When I Should Be Packing

This is where I started my day; up early (for me), gulp coffee, drive in to Portland to help judge Portland's 4th Annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. We had 2560 pieces of art contributed from 7th to 12th Grades separated into 6 categories: Painting (my category), Drawing, Printmaking/Mixed Media, Photography and Video/Film/Animation. It was wonderful seeing the advanced work these high school students had produced.

I dug through several boxes to try and unearth the Gold Key I won back in my Freshman year. I wanted to photograph it for you and tell you how it built my confidence to have that encouragement. But alas, it must be buried in one of those boxes up in the barn that haven't seen daylight for eleven years since we moved here.

This is a shot of some of us enjoying lunch in the large atrium of the art school. I attended PNCA in the early 80's and loved my time as a student. We were located in a different building then. I think it's a wonderful art school.

It's always interesting to sit on a jury and compare opinions with your peers . I'd say the three of us agreed about 92% of the time.

It was the pieces that we didn't agree on that provided the most entertainment. My fellow jurors were terrific.

I've started a poetry journal in my paper bag journal. Right now I am putting in some of my favorite verses and using lots of appropriated images along with some of my own scribbles. Eventually I want to write my own poetry in it and use only my own photographs and painting.

I wrote a lot of poetry when I was in college but haven't done so in years. I miss that pleasure and I'm going to return to it. It's only for myself; I'm old enough to know my limitations but that isn't going to stop me.

John likes to say that it's a terrible loss if we only let others sing for us, make music for us, paint for us, write for us. These are things we can all do to some extent and it's really fun to try. It deepens our experience of being alive.

One announcement; at Squam in September, Elizabeth Tanner Boll will be in attendance to show her film "Who Does She Think She Is?" and to answer questions. If you are not familiar with the film, it was made by the same producing team that won an Academy Award for Born Into Brothels. "Who Does She Think She Is?" examines some of the most pressing issues of our time: parenting and work, partnering and independence, economics and art.



And now, my friends, I'm off to pack for Bandon. Dear Katie will arrive on a big silver bird at 9 am and we will join a pack of jolly girlfriends for a happy, silly week of revelry and art making. Of course girl reporter will be sticking her big camera in everybodys' faces so you can join the fun.


Whew! Surely that's all for now. Hold down the fort until I get back. xo