Gallery Walk Part 1

Last week we went on a fabulous field trip to the local art gallery. I bet you never thought you would hear the words fabulous and field trip together from me ever, did you?

We saw the Emily Carr/Landon Mackenzie exhibit and did a great workshop where the students had to do very abstract art in the style of Landon Mackenzie. For some this was easy peasy lemon squeezy but for others thinking abstractly was very difficult. 

I have been meaning to post these photos all week and today is the day. You could say that this overdue post is in lieu of working on report cards (which is what I probably should be doing!!!!). 

Randoming

"I named my painting Randoming because the painting is really, really random and I really like random stuff."

A.L.

Diamond Sun
"I named my painting Diamond Sun because I love the sun and the diamonds."
A.C.

The Black Sun
"It has some lava and has some weather and a black sun. I have some diamonds and some rain."
D. Z. 

Mommy's First Painting
"I named it Mommy's First Painting because my mommy does not know how to paint."
J. H.

Northern Lights
"I called mine Northern Lights because I like the Northern Lights."
T. B.

Confusion
"I named this painting Confusion because I was confused when I made it."
L. W.

Sunrays
"I called this Sunrays because it has sun rays."
J. G.

The Storm
"I couldn't sit still. My fingers were all over the page. I love the colour purple! Full of fun energy!"
Y. Z.

Shapes
"I named my painting Shapes because I love shapes."
Y. Z.

Under The Sidewalk
"I named my painting Under The Sidewalk because my painting reminds me about under the sidewalk. When you go under the sidewalk it is small and dark."
J. C.

Stay tuned...there will be more to come later in the week!

Cheers!

Olwyn

Here it is February 10 and I have been absent from this blog for another 9 days. Geez Louise! Where does the time go?!?!

I have some fab pictures of the kids art work from our recent trip to the VAG but those will have to wait until I am on a different computer. I am seriously apple challenged when it comes to using my daughter's old laptop to edit photos!

I also have some great photos showing the kids enjoying the Emily Carr and Landon Mackenzie exhibits. I was so happy to hear them giving interesting and correct information to the docents as they gave the tour!

I just haven't been inspired to do more than think about blog posts lately. I've been doing a lot more reading than writing these days. Except for my No Excuses Art Journal project which, I am proud to say!, I have done diligently every day this year so far!!!

...okay...it is now February 11 and I am feeling more inspired! I just found this video on youtube and it just made me smile! I suddenly felt like making the walk down stairs to the office to work on this old blog of mine!

Wasn't that just a good old feel good song? I am loving this group! They are an a cappella group that does covers (except this one is an original) of lots of songs. I love the country tunes they do. Check their site out here. They are coming to Vancouver in March. I am going to try to get tickets!

Cheers!

Olwyn

Currently....February 2015!!!!

I know that I have been in absentia lately...no reason really other than just not making the effort to blog. 

I have been in a kind of quiet place lately. 

Spending a lot of time alone. Reading. Journaling. Listening to music. Watching A LOT of BBC tv.

Anyways, another month has come and gone and it is time to link up with Farley for the February Currently. I have gotta say that I really love this link up. I think I want to be Farley when I grow up!!!!

listening...I tend to listen to the same playlists over and over. Today I tried to go to Pandora since I read about it on Heather's (from Learning With Mrs. Langley) link up with Farley only to discover that using Pandora from Canada is not that easy. Apparently there is someway to "trick" the site to think that I am living in the USA (virtually that is) but it all seemed way too complicated. So, youtube it is! I have found a playlist and am just giving it a listen. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up buying some new tunes for my own playlists!!

loving...getting my Mum to do much of anything has become more and more difficult as her Alzheimer's has progressed. Yesterday we had success! We took her to see Paddington. I really enjoyed it. I would even see it again. It was that cute!! Even better, Mum had a smile on her face the ENTIRE time!!! And I heard her laugh more than once. Is there a sweeter sound anywhere in the world than that? I don't think so!

thinking...I am starting to get what my Mum meant when she told me once that she never feels the age that the calendar says she is. It doesn't seem possible that I am almost 45. But, I have to say that I am pretty gosh darn happy with my life at the moment and I probably couldn't have said that with as much conviction at 25 or even 35. So, all in all, I am happy to be the age I am. And looking forward to birthday cake!!!

wanting...Portland has been calling my name for about three years now but it just hasn't happened...yet. Doubt it'll happen this year either but it would be nice to get away for a little while. Either at Spring Break or this summer. Fingers crossed!

needing...I haven't been able to put my finger on exactly what I have been feeling this year. Until my student teacher, after listening to me talking about the year thus far, said I need to be grounded. She's right. Not being able to work in my classroom last summer (because of the strike) and coming to work three weeks into the year with no cleaning up of the previous year or prep threw me off more than I thought. I am someone who loves routine. And I cherish the time in the summer where I clean, prep and organize for a new year (even if I don't get paid for it!!!)

That said, I am pretty proud of how this class has come together after a late start. We are pretty much on track to cover all of the curriculum even though we missed three weeks in September. And, if I can feel as good as I do after a late start, just think what next September will be like after having the whole summer to revamp my room!

pageant title...well, if you read this with any regularity, you'll know that my daughter (my one good egg!) is off in Toronto going to university. So, these past months have also been an adjustment to just being me and hubby again in the house. I have settled into it much easier than I ever anticipated and, thus, think I deserve the title of Queen of the Empty Nest! I think that hubs and I are rockin' it!!!! 

So, now that you have read all of this, what are you waiting for? Jump over to Farley's and check out what everyone else is doing....Currently!

Cheers!

Olwyn