Wearing all black is like wearing a uniform. There is comfort to it, and a sort of simplistic language, that absence of focal point, that thing where someone says, “I don’t remember what she was wearing, but she looked great.” Or at least that’s the dream, isn’t it?
I used to do a Black Mondays thing but now it’s just about what feels right in the moment (a.k.a. at 6:55 am).
The warmer spring-time weather brings out the cotton in me. T-shirts and ethereal dresses from www.freepeople.com.
We are just about to end the 3rd quarter of school and begin our final quarter. What a year!
I seem to get more work done if I am dressed – that is, out of pajamas and into real clothes, as though I am actually going somewhere. Today after an amazing hike at Green Lakes and some sunbathing on my deck (what a beautiful day!), I bathed and donned my Equipment leather dress then set out to organize paperwork for my Schoology platform.
I also scheduled some Zoom meetings and emailed students about them and about other stuff. It wasn’t technically supposed to be a workday, but I like to have things ready – email on Sunday nights so that students can work on their artwork on Wednesdays and Fridays.
It is a weird new normal.
As I sit here writing this post, I am wearing the outfit pictured above. These leather jeans are like butter (butttaaaahhhhh….). And the cashmere tunic sweater is perfect-o. Such is the problem of a fashion blogger – how do you continue to wear newbies in the real world and not your very favorite pieces? How to you mix it up to keep it all fresh?
I guess keep doing what I am doing as long as it is fun? I must be a fashion role model for someone out there.
<3
Where am I? I am back at work at Chittenango Middle School, teaching 8th grade Studio in Art, Art-8, and helping fifty kids a day with homework in two study halls. My outfit of the day (#ootd) pictures have been hit or miss. Not sure whether or not to resume taking them. Katy C. and I have been so busy prepping lessons and organizing stuff – I only have a few pictures to share (even though we’ve been back at it for two weeks now).
Meanwhile, my artwork is going places. I am exhibiting encaustic baseball paintings and horseshoe paintings during the month of September 2019 at Half Moon Bakery & Bistro (6500 East Seneca Turnpike, Jamesville, NY 13078).
And last night I delivered six encaustic angel paintings from the Futura series to a new restaurant called 317 (317 Montgomery Street, Syracuse, New York) before heading to the Italian Festival, which is taking place in front of City Hall this weekend. These paintings will be up in a group pairing along with other artists’ work (indefinitely, as of now). 317 provides an incredibly intimate dining experience right in the heart of downtown Syracuse adjacent to the Onondaga Historical Association.
Finally, my twelve Japanese-inspired fan encaustic paintings are still available for sale at Kasai Ramen (218 Walton Street, Syracuse, NY 13202) until September 16, 2019.
P.S. I started designing bracelets! I’ll be ready to launch that experience very soon – stay tuned! The jewelry thing is my current passion and focus artistically. The universe has been doing a great job of taking care of everything else. Thank you, universe! Life is good! <3
As of today, I am back at work. Here are my most recent summer on-location #ootd pictures.
It was the summer of my dreams – beautiful weather, incredible people, creative juices flowing…. It was and is everything I could possibly desire.
So, not really a conclusion. It’s just another beginning. A renaissance! Today is a continuation of a fun, blessed life. I just had to get up a lot earlier and spend less time with my cat. #catsnamedpablo (yes, that’s a thing). <3
Location #ootd part II: with friends and family
Here are some of my Instagram photographs taken outside of the classroom. Summer rocks! So grateful for time off of work, for time to enjoy the sunshine. And for time to bask in the creation of art, and in the appreciation of it. #blessed <3
Catching up on blogging – there is a new feature on word press – maybe not so new; I only just discovered it – that I can program when the blog articles are posted. So, now I can write a bunch on the weekends and post throughout the week, which is genius!
It has been a whirlwind autumn – exercising, meditating, socializing, art business-ing, shopping, lol. So much to do! I have attended art shows that I did not post about due to their fleeting nature – those pop-up shows offer no opportunity to generate customers after the fact and I simply could not post in real time. I am just not that organized, unfortunately.
I was invited to join a group holiday art show. I will investigate that more today to see if I have anything that will fit the space. I’ll keep you posted.
Here are my most recent outfits of the day at work. You can see the progression of the plaster pig sculptures behind me. They are finished bar three. Students painted them, added details and finalized the last component, which had them finding a location and photographing the pig in a composition. I will post those pictures soon!
All of my students bring the school I-Pads to class. Some have taken to photographing or videoing their progress on art projects and it is really fun to see that progression. We are always in the now and tend to forget the immediate past on the way to the journey. This is such an amazing way to witness their own incremental learning. I love it! In the earlier #ootd pics you saw the beginning stages – how students wrapped bottles with paper towel and tape and they just looked like blobs. A little leap of faith later and these sculptures became badges of honor. I love it when students take pride in their work. It is just the greatest gift a teacher can receive.
Here is my new favorite outfit! I love this Rachel Zoe top so much – I bought it in white too! And adding spandex to jeans is the most brilliant concept the fashion world has ever known. These 7 For All Mankind cropped ankle jeans are so spectacular. They totally move with me like a second skin. My most recent purchase. Lately, every time I buy something, I say to myself – okay, after this you don’t really need anything else. LOL! Needless to say, that thought is fleeting.
I also recently acquired these BCBGMaxAzria silk velvet cargo pants in teal – one of the major colors this season. They are amazing in every way! Soft, elastic waist, cropped so that they did not need hemming… OMG! Love!!! <3
And the Sloan fit pant from Banana Republic – I bought them in both garnet and charcoal. The red ones were on some ridiculous sale because they were the last pair and happened to be in my size. I think they ended up being only $20!
Here are the rest of my #ootd pics since school resumed. Some are weekend shots. I really love all my Rachel Zoe tops. The fabrication is top notch. I buy them on-line as no stores in Syracuse, New York carry her. Same goes for Trina Turk. Actually, shopping on-line is the way I prefer acquiring my wardrobe. Sometimes I try on BCBG and other stuff while at Lord & Taylor. I spent a couple hours in there trying on jeans last week so that I could ascertain my size and the best fit. Turns out I am a standard size 2 across the board in Hudson, Joe’s Jeans and 7 For All Mankind (0 in Banana and XS or XXS in BCBG depending on the cut). Yes!!!!! And…I love it when something comes in the mail and it is a perfect fit. It is just like magic! Because, of course, fashion is magical.
