Is This Normal?
The chaos that is the KerbersArchive for art
Another warm Saturday=neighborhood fun
It was gorgeous outside again today, which is crazy considering it’s November. But we certainly took advantage of it, and we spent almost the entire afternoon outside playing. In the summer, we play outside almost every night with our neighborhood friends. But those days are becoming fewer and far between, so it was great to spend so much time with them again.
The biggest attraction today was sidewalk chalk. All of the kids were totally into it. They drew words, they scribbled big sections of colors, and they drew pictures. I even joined in, because let’s face it…there’s not much better than drawing with sidewalk chalk on a warm fall afternoon. The kids were all covered with chalk, and it was a really awesome afternoon. Hopefully this warm weather will hold on so we can stretch fall out a little bit longer.
Battle of the Bands ‘09
As much as I whine about Homecoming week, I do have to admit that there’s one event I love…The Battle of the Bands. This takes place each year, and there are auditions for student bands held weeks before the show. I have been to the show for the last four years, and I’ve been a judge the last two years. I have to admit that I’m always blown away by the talent of some of our students. Sure, some of the bands are simply good guitar players and drummers with kids basically screaming at the top of their lungs, but others are so good! It floors me. I can not even begin to imagine playing in a garage band when I was a high schooler, let alone playing in a good one!
One of the biggest reasons I love this event is that it gives kids who often don’t participate in other events a chance to be in the spotlight (no pun intended) for once. Homecoming is so often about school spirit and sports that sometimes the artsy alternative kids have no place to fit into the week. Battle of the Bands gives them this opportunity, and I love it!
We heart art
This morning Dave and I went to the Sugar Creek Arts Festival in downtown Normal. Well, since there is a ton of construction still happening in downtown Normal, most of the festival was held on the quad of ISU. But it’s a tradition for downtown Normal to host the festival, so it still kind of counts. We hadn’t been before, although every year one of says, “hey, we should have gone to the Sugar Creek Arts Festival!” so I’m really glad that we made arrangements for the kids to go to Aunt Theresa’s and head over to campus.
It was a gorgeous day, and a good festival. We enjoyed looking at all the artwork, even though both of us have a tendency to be a bit too critical. Guess it comes with the territory when you have two art majors together, right? I was instantly drawn to the ceramics and jewelry (my favorite mediums) and Dave was drawn into each glass tent (his true art love). I think that going to things like this is sometimes tough for Dave, because there was definitely a time in his life when he thought that he would be creating art full time as a career. I don’t think he regrets not doing it, but I do think there is sometime a pang of wishful thinking.
But I digress. 
We actually bought a piece of outdoor glass work, and we’re really excited about it. We brought it home, stuck it the ground where the sidewalk meets the front porch, and we think it looks great. You may be surprised that Dave was actually the one who was drawn towards the daisy motif. Maybe it is true that the longer you’re with someone the more you’re like each other. 
We had a very nice time together and I’m really glad that we were able to buy something to remind us how much we need art in our lives.
It’s been awhile…
I know that it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. This has been one crazy week, and I just haven’t taken the time to sit down and organize my thoughts. But now it’s Saturday, and I finally have found some time to relax and write. I want to share one of the reasons I haven’t been here most of the week.
In December, I went to a baby shower for Katie. She now goes by Kate, but to me, she will always be Katie. She’s the daughter of Mary, one of my dearest friends from Earlville. Mary is truly one of the most kind-hearted genuine people I know, and Katie is certainly an apple who hasn’t fallen far from her tree. Anyway, Katie was talking about the nursery, and mentioned that she wanted a few paintings for the room. I immediately jumped at the chance to paint them. Not only was it something I would love to do for a friend, I thought it would be good for me to paint again. Katie seemed excited to have me do this, and we made arrangements to get the supplies.
Of course, I got the canvases, paint and the window valance (for the design inspiration) in February, and I did very little in the way of painting. Once May hit, I knew that I absolutely had to get those paintings done. I mean, Katie’s little guy Keaton arrived just before New Year’s, and if I waited much longer, he’d be out of his nursery before it was complete! So I told myself that this was the week. I was going to work on these paintings every night until they were done. And that’s what I did…4 out of the 5 nights this week after the kids were down I sat myself down and painted.
Boy, have I missed creating art. Most of the nights, I reluctantly cleaned everything up only because I was so tired that I had to quit. I can’t paint all night like I used to! I only hope that Katie and Mary like the finished paintings. I’m happy with them, but in true perfectionist fashion, I see a lot of little flaws and imperfections that could be much better. Of course Dave thinks I’m nuts, and keeps telling me they look great. It’s just that I want them to love them, and to not regret their decision…especially since Katie had to wait so long to get them!!
Here are pictures of the finished paintings. Of course they don’t photograph very well, and the actual paintings look much better than this, but at least you’re getting an idea of what I’ve been working on.
This is the 24 x 36″ canvas. It’s really quite similar to the valance. Keaton’s room is painted the green color at the bottom, and his nursery furniture is a rich, dark brown. 
The bedding for his crib has much of the same pattern with the grass and plants. It’s really a very sophisticated and beautiful room. The other two paintings are little 8 x 10″ canvases. 
I’m not sure if Katie’s going to put them all together as a group or if they will all be in different places, but I’m hoping that either option will work for her.
Thanks, Katie, for the opportunity to paint these for Keaton’s room. I truly hope you like them, and I hope you can forgive me for taking so long!
My past has found me
I taught at Bethany Jr.-Sr. High School during 1994-95 and 1995-96 school years. That school doesn’t even exist anymore because it consolidated with another tiny Jr.-Sr. High school in the area. But back then it was just Bethany kids…all 160 of them in the high school. I taught 8th grade Literature and High School art, which is a weird combination, but it somehow worked. During those two years, I learned a lot about being a teacher…especially being a teacher in a small town. I could relate to those kids really well since I grew up in a town very much like Bethany. I could relate to them also because I wasn’t that much older than them, and I was still kind of living acollege life after being in Champaign for the two years prior to that. It was a fun two years, for sure, and I have fond memories of a lot of the people from there.
Then, two nights ago, I had a friend request on Facebook from a BHS student. When I saw the name, I flashed this girl’s face immediately. I couldn’t believe how well I remembered her. I friended her, and her message was filled with excitement. She told me, “ Just to let you know you were one of the best teachers I ever had in school, they need more of you out there.” Even if she was just blowing smoke up my butt, it really meant so much to me to hear that. As always, with Facebook, adding her led me to another BHS student. His first message to me was that he seconded her comment about me…and that I really was a great teacher to them. The very coolest thing, though, was that one of them told me about another classmate of theirs who is a working artist now. When I visited her website, I found this in her “Bio” section:
I have been interested in art most of my life, but did not consider becoming a professional artist until my senior year in high school when my art teacher suggested I think about majoring in art.
How freakin’ cool is that…she’s talking about me! I just kept telling Dave about this girl and how talented she was. I was so excited that I played some kind of a role in her adult life. It’s so nice to get some affirmation about the job you’re doing. I’m so happy I’m on Facebook!
