studio and also for Gross Brothers Welding and Fabricating. I am not at all certain when Rick sleeps much but for now we will both keep pushing forward with our work.

I will post our upcoming show schedule and want to remind people about our Spring Arts Show at Glades Pike Winery on Sunday, April 10th from noon-4pm.....Public Welcome as always...

When I count my blessings...I count you twice...

So much more

2011-04-01T21:00:00.003-04:00

More, More

2011-04-01T20:59:00.002-04:00

2011-04-01T20:57:00.002-04:00

Paintings galore

2011-04-01T20:56:00.002-04:00

Latrobe Student Paintings

2011-04-01T20:53:00.003-04:00

After editing these images, it occurred to me how many students chose trees to paint...I guess everyong is subconsciously looking forward to Spring!

All My Children....All My Dogs

2011-03-30T09:52:00.002-04:00

Spoiled dogs...loved dogs....would not have my world without dogs!

More Paintings in Progress

2011-03-30T09:41:00.001-04:00

Latrobe High School Center for Creativity

2011-03-30T09:33:00.002-04:00

One of the greatest assets that Latrobe High School has in terms of art is their Center for Creativity. Use of funding has allowed this public school to have a beautiful space for displays, exhibits, conferences and even plays. Outdoors this area boasts an amphitheatre and space to conduct outdoor clay firings. Along with these assets, this school has a separate clay studio, fiber arts, photography and painting and drawing studio. The education quality in the arts alone surpasses some of the colleges I have seen.

Conducting this residency is always an experience that teaches me more about teaching. So much of the work is through experience and practice for the students and a willingness to see things with new eyes. In the clay studio the students are having a residency experience with Jim McDowell at the same time I am conducting my residency. The work ethic of all the students is really just enjoying the experience and being willing to have one on one critiques to help improve their painting and learning experience. I feel so happy to be able to be part of this experience.

Keep the Arts Alive in our Schools

2011-03-24T15:47:00.002-04:00

Never fool yourself into believing the arts are not important.....the Three A's include ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS and ART

Vincent Van Gogh and Monet at Latrobe High School

2011-03-24T15:35:00.003-04:00

To my good fortune, I am once again doing a 5 day residency at Latrobe High School. The class size is large this year at 28 students and time is always too short. Our first day was a basic day on the principles of color mixing with primary colors including warm versus cool colors with using acrylic paints. The goal in this brief time is a quick introduction to color schemes, success in mixing color, attention to composition and brush strokes.

I feel that the Impressionists do such a fantastic job of showing how to look at light and to have the viewer's eye focus the painting. Use of brush strokes evokes emotion and movement while the focus on the object itself becomes almost immaterial. Most of the students enjoy the challenges I present as I ask for an initial sketch as an underpainting using either Phythalo blue or Ultramarine blue. From there, I occassionally suggest turning the painting upside down to get a real look at the brush strokes as well as the use of positive and negative spaces.

The challenge in this class is that I am not asking for a duplicate of the works. Rather I ask that the student chooses to enlarge an area and focus more on the value of composition carrying through a painting to make it complete. I feel that any painting in any area of that painting should be equally strong in its compositional value.

I head back this coming Tuesday and Thursday and will continue to guide and help students solve painting issues to finish a painting that they can learn from and have a certain amount of pride in their accomplishments. On a political note, for those who do not see the value of the arts in education, Latrobe High School still strives hard to keep the arts alive!

Spring and Garden Time

2011-03-19T16:09:00.002-04:00

Thank goodness that yesterday was officially the last day of "winter"....not that we are not likely to see one more snow, but just having the sun out today was a bonus. I have been busy designing new garden works, metal pieces and just having a wonderful time becoming familiar with my welder again! I am so excited to have added two new galleries to the mix and hope that my new pieces go over really well. Will post new things as they come along!

More and More Artwork

2011-03-16T19:36:00.001-04:00

More Artwork

2011-03-16T19:35:00.002-04:00

Art Exhibit

2011-03-16T19:32:00.002-04:00

The following depicts more than a half of year of the variety of work the students at Laurel Highlands High School experience with art teacher Mike DeFazio.

Laurel Highlands High School Art Program

2011-03-16T18:56:00.002-04:00

I have had the benefit of teaching about 100 residencies in the past 12 years. I have been at affluent schools and in districts where the money spent on one child in an art program might be equivelant to a $1.50 a child for the year.

Despite the depressed economy of the Uniontown area this particular school district strives to give the best benefit of an art program for its students. From grade school to high school, these students are exposed to a variety of art forms and encouraged in high school to find their own "art voice."

Coming into this residency with Mike DeFazio as the art teacher, I found myself coming into their large art exhibit with the capability of helping in the classes while the exhibit was being hung. The amount of pride the students have in their work is evident not only by the quality of the work but also because nothing is ever vandalized or stolen while on display.

Friday night was the opening of the play Bye Bye Birdie as well as the public display of the works. The range of the art was quite impressive for high school students. Over the course of the past few years, Mr. DeFazio has spent extra hours and uses his own resources to make display fixtures, provides boards for the mosaic works and even custom mats student works.

This week aside from major tear down of the exhibit we started self portraits for the Art I students, a little metal work in the fourth period class, textured paintings and paint and wood sculptures. There is always an air of expectation and excitement as the students are willing to try something new and untried.

I always feel a positive connection with this school and the student body. Part of me has a certain amount of reluctance knowing that I will be leaving in a few days. I have learned new approaches to art and can see that the success of these students can NEVER be measured by a standardized test.......the true test is how and what these students will take from the classes offered and actually apply in their regular lives....for some the haven of this room offers solitude, acceptance and a chance to truly shine.

Waking Bear Studio Out of Hibernation!

2011-03-13T18:26:00.014-04:00

Waking Bear Studio is excited to announce that we are once again being represented on http://www.wholesalecrafts.com/

You can find us listed under Waking Bear Studio or you can type in my name, Martha Murphy. Right now we have 21 unique garden and home pieces to offer made from steel and copper. We also are now offering three different finishes from hand painted with acrylics, heat treated to add color and brushed steel for shine.

You can find us listed at Wholesale Crafts and we will be adding many more works within the next weeks to include painted pieces and also some clay and metal works. We are on Facebook under Martha Murphy and also have a very active blog at:

Wakingbearstudio.blogspot.com and steelandcopper.blogspot.com

Since I also work as an Artist in Residence for the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, we hope some day soon to be able to travel and offer steel fabricating workshops! Stay tuned as Waking Bear Studio comes out of hibernation and wakes up to a Glorious Spring!

Thanks for your continued support………..

Martha McKinley Murphy

James R. Page

www.wakingbearstudio.com

wakingbearstudio.blogspot.com

steelandcopper.blogspot.com

Laurel Highlands Art Opening

2011-03-09T18:05:00.003-05:00

For anyone who may be in the Uniontown area in the next week or so, there is a fabulous Art Show on Exhibit! The high school is putting on the musical Bye Bye Birdie and all the art students have a fantastic exhibit for the public to view. The show will be juried and students will receive awards and also money awards.

This year, the exhibit features the mosaic works of students along with drawings, clay creations, paintings and even mandala drawings. The caliber of work is very good and it is quite an extensive show.

I am teaching again as an artist-in-residence and so thrilled to be back at this school. Last year I had a 60 day residency and was able to make connections with many of the students. To be welcomed back again was such a pleasant surprise. Knowing many of the students has made the transition an easy one and it is such a joy to work with their talented teacher, Mike DeFazion along with such a great student body.

If you have a chance, this is an exhibit worth seeing!

2011-03-09T18:04:00.002-05:00

2011-03-09T17:58:00.002-05:00

Laurel Highlands High School March 2011

2011-03-09T17:54:00.003-05:00

Working with Hempfield Students

2011-03-04T14:13:00.003-05:00

I am still in the process of working on my residency with Hempfield Elementary School. I worked on Thursday with 6 classes ranging from Kindergarden to 5th grade. The students were excited to get their small porcelain tile pieces back and made those pieces into necklaces with the help of Mrs. Hirshberg.

Our next projects involves putting together our clay mosaic works. Rick and I fired a little over 900 pieces in the past two weeks and those pieces are ready when I come back in April. The other project involves the entire school once again. We have started designing our Alphabet that will be painted onto canvas pieces. Our hopes are to use Mixed Media to represent an Alphabet that is exciting and fun to view.

My main goal with the Alphabet project is to teach the students of all the grades the importance of pattern, texture, color and symbolism. We hope to have this final 26 pieces hang proudly in the school library.

Triumph at Altoona in 10 days

2011-03-04T14:02:00.002-05:00

The images here represent the final process of my residency with Altoona After School Arts. Hopefully, our government will some day realize that the Arts are just as important as Academics and Athletes!

Altoona After School Arts

2011-03-04T13:53:00.002-05:00

As I finish up my residency with Altoona, I realize that the most important aspect of a residency is the success of the students. For some, the accomplishment of a painting is a boost to self-esteem and confidence. I am always so excited when a student has that kind of progress. There is no measurement of that kind of success.

2011-02-27T17:30:00.000-05:00

Johnstown Public Library Display

2011-02-24T10:13:00.002-05:00

Rick and I have some of our larger metal works on display at the Johnstown Public Library. Our pieces are for sale and will be on display until the middle of March. We are also having a sale of our works at Glades Pike Winery on Sunday, April 10th from noon-4pm!

2011-02-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

After School Arts-Changing Lives One Student at a Time

2011-02-24T10:00:00.002-05:00

Our work as a group and individual painters has seen progression every day. Having 5 willing and open minded students is really a blessing too. Aside from only using Primary colors we are learning about tinting with White and shading with Black.

The group piece initial sketches and drawings are a culmination of each student having an idea and putting it all together into one large group painting. You will see from the images that I encourage drawing upside down and painting this way even for a while to get the students involved with color, brush strokes and composition and not to get stressed over the subject matter.

Between working on their personal pieces, each of the girls is also taking time to work individually and with others on the group painting.

Altoona After School Arts

2011-02-22T20:35:00.002-05:00

2011-02-22T20:32:00.001-05:00

Altoona After School Arts

2011-02-22T20:23:00.004-05:00

After working with nearly 650 students at my previous residency, I feel so lucky to be at Altoona After School Arts. I think this might be my 8th year for conducting this program. Altoona offers this program as an addition to their curriculum and opens it up the the Junior and Senior High school students.

This year the sign up was small at 11 students and I have 5 young women who have come to learn about painting. I realize in situations how lucky I am to have such a job and creative time to spend with such a small group. The age range is diverse and the girls have quickly joined forces to enjoy the power of a group and individuals in learning a little about watercolor and acrylic painting.

My first goal is a simple lesson on color mixing with primary colors and a lesson on tinting with white. One of my favorite artistic movements is the Impressionists, so I encourage their first piece to be a study based on books I can provide for the students. However, our first day happened to be Valentine's Day so we had a quick lesson in watercolor.

Each student is encouraged to regard painting as a process and passion for color with brush strokes becoming different and the use of color important in any single composition. Because of the diversity of the group in age, I have initiated a group project as well to help encompass teamwork skills and communication.

More Hands On

2011-02-17T10:11:00.001-05:00

Kids love to have their hands in clay!

Hands in Clay at West Hempfield Elementary School

2011-02-17T09:55:00.003-05:00

Working with Lindsay Hirshberg at West Hempfield Elementary School is delightful. She is an enthusiastic and energetic art teacher who inspires great manners, art skills and positive attitude from all her students from grade K-5. This year our residency encompasses a 20 day time period that hits about 650 students with some basic clay skills and a final piece that will hang proudly in the school library.

I donated about 100 pounds of porcelain clay along with a variety of tools to use and finally Coyote glazes and cut glass for our final pieces. The core group of students met with me every morning and even on afternoons before their buses came to take them home for the day. We divided easily into teams and each team came up with a garden scene of 12 tiles. The rest of the student body of the entire school each made a smaller tile with garden themes to be part of the larger mosaic. These students also created their own take home piece as well.

In order to save time with such a large student body and a school that does NOT own a kiln, I single fired the works. The smaller pieces I simply used one of two underglazes and then put a clear glaze to finish the works. The core group tiles were more complicted with using Coyote glazes and then I placed some cut glass before firing.

The biggest success was in being able to teach the entire school the simple process of actually sculpting the clay with the four simple S words I love to use with clay......Scratch, Slip, Stick and Smooth.....even with basic tools and small hands, each child created a piece worthy of any aspiring artist. So far, I have managed to fire two loads (about 600 pieces so far) and later this week hope to finish the last firing load, making the total of three full loads.

When I go back in April, we will put the pieces together in our final mosaic and then do some actual painting work on another project involving the alphabet and animals.....I can hardly wait!

2011-01-30T16:30:00.000-05:00

2011-01-30T16:28:00.000-05:00

Camana Bay Grand Cayman Island Mosaic

2011-01-30T16:15:00.003-05:00

Mosaics

The use of mosaics in the Town Centre at Camana Bay is one of the most stunning pieces of art installation I have ever seen. The glass tiles themselves are imported Bisazza Venetian glass tiles from Vicenza, Italy made in 114 colors. The artists who designed and installed the pieces used hand cutting tools to create the pieces.

The Observation Tower

The location of these stunning mosaics illustrates the beauty of marine life and reef formations. The observation tower stands four stories high and each floor depicts a different scene.

Included here are some details shots to show the intricate work involved!

2011-01-16T13:35:00.000-05:00

Snowy Horses

2011-01-16T13:29:00.003-05:00

Rick and I spent the morning with the dogs on a nice hike through our snowy woods. We always have high hopes that will tire the dogs out but that never really happens! I bought an inexpensive camera for my trip tomorrow to the Cayman's so we drove out to the barn to get shots of our woolley horses. This is one of the first days in several weeks there has even been a glimpse of sunshine. Of course, all the barn dogs arrived in great energy thinking we might take them riding with us.

dogs

2011-01-10T19:36:00.002-05:00

The Dog Family

2011-01-10T19:09:00.003-05:00

So after Christmas, we have adopted yet another dog. I think it was actually a trick since the dog was being fostered by our friend Sheryl. Then she asked us to watch him for the weekend and Rick (not me) decided we needed to keep him. The adjustment took about a day and now Moses is thrilled to have yet another chew toy that is much smaller than he is now.

Thank goodness we bought a King sized bed and have a decent sized bedroom....it is now strewn with blue rubber bears and pink rubber pigs that are missing ears, tails and even some legs. Each dog has their own bed but Gullliver (the new one) still tries to sneak up during the night. Still, I am glad we have the room in our home and hearts for another rescue!

Moses Inspires My Watercolors

2011-01-05T19:54:00.002-05:00

Believe it or not, these watercolors actually started before we bought the rubber pink pig that Moses is so enamoured with at this time. It seems I missed the California Needlepoint show with Amanda Lawford, but these may make it another show and probably on Amanda Lawford Artworks! Stay tuned.....

Moses Falls in Love with a Pink Piggy

2011-01-05T19:46:00.003-05:00

The mind and matter of a mastiff puppy is really simple and uncomplicated. Buy Moses a $3 pink rubber piggy and he is in love for life. Not only that, this is the first toy that has lasted for more than an hour. He has successfully chewed off the tail and ears and for those who know him well....we know those pink appendages will appear like graffitti on our lawn....But enough of that lovely description....For the love of a dog who is in love with a pink pig!

Mural 2010 New Year's Eve Event

2011-01-02T15:04:00.004-05:00

This year or at least the months of October, November and December have proved particularly stressful for me. After a summer of not being able to work because of the surgery on my right hand, I found my fall packed full of projects including the exhibit at Art Works, two working residencies, numerous Christmas orders for galleries, a big mural project for Seven Springs Mountain Resort and this mural project. This might not seem that daunting a task and did afford me some great money making projects.....so suffice it to say I am very grateful the tasks have been accomplished!

This project did not start easily as the size of the canvas meant taping pieces together, painting at first in an unheated garage and in the middle of that....getting strep throat and having someone run over a portion of the mural with a golf cart. I was subsequently moved to a nice heated building with lights that did not flicker and even had the luxury of music and good lunches. The people I work with on this project were resourceful and as always a joy to work with at any time.

The theme of this project was the 21 Club in New York and based on the era of Prohibition. So, my mural painting ended up being over 1500 bottoms of liquor bottles hung on a wall. My ingenious husband convinced me to finally stamp the colors which did allow for the project to go faster. I still ended up like Michelangelo though with scaffolding set up so I could touch up where paint peeled from the reluctant electricians tape that held the massive piece together. So for 8 glorious hours, the beauty of this room could not have been surpassed in our neck of the woods.....Happy New Year 2011!

Adoptable Dog here with us

2010-12-31T13:38:00.003-05:00

My crazy attorney friend went away for New Year's Eve and left me to watch this dog for the weekend. I think she is secretly hoping I will adopt him. Anyway, he is part jack russell and australian shepherd...about 9 months old and very cute....yes, I said...very cute! I am posting two not so wonderful photos in case anyone wants him. He is crate trained, good on a leash and really good with my two neurotic dogs!

Fun Making Christmas Presents

2010-12-13T22:17:00.005-05:00

Despite how busy Rick and I have been with our exhibit at Johnstown, working our regular jobs and finishing orders....it is always delightful to make a commission piece. In this case, it has been made for one of the nicest and most generous people I know. So I hope Laura loves this piece as much as we love her!

2010-12-12T19:25:00.000-05:00

Nativity Scenes At Art Works from Around the World

2010-12-12T19:17:00.003-05:00

Art Works in Johnstown is currently featuring our exhibit called Wonderful Whimsy and in addition is now housing 6 gorgeous nativity scenes from area churches that have closed in Johnstown. The six nativities are virtually from 6 different ethnic backgrounds and show the diversity of art, spirituality and the beauty that must have been found in these churches. Without losing our cultural heritage, these nativities show everything from the art of Croatia to Irish works....the trees on display also show typical decorations from each nationality.

Entry for this exhibit is free and a must see for anyone who is interested in helping to preserve the history of Johnstown. The stunning colors, shapes and designs of these works is just beautiful. These will be on display until January 6th and hopefully will be a yearly tradition at Art Works.

Crazy Alice's Restaurant in Somerset

2010-12-11T08:14:00.002-05:00

If you have not eaten at Crazy Alice's Restaurant in Somerset, you are truly missing out on a wonderful meal. We had dinner there last night and yes, they do serve dinners on Friday and Saturday evenings.....and it was exceptional! I had crab imperial and a filet and Rick had chicken marsela. The salad was lovely with a variety of lettuces and veggies, good bread and triple chocolate lava cake for dessert. Bring your own wine and you will have a delightful culinary extravaganza!

Seven Springs Mural for Light Up Night

2010-12-08T22:28:00.003-05:00

I was hired by Seven Springs to convert their outside pool area building to resemble an old time train station. I mimicked the stone structure that already existed and with the help of the carpenters, used plywood pieces to frame over top of the existing garage type doors. With lots of beautiful snow, this building looks really cool at night and during the day. I also made 3 standing buildings but the lighting was not great tonight and we were too far away. I will try and take pictures during the day so the detail of the buildings shows up better. This project took me about 45 hours to complete. I am more muscular from moving 4 by 8 plywood sheets on my own!

Art Works In Johnstown

2010-12-07T16:06:00.002-05:00

For anyone who wants to see a beautiful collection of area Churches Nativitie Scenes: Art Works in Johnstown will have them on display with an opening reception on Sunday, December 12th from 1-5 pm. Many area churches have closed and with no place to show these beautiful works of art....seems a shame not to show them. Feel free to come and enjoy an afternoon of Holiday Spirit!

Mastiff Miracle or Martha's Mistake?

2010-12-05T18:45:00.002-05:00

On our yearly shopping at the mall, we opted to buy a King Sized Mattress. I hate shopping in the mall and my defenses must have been way down. After much snow today, we managed to pick up the mattress, take the old one to Goodwill and with new sheets etc. our bed is a wonder to behold. Rick is already feeling like a King!

When it is too quiet in the house, I know that our favorite mastiff Moses is up to no good! my suspicions were not unfounded when I found him happily in the middle of the bed....looking much like a King himself. Please understand I am not a cruel owner by any means, as both dogs have very plush beds to call their own in our bedroom. I am not sure if Moses might not think this whole shopping adventure might not have been completely for him.

Never turn your back on a mastiff

2010-11-26T18:32:00.002-05:00

The new rule of thumb in our home is to never turn your back on Moses. His newest trick is to secretly eat my pink ear plugs which is not really a secret about a day after the event. As you can see from the photos, one should never vacate the reading chair or it becomes his favorite resting spot. Nor should one leave reading glasses unattended or they become a chew toy. Fortunately, Rick's glasses were safety lenses and although ruined by the mastiff chewing mouth, did not shatter or hurt Moses. Having a baby is difficult work!

Moses and Foxxy

2010-11-23T20:27:00.002-05:00

After nearly 30 days of working in a row, I finally had a day off. Although the weather was not wonderful, I did take Moses and Foxxy to the barn to visit the horses and to run in wild abandon. As you can see, they are exhausted by our big day venture. I just discovered Moses all snug as a bug on our bed!

FIVE Secrets to Contentment

2010-11-23T18:48:00.004-05:00

I am sure that most of us have felt that finding contenment was just always beyond our grasp. We tell ourselves, if I could just have this, I am sure I would be content. It is like watching the tail of a shooting star and assuring ourselves if we could just grab on we could make that wild ride towards being content. Most of us find that we are not content at some time in our lives and even find ourselves envious of others. Just remember that we do not fully know anyone else's lives and do not really know everything they have on their plate. If we did know, we would probably not trade with them. Benjamin Franklin wisely said: "Content (ment) makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor."

Too many of us find that we love the idea of possessions and money. If we could just simplify our lives and not worry so much about having the bigger, better car or fancy home etc. we might find that our lives are not nearly so complicated. I found myself after college worrying about what people would think of me because I could not "afford" to buy a new car or even own a home. Those worries really ate at me for a while. Then I realized that I loved the job I had and woke up excited each day to create something new or start a new painting. The simplicity of my life made me realize that time spent with family and friends was much more important than an empty possession or an empty house. Learning to love people for who they are and not for what they have is really simple and easy. So many people give of themselves with no thought for what they might get in return....I want to be like that too.

Comparing to others is difficult not to do. The effect of this is really not much more than negative thinking. It will eat you alive and your days will become less fullfilling because negative thoughts take up so much energy. Capturing joy in your heart and sharing it with others is so simple and actually adds energy to your life rather than taking it away. It takes 10 positive thoughts to replace 1 negative thought. Being grateful and happy with what you have is a daily lesson to remember and practice.

Maintaining an appreciative attitude may seem difficult at first. It sometimes even requires rethinking things and trying to look at what is happening to us from a different angle. After my hand surgery, I was so depressed and upset. It seemed like a bad blow to me and it felt as if all my creative energy had vanished. Just recently, I discovered that my left hand can do exactly what my right hand can...not as fast, but it is possible. I can still create because I have not lost my brain or imagination...just some dexterity in my right hand. When my hand gets sore and tired, I am reminded of the gift that I have both hands and I really do appreciate that I have a skill I can share with others.

Choosing friends wisely can be a daunting task. Mostly we still find ourselves getting caught up in what others have and what it seems like we do not have at that time. A true friend will encourage you in all your endeavors and will be content with all they have been given. True friends have your best interest at heart and the air of competition with each other simply does not exist. You are happy when they have success and will listen and cry when needed. A true friend does not judge or condemn you...they simply love you for who you are and will support you without question. Friends always help find the silver lining in any rainy day cloud.

Our spiritual needs are with us every day. Spirituality does not just happen in a church. We must find the opportunity to thank God in every moment of every day. Meeting our spiritual needs is a process that grows and changes with us. When I have been most afraid, I cannot let the fear take over and control me. In my mind and heart, I search for a quiet place that reminds me that God is still with me. Please allow me to find him in everything around me and with everything I do.

Wonderful Whimsy Exhibit

2010-11-17T18:46:00.003-05:00

Rick and I have worked some long and difficult hours between all our jobs in order to get this exhibit put together at Art Works in Johnstown. The show is called Wonderful Whimsy and is a collection of our metal works, the art of Jon and Jan Heath, Kate Seewalk and others. The exhibit opens on Friday, November 19th from 6-9 pm and we are so excited to be included in this show.

Rick has really proven to be an artist, thinker and a wonderful person with whom I can collaborate. I think the show reflects the strength of our work together. We hope you love it as much as we enjoyed creating all the pieces!

Wonderful Whimsy Exhibit opens at Art Works

2010-11-17T18:41:00.003-05:00

Here some more examples of some of our pieces being shown and sold at Art Works in Johnstown....the exhibit opens on November 19th and will be up until December 31st!

2010-11-10T20:12:00.001-05:00

Finished and Hanging in the Windows at Cambria Heights

2010-11-10T20:05:00.003-05:00

The fifth graders work is hanging proudly in the windows at Cambria Heights Elementary where I just finished my residency. The pieces are beautiful, colorful and joyful to view!

More Art Work

2010-10-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

Cambria Heights Elementary School

2010-10-31T14:47:00.005-04:00

I had a wonderful residency with Holly Stanek, a fantastic and energetic art teacher at Cambria Heights Elementary School. Rick and I went to the slag piles at Youghigheny Glass about a month ago and scrounged up lots of glass for the mosaic pieces. My core group consisted of 24 selected fifth grade students. They were divided into teams of four and each team worked in a drawing/template to be laid under the glass to help guide them in their design.

Students learned how to cut and place glass as well as teamwork and the dynamics of a good design. The only negative in this residency was that time was super tight. I only had the opportunity to see them for about 30 minutes a day. However, we did take an afternoon and worked like crazy artists for 2.5 hours after school. Holly and I provided them with much deserved healthy snacks and the kids did an amazing job.

The completed works, once hung at the school will be posted in the next two weeks on the blog. The sense of pride and accomplishment for the students was really wonderful to see and to be a part of their work was also an honor.

Holly Stanek is one of the finest art teacher's I have ever worked with at this time. She is friendly and energetic with the students and provides an excellent art program serving 650 students each week. The watercolor project also shown here is the work of second grade students......really unbelievable pieces coming from the artistic minds of such young people.

Come join us at the High School for their Christmas concert so you can see what an excellent job their music department provides also......THE ARTS are ALIVE despite budget cuts and constraints!

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T14:42:00.003-04:00

We had a great time with Rick's grandchildren, son and daughter in law this week. A dinner of pizza and carving of pumpkins filled our evening. The head witch (that would be me) enjoyed a little dress up in a hat and a gooey evening of cleaning out pumpkins~!

Arts for Healing Artists Statements

2010-10-31T14:00:00.002-04:00

RITA

I hope to activate the creative side of my brain and venture into a world I never fully understood and rarely visited.

JODY

The praying hand bookends represent what I believe in as a Christian. “To always be in an attitude of prayer can help everyone who is sick, or the loss of a loved one or even help people who may have gotten laid off from a job.

ETHELYN

I have had a difficult but interesting life. I’m extremely spiritual and feel I have been greatly blessed and protected by God. After two near death experiences and serious health problems, I decided to retire from Wal-Mart and enjoy life. I have always loved nature and all God has given to us.

A friend told me about the Arts for Healing class and convinced me to come. My husband decided to come and see what I was doing and he stayed. I have enjoyed meeting people, learning about color and styles etc and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to create my visions.

JIM MANY FEATHERS

Hoka Hey! My name is Many Feathers. I am Metis or mixed blood. My paper name is James W. Wherry.

I am a pipe carrier and I have a medicine partner. Her name is Clear Bear. We both do Native American Ceremonies. I sometimes get my ideas during Dream Time when I am sleeping. Sometimes Spirit shows or gives me a vision or picture of what I am to make and what ceremony is needed.

I only create or work when I am in a positive good way. I do most of my work at home when the time is right and always with ceremony. I construct, make and create all my own Regala used in ceremony. I also do bead work, feathers, dream nets, medicine bags and other work for individuals. I do my arts for the good of all people. Mitakuy Osin Wiaka Ota (Many Feathers)

DAVID

Art has always been a part of my life. In my early years, I drew pictures; finger painted and connected the dots. As I grew older I was aware that others could do more with paint, pencils and clay. I also discovered baseball but once again others played better than me. That’s when I discovered words.

As newspaper man and newscaster, I found I could make people see a combination of what I saw and also use their own imagination. The neat thing about doing a live sportscast is that you are painting a different picture for everyone who hears your voice. My greatest thrill and challenge as an artist is my words can create thousands of pictures by all who read or hear them.

ANNA MARIE

Art is an event of wonder. In my life of many years, I’ve never drawn or painted as a youngster or grown up. Arts for Healing has introduced me to this great experience. Many words can describe how I feel from joining this class. It’s educating, exciting, fascinating and mostly relaxing that makes it so enjoyable. Not to mention, all the many friends you make and keep over the years. It’s mending mentally and physically to my soul as well as my body.

VICKIE

Art is about enjoyment and excitement with God’s help. The disappointments and anger from past experiences are best expressed through art.

JIM

I was hard because of what life had handed me. Then I was handed my wife, Vicki, so art and writing helped me have a healthy outlet.

SARAH

I used to draw when I was younger. I always enjoyed art classes. I have learned so much since come to Arts for Healing. I like to draw hummingbirds and other birds too. My mother and sister have a green thumb and have all kinds of plants and flowers. I also like to paint flowers and plants.

PAT

I retired in 1996 as a Pennsylvania Electric Company’s Safety and Equipment Inspector. I experienced the changes and challenges of women in the workplace for more than twenty five years. Taking early retirement has allowed my real passion for writing, poetry and photography. At the present time I am taking classed through Arts for Healing. I feel everyone should see nature expressed in every way possible.

LORETTA

Painting is relaxing and helps decrease my pain. My only other experience with drawing and painting was a junior high art class. I began Arts for Healing after a disabling injury. It has opened a wonderful creative outlet for me. I like to reproduce the beauty of nature. Inspiration comes from my garden and farm. I try to create more realistic pieces and enjoy experimenting with color and learning more techniques. Painting brings me enjoyment and pride in accomplishment.

MARY JANE

To me art is the creative action of the mind and senses molded into form. Whatever canvas we choose painting, writing, music, sculpture or sewing expresses the inner spirit of who we are. My artistic flare is not perfection however the imperfection is its beauty.

When illness struck, I had a deep sense of loss. I lost my physical ability and the loss of how I defined myself. Creativeness helps me live in the present and open to new possibilities. It transcends my inner spirit into something concrete so I can continue to share with others.

NANCY

For me, painting is more than the simple action of applying paint to a surface. Painting provides me with relief from a great sadness, sadness about pain, about anxiety and about abandonment. Thinking about, preparing for, then actually painting keeps me focused, keeps me in the present moment.

My painting reveals my story, my inner emotions to storms as well as t sunny days, as I continue to grow into the person I have been created to be. I do this by loving as well as I am capable of loving, encouraging and supporting the persons in my life at the moment.

Come share with me the richness of my life’s journey through the colors, hues and blending of my palette as I adjust to the broken pieces of my life discovering freedom, peace and joy that only comes from feeling the pain and ultimately letting go.

PATTIE

This is my first experience with drawing. My two year old cat recently died unexpectedly and I decided to do a picture as a tribute to his life. He was very unique and I think of myself an eccentric. This drawing is a product of some unexpressed grief and my attempt to avoid “art” in the traditional sense.

CAROL

I am an individual who has lived through many situations. Some were happy and lift me with many good memories. Some were sad and not so easy to live through.

Because of all these ups and downs in the path way of life I became a person feeling gratitude and thankfulness. I create my art work with images of flowers because they represent life, color and happy memories.

I do most of my work in my craft room at times I can be alone and listen to comforting music. I like to do tole painting especially using flowers because flowers represent beauty and individual creations given to us by God.

JANET

My drawing and painting reflect my love of my family and the natural world. My favorite subjects are landscapes and figures done in a realistic style with a particular focus on how different light sources fall on objects. Having lived with Multiple Sclerosis for mort than 20 years, my perspective of beauty has changed.

I am more used to working in oil paints but have recently begun using watercolor and acrylic paints. Though initially wary of the transition, I have enjoying the challenge of incorporating new textures, colors and techniques in my paintings.

Taking part in the Arts for Healing class has motivated me to return to painting after a number of years. Arts for Healing provides me an opportunity to produce and discuss artwork under the direction of an encouraging and knowledgeable instructor.

JOELLE

I have had a love of art since I was a young child. I am always looking at the various possibilities of anything that might catch my eye and allow me to reproduce it on paper using watercolors, colored pencil and acrylics.

I have a love of color and the various numbers of ways it can be used. When I begin to immerse myself into a work of art my mind is constantly thinking of what I am working on and I become lost in time. Being able to reproduce the beauty of what we see and what we put on paper so others can share the beauty that I see. To me, that is what art is about and why I love it so much.

BECKY

When I work with my hands, I am reminded that I am capable of what I love tot do best. I begin a piece by what I see, feel and what inspires me at that moment. The beauty of the day and brightness of the sky inspire me the most. I know a piece is finished when I see that no more can be accomplished. When my work is going well, I am filled with a sense of pride, joy, happiness and self fulfillment. When people see my work, I’d like them to feel what I feel, see what I see, and perhaps allow them insight to what type of artist I am.

ETHELYN

I like to paint. I could not paint before. I like to concentrate on the picture and think about the painting. When my painting is going well I am filled with a sense of happiness and contentment. When people see my work I want them to see what I am seeing.

ROSE MARIE

My name is Rose Marie, I could not do the watercolors before these classes and I learned what to do and put it on paper the way I wanted.

SHARON

Arts for Healing helps me appreciate the beauty all around me. Stop, sit back, be refreshed! Watch natural talent and enthusiasm be born and develop into true artistic skill.

As rocks and minerals found in rough form in nature can be polished and transformed into beautiful gems and jewels…..i see new acquaintances become friends that are friends that are refined into true, caring and lasting relationships.

Through our love and appreciation of nature and mankind we can share a true love and communion with the Creator of all…….

Latrobe High School Critique of Impressionism

2010-10-16T16:32:00.002-04:00

Ms. Ross also worked on a non-Impressionist piece that is viewed here on the blog. This piece is based on a photo taken by a biologist from Powdermill Nature Reserve while in New Guinea.

Latrobe High School Critique Work

2010-10-16T16:27:00.002-04:00

Ms. Ross's piece of her natives is based on a photograpy taken by a biologist at Powdermill Nature Reserve....it is the one that does not look Impressionist!

More Work from Latrobe High School

2010-10-16T16:23:00.003-04:00

I always conduct a constructive critique before I leave. We put our pieces up against the wall and since we have such a brief amount of time I conduct the critique myself. With more time permitting, I would do each piece individually and also have student critique....five days is sometimes too short, but the students do get a lot of information from me in five days!

Latrobe High School Residency Continued

2010-10-16T16:18:00.003-04:00

The images to follow will not show any student individually. This is a privacy act that I follow at all my schools. You will see though that some students are right or left handed. I actually ask them on one day to paint with their non-dominant hand!

Latrobe High School Impressionist Residency

2010-10-16T15:58:00.004-04:00

It is always an honor to be asked to conduct a residency at Latrobe High School in Latrobe, PA. This will be my 6th residency if I remember correctly.....but my memory is not always correct! The result of this brief residency is that I have only 5 days to teach some color and painting techniques to students. The class period ends up being about 40 minutes of working time. I am ALWAYS impressed at the willingness and effort of these students and they are like sponges and end up with really good pieces.

Our first day is spent using only primary colors to have the students learn to use these colors to mix all other colors. They have a warm and cool blue, warm and cool red and warm and cool yellow plus white and sometimes a little bit of black. We usually choose Impressionism as this is a great era of art that reflects in the use of light, brush strokes and color. The students are allowed to choose an artist in this era to exemplify. I am not looking for a copy but rather a strong use of color and insight into what an underpainting does in the final process of a finished work.

Lydia Ross, the art teacher, also paints as do I although not during the class period. The students can then watch a work in process also. Because I am there only a short time, the photos shown right now show the beginning stages and our last day of critique before I leave. I will be sure to post finished works when Ms. Ross has time to catch up with me!

Moses is growing up

2010-10-02T19:09:00.004-04:00

Our Moses is really growing up! He is not quite 4 months old and weighs in now at a hefty 41 pounds. He sure is delightful and smart. This morning at 5 am, while showering, I felt something licking my ankles. He was happily in the shower drinking the water as it rained from my elbow! After a great morning at The Country Market, we spent a glorious day at the barn with the horses and the dogs. The simple reminder of life is Enjoy the Moment....create as many precious moments as you can! Thank you today for such a wonderful time:)

Noah's Ark

2010-09-09T15:35:00.001-04:00

Two other images....we have too many to post right now!

Music in the Mountains at Ohiopyle

2010-09-09T15:29:00.002-04:00

We have some wonderful shows coming up, and Music in the Mountains was a gorgeous weekend. Our sales were really good and the images you see are just a few of the pieces we had available.

Our next dates for showing:
Ligonier Country Market Sept 18 and Oct 3
Buckwheat Festival at Ohiopyle October 8 and 9
Positively Posh at St. Vincent October 23
Glades Pike Winery November 7
Art Works November 19- January 2nd

WE are BUSY, BUSY, BUSY....and HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY