preparing, planning & painting

 Lately I have been spending lots of time preparing my syllabus & schedule for the coming semester-I'm teaching painting I & II, art history & art appreciation at a local college this Fall!  All sorts of deadlines and obligations have been on my mind.  My sweet husband suggested I make a list and do one thing at a time, rather than thinking about everything at once and progressing slowly.  Sometimes you need someone to tell you something obvious to get back on track!  Yesterday we had our morning espresso together, he went off to work, and I went in to my studio.   I finished the syllabus and planned the semester schedule for my art appreciation & painting courses.  After the classes were officially planned and not just ideas floating around in my head, I felt a sense of relief that allowed me to focus on my art the rest of the day.

I began this painting yesterday, in between reading and syllabus work.  We are still house hunting & the scene I'm painting reflects the confusion/excitement that comes with the experience!  My school of fish are also appearing in subtle Clemson colors, a nod to my first 'home.'  I grew up in northern Ohio and lived in South Carolina for almost eight years; the community left a mark on my heart that will always make me miss it.  The painting is still in the beginning stages here, and so far it is coming together more easily than the first in this series.  Maybe it is a sign that we'll find our home soon!

         

New faculty training is this weekend and the start of the semester is right around the corner, which also means cooler weather and football season are in the future!  August 31 is kickoff in Death Valley!  As my old boss Jimmy Howard would say, "you've gotta win the first game if you wanna win 'em all."