Anticipation!

Check out my daughters blog because that is where all of my energy and excitement has gone.
www.nativemoments.blogspot.com- Later- I 'll let you have the full report from my side and you can check in from her side.

So here is a cool lively Natalie Merchant concert to tide you over--Natalie Merchant sings old poems to life | Video on TED.com

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_merchant_sings_old_poems_to_life.html

I'll have to see what else my mind comes up with while it wanders over lists- checking them more than twice- spraying birdcages with high gloss. Doing this and that. Enjoy until after the wedding! 

Abiento!

Coming Celebration! What Will She Wear?

Something really exciting is going to happen in my family in two weeks time, can you guess? Take a preview by looking at the manner in which women have dressed for this moment since the 15th C. until now.

" The Arnolfini Wedding" Jan Van Eyck, 1434, Belgium

 1951, English, Norman Hartnell, Designer, Victoria & Albert collections

"Farewell Sweet Liberty"
1992, England
Joe Casely-Hayford-designer
Liberty & Co. LTD

"Qui a le droit"
Black Wedding Dress
1992, Paris
 Christian Lacroix
Victoria & Albert

Hopefully during the first part of  September I can send you pictures of the dress my daughter has designed, made and worn. My mind is bumping around from normal daily activities, to being filled with anticipation. Whew! maybe some yoga meditation is in order if only I could hold my flitting mind open. Mean while keep tuning in as I try to remember to write here and not be busily off on my upcoming family adventures.

Did you notice the variety of color as well as form for these dresses?

Just a note on Van Eyck's famous wedding picture entitled "The Arnolfini Wedding"- I had always believed that Mrs. Arnolfini was pregnant in this picture but  I found out while researching this that she is merely holding her dress in front of her belly as was the custom of the time.

Passions Power

I am teaching a small art class at a nearby school. This is the time for teachers to meet and prepare themselves for the upcoming annual learning tasks.  This video was shown to us today and I found it very thoughtful. Sir Ken Robinson is a lively speaker. In 2007 his speech on Creativity made the rounds so it is good to see what he is thinking of now.
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! | Video on TED.com

Take a moment and watch Ken Robinson talk about the power of passion and learning. Although he is talking about education think of his words in reference to adult learning and creativity as well.

August Associations

How many of you know August is the time of wakefulness and nightmares for a large part of the population. If you are a teacher you are past pretending that summer still lingers on. Your mind betrays you as you awake  in the night -

Odilon Redon,Le Char d'Apollon" Musee d'Orsay

you thought you were at the cottage, seashore but instead here you are your mind racing NOT ON VACATION trying to figure out how you can get all the students in your class to sit quietly, be focused and excited about learning. You know this year will be improved and different and you begin to make the "grand plan".

Berthe Morissot , "La Lecture", Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg Fla.

I dreamed for many years how to recreate this Picasso picture in my classroom. Little artists would be so engrossed and only the noise of creative industry would be heard in my classroom.

Pablo Picasso, "Claude dessinant, Francoise et Paloma"-1954, Musee Picasso

So heres to teachers and their students as they ready themselves for their scholastic adventures!