Travel List for sabbatical 2018-19

• India = Jun14-28
• US Southwest = August: Grand Canyon, Santa Fe, Carlsbad caverns, Tucson 
• Boston & NE fall colors
• Germany = Sarrbrucken in spring 2019
• So America= next total solar eclipse
• Alaska or Canada inland passage cruise

a long, strange, trip

conducting "Finale" at my final concert

The end has come... Can't say exactly how many years I've been teaching, but I do remember giving guitar lessons in my parents’ garage during high school. That might put it at 50 years! My next foray into teaching was while a TA for Maestro Cesare Pascarella at Cal Arts (he assigned me as a coach for youth orchestra chamber music ensembles). Then came cello teaching along the way, in addition to making a living teaching general/instrumental music while earning my state teaching credential (yes, I believed in putting the cart before the horse). And so my teaching career began in earnest... a full time position in Palmdale, CA of all places up until my husband and I  adopted a beautiful daughter to look after. We moved to Claremont CA. and after a one-year hiatus, I started a part-time teaching schedule for the past 20 years. From rock to Bach and now ??? Retirement will tell so stay tuned.

One month until India!

This time next month my sister and I will be meeting up with Xandie in India for a two week tour. Preparations have been mostly made ( packing last big concern) and I’ve been religiously watching the temperatures steadily rise in the cities we’ll be visiting. Hoping they top out by mid-late June while we’re there! In the meanwhile I’m practicing wearing my India outfits on hot days here and plan to add to my wardrobe once we arrive.

Cellofest 2018 !

A total of eleven cellists from my studio participating this year at the Claremont Community School of Music recital hall on May 5th. Pre-Twinkle through Vol. 4 pieces were performed to an enthusiastic audience of family members and friends. "Bravi Celli!"

Final year

As I complete each goal and milestone of the school year I think to myself, “ last time I’ll be doing that!”. So far it’s a comforting thought and not one of remorse or sadness. I suppose once retirement hits I may feel differently.
With my closing chapters new ones are waiting to be started; the very real possibility of visiting Xandie in India (internship) next summer and Geoff’s last sabbatical starting next fall. The possibilities are endless and exciting.

back in the "saddle" again

 Worked on a pony watercolor painting over the past few weeks. Learning to build layers and depth and to be bolder with contrast. Masking worked well for the wall but not so much for the pony. Eventually worked over most of the masking on the horse.

pony 2: laid in some shadows to wall and pony

pony 3: more concentrated color for contrast

pony 4: final layer

Spring is near

Looking forward to longer days and spring vacation! Been busy with concerts, but soon will slow down to allow for a more enjoyable pace. The garden beckons... have seeds to plant and basil in a pot to put in the ground. Geoff takes off soon for his break with Xandie in Cyprus. My spring break follows a few weeks later; my sister Carolyn & I will venture to Austria for a week plus. Renewal and rebirth!

2017

January brings new goals, plans, and adventures. After a welcome winter break, classes and lessons have resumed. Just sent Xandie off to Salzburg via Munich for her spring semester and G. C. and I will be planning subsequent trips in the spring. In the meanwhile spring concerts lie ahead for CUSD, PSE and CCSM.

end of year 2016

Hard to believe the "end is near"!
Looking back, I'm happy with the body of artwork I was able to complete and looking forward to more explorations in the future. The last painting of the year will be 'The Old Barn at French Farm, NZ", which I hope to complete and post soon.

Beach memories

Coastal California Cliffs
acrylic (12"x15-1/2")

Just finished a painting of some summertime beach memories... used a stretched canvas underpainted in orange to give the cliffs a bit of a glow. A fun departure from my usual more realistic style. Trying to loosen up!

art retreat in Cayucos

In mid-August 4 old-time friends and I planned a womens' art retreat up on the Central Coast of California. (Unfortunately one dear friend had to cancel at the last moment due to a death in the family.) We rented a funky beach house in Cayucos just 2 blocks from the ocean. We came from Redwood Valley, Santa Cruz, Santa Clarita & Claremont; it was a great mid-point location for all of us to meet.

beach house ~ watercolor

After arriving we piled all our communal art supplies on the pool table and prepared for the next four glorious, uninterrupted days to come. We induldged in sketching, acrylics, plein air, watercolor, jewelry making, and montage. 

Some examples of my work while there:

driftwood design journal cover ~  acrylic

the artista at work ~ photo by Linda W.

Cayucos starfish ~ pen & ink

brush painting ~ Chinese ink

8/19/16 journal entry ~ watercolor

still life ~ watercolor on handmade paper

My friends and their work:

little books

Assorted journals and cello practice books.

Making little books with new punch/binding tool. Started with two 5-1/2 x 8-1/2" sketchbooks using painted canvas board for covers and one 5x7" sketchbook using canvas boards for front & back. Proved to be too thick for punching and realisticly the back would wear away in places.

Ordered 8-1/2 x 11" chipboard for front & back stock and that works best. Can be collaged, painted, or left bare. As far as binding the 1/2", 3/4", and 5/8" coils seem best so far. 3/8" binding too small and the 1" is too big for this purpose.

     

4-1/4 x 5-1/2"

 

The cool thing about making your own journal/sketchbook is you can use a variety of papers, including old stashes one might have lying around. So far I've used rice , music, staff, graph, lined, drawing, mixed media, watercolor, toned, &  cartridge papers.

   

july

With Xandie back home for summer I've invited her to join my morning art sessions in La Verne with friend/artist Lynn McCallion. My subject of the moment is the Monterey Cypress, a beautiful twisted tree that grows along the California Coastline. Completed some pencil sketches, a watercolor, and am now working on an acrylic...

"inspiration"

In progress

yard art

      The lawn solution ~ the drought is relentless and the back garden lawn is getting browner by the week.  My solution was to construct a labyrinth in the center to reduce the lawn and watering area. After a bit of research I decided to order a pre-printed 12' labyrinth template from The Labyrinth Company and do-it-myself. We have a few rather large stacks of used brick on site and I'd been wanting to use them for a project for years, so brick borders seemed like a no brainer. I used a plastic version of the much more expensive steel border material I always see in commercial applications to form a ring and hold the outer bricks in place.

The next step was to place the bricks to outline the pathway. I poured a sand layer as I went, otherwise I'd be covering up the outline on the template! I wanted a barefoot friendly surface to walk on but because of the unbelievable seed drop frrom an awful neighboring elm or walnut tree (not sure which, but it's huge, invasive, and non-native) I deferred to gravel for maintenance purposes. After a layer of cheap "cement-mix gravel,"  I poured a more expensive top layer of rounded Mexican Beach Pebble mix.

Here's a pic of the finished project!

something fishy

This weekend's endeavor; a watercolor Koi painting (9x13"). Happy with koi, but background not quite what I wanted... just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

blue vase & fruit (after Cezanne)

Playing with acrylic gel medium, and a simple subject, to get that bumpy oil paint look without the fumes and slow drying time. Took me two afternoon sessions; I think it's done.

blue vase & fruit (after Cezanne)

Journal from India

So, here are a few of my watercolors on this amazing paper... I love this handmade journal  from 100% recycled cotton fiber. (6"x9" format ~ 140 lb./deckle-edged)

onions

paper

So, really starting to become intrigued with watercolor paper. (From 90-140 lb. so far.) Amazing what difference the paper can make. One of my favorites at the moment is hand-made Punjabi paper from India. Pricey (at $40 a journal), but I've been buying it at 40% off which brings it down to a reasonable price range.

paper surface

not my photo, but typical result (so fun!)

portraiture

Ventured into portraiture today... first one ever in watercolor. (Worked from photo to avoid drawing errors.) Very happy with result for my 1st attempt!

original photo from Alyssas's fb page

first layer of washes

modeling tones / adding darks

finished painting

Weekend time

I'd say I was influenced by the color orange this weekend!

Must be the brightness and warmth of the sun.

inside cover for my new sketch book (9x12") of
Claremont sketches and paintings

"Poppies"