Art Room Diaries: first projects

I finally had time to post my students first projects on our online art gallery (yes, I'm afraid that blog has been just as neglected as this one!). We're off to a great start; illuminated manuscripts, Miro action figures, pointillist paintings, identity boxes and bas-reliefs inspired by Donatello. Now we're on a roll- so much more to come!

http://nhartgallery.blogspot.com/

of late

Beginning of the school year craziness is calming and I think we're all getting into a nice rhythm. I had a doozy of a cold for over a week, but I'm slowly mending. I'm enjoying the the wonderful things about having a two year old (talking! jokes! energy! playdates! imagination! affection!) and learning day by day how to be patient and give grace to that same rambunctious toddler who is just learning how to cope with his little world (its utter joys and its perceived travesties! Toddlers are a little bit bi-polar!). 
It's October, a busy month in our dear Salem-town and many locals hem and haw at all the tourists and the Halloween madness.  The Jameses, however, choose to embrace the season and milk it for all it's worth. I mean, this month we'll have at least 2 fried dough stands within walking distance! How could you complain about THAT? And the city just turns into a constant carnival with all sorts of seasonal fun. In what other city is it totally normal to walk around in costume? Now, if I could just learn how to dodge those zombies and people with fake knifes sticking out of their heads....gross. 

Salem Abstracted #2

I'm very happy to report that the commission that I've been working on for many months is finished and nestled (or hung, I guess) safely in it's owners home. The idea behind it was similar to my first abstracted Salem painting (seen here) - a fragmented, cubist portrayal of our city, showing the old and new, the layers and clusters of homes and buildings that fill our neighborhoods. 

My first piece was titled "In Salem as it is in Heaven" and I'd like to think that this work also has the feeling of light breaking through darkness. I had a blast working on this but I'm relieved to have finally finished. Now to start on a couple late wedding gift paintings!

Detail:

Ferrying to the Fishies

This trip has been a while in the making.  Taking the Salem Ferry to Boston has been on my summer list at least 2 years in a row, but for some reason we just never made it.  This month, the ferry was discounted for residents AND because of some awesome grant, Salem residents are also able to go to the Boston Aquarium for free for the month of September! How could we pass that up? Along with some friends from church, we decided to make a day of it; walking to the ferry, boating up to Boston (which stops right next to our destination, no less) and enjoying the newly renovated aquarium. A perfect way to spend a warm and beautiful New England day!

still here :)

Still around, just crazy busy. Hoping to get back into the blogging groove this week! For now, I leave your with a recent family portrait... 

The Autumn List

fallmost

According to my husband, it's the season we're in. Almost fall or "fallmost". The school year has begun, some leaves are even changing color, but I also sweated through my art classes this morning, some summer flowers are still in bloom and the AC units are running around the clock in my house. The seasons are definitely in flux. 

Despite the recent September heat wave, I've started writing my "Autumn List", the knitting needles are back out in earnest, scarves and vests have been dug out of the back of the closet and I'm dreaming about apple crisp and drinking pumpkin spiced anythings.

The last couple of weeks have been a doozy, mostly just beginning of the school year stuff, but I'm looking forward to things dying down a bit in the coming weeks and getting back into a rhythm of sorts. For now, I'm trying to enjoy and savor the wonderful season of fallmost with my favorites.