The abstraction

Here are the images that I created over the weekend. I felt that as a group they seem to radiate more energy and power

Nothing abstract about it

Lately I've been turned on to abstract art and it is a totally new thing for me. I have been exposed to my fellow classmates art. They are all so talented and so individualized. I have always been focused on the sense of realism that I can achieve artistically. Concept is also very important to my work, the meaning behind the image. In essence the purest form of concept is the freedom of flow unleashed in an abstract painting. I never really got that, until this weekend.

I created a series of marker drawings this past weekend. They are full of my unreleased emotions. I have been dealing with some internal struggles that never get revealed in my day to day life. Like most people, I slap a smile on my face and do what I need to get done. I allowed my pent up feelings to be exposed. They regurgitated themselves in a frantic and spastic way. When I was finished I had hung them upon the wall of my studio. I had never been so uncomfortable staring at a collection of my work before. I created the images, so why do they frighten me? The energy emanating from the wall of art was so negative and scary. That came from me? I was so uncomfortable that my eyes would advert to the other walls, to the floor. I had to shut the lights and leave the room. There was nothing representational about it, but those pieces are identical to what I am going though. No photograph or painting could serve as a better self portrait.

Deadly Dream Girl_color

Here is a quickie color run...i just had to get it out of my system! Ok now I can go to bed

Deadly Dream Guy

Here is my friend from that deadly dream that I had. What are we up against? Stay tuned to find out......

Deadly Dream Girl

Here is a little sketch of me...in character of course! I had a crazy dream about a friend and I, and I'm going to come up with several drawings for it. A few character sketches and a full blown illustration. This one has some drawing issues with the legs and will need some minor reworking before I throw some color on her.

The Symposium at the MET

Last Friday I had attended a symposium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. As an “art educator in training” I felt that it was important that I attend this meeting. The room was filled with important people with impressive resumes. I have to say that I felt a little out of place, as if I was crashing this fancy party and I’m wearing jeans and sneakers. The president of my school, David Rhodes was one of the key note speakers, and the head of my department Rose, who is also the co-president of this association was there. Some other SVA teachers were there and a few of my fellow classmates.


Each speaker was more fascinating than the next. I found Robert’s research on the NCLB legislation and its impacts on the Arts to be very interesting. I was fully aware about how much teachers hated the act, and now there is so much information against it. The NCLB had a large negative effect on the arts education. Morale on teachers had dropped and they seemed o be weighted down by assessments. Class time and schedules were cut due to the now heavy importance on academic accountability. Students had to improve test scores and teachers became accountable for their passing grades. Of course because the arts are NOT considered a core subject, students were pulled from classes to receive extra prep time in math and sciences. Paperwork for teachers has increase and cut into the class time. Of course with new emphasis places on core subjects, the budget would reflect that with money thrown in that direction and cuts for the arts programs.

New focus of standards has made the system blind to what the children actually need. Students are being crammed information and are focused to spit it out on cue. After the test is completed the student will never know what he/she got wrong and why they failed. The student has now lost a chance to learn and grow. These tests are not for the child’s sake but for the sake of the writers of these exams. The child is neglected by the very same people who hold the child’s “best interest at heart.” Children need art to learn and explore about the world they live in. Teachers need creativity as well. The more I learn about the system, the more it feels like a dictatorship. Between rubrics, assessments, flow chart and so on, where is the fun of teaching? Remember that Fun is the child’s MAIN MOTIVATION. So why are you taking that away? Don’t you want the child to succeed and pass your stupid little scantron tests? Who is behind these laws! Where they EVER teaching in a classroom? I seriously doubt it. Children are our future and it is up to us to shape them for success, and so far….the system has failed, not the child

When I get my masters degree next summer, I plan to help stir the pot. Our school system is becoming (or already is) corrupt and I will not stand quietly as I watch the children float on by. I will continue to keep myself informed and do all that I can to help better the system. I’m a small girl with big dream, huh?

I am part of the next generation of art educators and I need to be well armed.

Jr Reading

I swear I try to read to him every night, but he keeps taking the book from me and flips through the book by himself

SvaDoodle

Just a lil SvaDoodle! Say it with me now.....Sss VAH Doo DLE!

I should have been taking notes

While in my educational psych class, I couldn't help but to let my pen wander. The past few weeks have been intense. My brain is overloaded with information. All this studying and response writing has my brain screaming for creation!! My classes are so fascinating and I am meeting so many interesting people. I have decided to capture a few of my classmates while they were carefully listening to our Professor.

My little man

While reading a children's book with my son, and singing silly songs I had decided to whip out an old sketchbook of mine. As my little one was busy crawling around, being super cute he stopped to POSE! I couldn't believe it. He held this position for about 2 minutes. It will be my favorite drawing EVER, just because its my son!!