Happy New Year ~ 2010

Welcome to the year 2010. As I reflect on the last year and make decisions for the next one I realize although I stayed put more and focused more on helping my family, I missed my extended family way to much. So this next year I plan on figuring out a way to remedy that. My sister I miss the most and see the least so that will change. I will be more focused on the needs of my family as an entire unit, our new property and the changes we are making together. I will be a better teacher and mentor my students with more purpose.. I will reconnect with friends that I have been to lazy to keep close to me, they are missed dearly! I will make more art, always wanting to make more art. I will focus more on my youngest child and help him find his place in the family, his new school and in life. He is often confused by his role and what it means for his future. I will be a better wife and mother. I will continue to advocate for my children. I will focus on taking better care of myself. Reconnecting with old friends has made me realize more and more the importance of my role as a wife, mother, teacher and friend and I hope to live up to a new standard. All the best to you and yours as the new year is here! Stay in touch and Happy New Year!

McMurry Graduation Fall 2009

Congratulations McMurry University Class of 2009, December

So many memories and wonderful art making happened during your time with us~ We will miss you all and wish you all the best in the new year! Keep in touch with us all and come back and visit often! Best wishes on your new adventure~

Christmas in Abilene 2009

What a very cold and calm Christmas eve and day. We have enjoyed spending time indoors and out with the boys and are now looking forward to getting back to the studio and having more fun with the family on the few days off we have left.

Pictures from the Art Show, Nov. 2009

The boys have been in art shows and even won awards before but in this exhibition they felt like they were the main artists. It was so nice to see how much pride they had in their work! They are wanting to work on their next show and have so many ideas. I can't wait for the opportunity to exhibit with the kids again!

Firing the gas kiln today...

What a day! Everything was meant set up to be a very productive day. Cars in the shop, time for shopping, making bowls for the empty bowls project, cleaning the studio, glazing pots, and of course firing the big gas kiln. O.K. so maybe I was reaching a bit... Well it is 6pm and I am still here firing the kiln, I have been here since 8am... Had trouble with the burners, so things were delayed a bit, then in the middle of firing one of them quit on me, of course I had taken my one and only break of the day and went to lunch during the first reduction. Pushed everything back a couple of hours. Kids were here with me for a while and I was constantly distracted by little things so nothing else happened except a little cleaning and a much larger mechanics bill than we planned on. All in all still not a bad day. I also must concede that their might be something wrong with the kiln, the bottom just will not get hot enough no matter what I adjust, so it may be time for a makeover for the old girl... it is looking to be a very busy spring semester. I just hope my work study are up for it! They will learn a ton of technical information but it will be a bit of work. I still have a very messy house to go home to and a couple of rowdy boys to get to bed so wish me luck and hope for a more productive tomorrow.

University Semester is Over

Well, Five more have graduated and the semester is over here at McMurry University. My boys still have a week of school and I am hoping to get some work done in the studio if I ever get my house cleaned. I will be working on bowls for the Empty Bowls Project and some new sculptures. I also want to start at least one or of the major pieces for the Autism Show. So much to do. We are also constructing the extra room in the shop over break and cleaning up the bathroom and making a mini kitchen. Hopefully we will be able to get it all done. Mom will be here soon and we want a decent place for her to stay and get away from us in the house. With the new construction in the studio/shop art production has slowed down, but in the long run we will have a lot more storage for our seasonal things and camping gear so it will all be worth it. SOoo, I will be working at the University over break, If you want to get together for lunch, I am available. Prepping for the holiday season is a lot of work, but the boys are looking forward to it. More updates to come!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We leave Wednesday morning as early as we can to start our drive to Lamoni, Iowa... Where you say. It is a small town 7 miles north of the Missouri border with a great little college in it. It is where Brad and I met and his mother and sister still live there. This is a bad image but a realistic view of downtown Lamoni. They do have a Pizza Hut and a Subway, but beyond that, they have Graceland University. It will make for a very peaceful and hopefully great vacation full of rest and thanksgiving!

The Art reception was great! The boys really felt special being spotlighted in the exhibition and featured in our local paper. Their is a feature story next week about the show, maybe I can post a link when it comes out. Class at McMurry are rapping up and things are quieting down, now if I can only get the kids to settle. We are at a stand still in the studio and the apartment until Christmas break starts for us as we have NO TIME during the normal course of our lives. My best to you all and be safe during the holiday.

Here is the poster from our latest exhibition. The first exhibit all four of us are in. The poster has an image of the boys that I painted of a picture that they took of themselves after an incident. William hit David, Will felt bad but didn't know what to do, David was hurt but more confused than anything. This particular image started an entire new series of work for me and the kids on communication and dealing with sensory issues and problems that arrive when there is a person in your life with a communication problem, for us that is autism, and all the other normal communication problems that families have. The show, Little eyes on me is the brain child of Chris Wilson and Saybra Phillips and the families of Larry and Kathie Walker Millar and their adopted daughter Maya Millar and our family. It is an interesting concept and a first for us all so let us know what you think. I will post more images of the exhibit later this week! Keeping busy! You all stay healthy out there!

This is an image of Brad's newer experimental work dealing with grids and landscapes, texture and carved lines. He has really stumbled onto something here that people are feeling connected with.
This is a grouping of small block encaustic paintings that Brad did, he shows them together in many different ways, this one is just stacked on a shelf. These are relating more and more to his grid paintings and I love the connections he is making in them.

This is a photo from the Welcome center to show the way that my work was displayed. I am excited about the possibility of displaying some of the animals I do on the walls.

Here is a closer up view of the lizards. Enjoy!


These are some images from a display of some faculty work in the Universities Welcome Center. I have the lizards and masks and Brad has the more colorful of the images. They have been up for a while and although I never thought the Lizards sould be hung on the wall I tend to like them there. They will be traveling to Arizona soon for a commission I had along with some bats if I can get them done in time. Stay tuned for more posts about the work we are currently doing in teh studio and at home! It is beautiful here, I hope you all have a great weekend!

So.... here are the boys for Halloween. We have Albert Einstein and his doctor. David has a new hero in the scientific world and I was so happy to be able to figure this out for him! He wants to be him again next year so we have a while to improve. William is so easy to please~ Doctor it is! Had a great time seeing old friends at the Journey and making new spending the rest of the night at Aldersgate. Wish gma or gpa could have been here they were so much fun! Earlier in the day we spent most of it in the studio getting ready for an exhibition next week. Pictures and messages to follow soon.Happy Halloween!

OK< I have been sick in bed with Pneumonia almost all week and going crazy, so here is another little 5x7 painting I did while I was in bed. I have been working in my sketchbook and have many new ideas for my next show and series of functional work in ceramics. I am looking forward to starting to work in our new studio as soon as it is all cleaned out. Mom's apartment (guest apartment) is coming along nicely and we hope to have some walls up soon! It is Halloween today and I am not in my normal spirited mood for celebrating. David is going as Albert Einstein (only fitting) and William as a doctor. Maybe next year Brad and I will dress up too! Have a great Hallows Eve and We will see you on the flip side.

Texas Ceramic Festival

The clay festival was so much fun! Lots of great art, lots of good friends and so much fun camping! Thank you to all my colleagues and students who helped to make the trip and the event such a great time. Having other kids go was the best for my boys as you can see William is a little taken with Chloe. I will post images of what we bought this year, we try very hard to only buy one piece a year, but it is very difficult to choose from so many great artists. Camping on the Guadelupe, Gruene Texas and a Cleay Festival, it can' t get much better than that!

Bradley Oiler

This is my husbands new site, he is one of the most gifted artist, designers, potters and all around renaissance men that I know. You definately will need to keep your eye on his work and blog as he will keep it updated often. He makes new work every week, sometimes every day and he works in all different mediums sometimes to his advantage and somedays not... I am sure you will understand his journey more if you follow him. Since this particular blog is a connection to our families studio I will try to keep updated with his work also. Did I mention he is a Graphic Design Professor, father of two great boys and is a very supportive husband! http://bradleyoiler.blogspot.com

Nate Ritchey

Nate Ritchey, another super talented artist and designer. Just started his blogspot, but I would keep up with this guy. He is on his way to becoming one successful artist, designer, potter, father and husband! He is great! Check it out!!! http://naterritchey-natesstuff.blogspot.com/

Chris Crawford new blog!

This is another students site you should check out. Photographer and Designer Chris Crawford. He is awesome, responsible and a gifted artist. His exhibition will be at McMurry University from December 7-12, check his site for more info. Crawfordfoto.blogspot.com

Miles Mayfield, a young artist just starting to find his voice in the arts with incredible talent and committment. Graduate Schools better watch out for this one! Keep your eyes open for him. He just started a blog, check it out.
http://intheclay.blogspot.com/
Keep it up Miles, couldn't be prouder!

I decided to make a painting a week project this year. Simple subjects, almost an exercise but hopefully capturing the beauty of the smaller simpler things in life. Hope to post one a week.

Painting of the view from the east side of the property, early evening and the moon was up. I haven't really painted anything in a while and thought now that I am out in the country I should try some of our place. I am doing a series of these either from places I have been or of my place here all 5x7 to have something quick to work on that isn't as physically demanding as clay until my neck gets in better shape. Hope you like.

I am just going to give my man JUNIOR a shout out here, he has been working so hard on his business and designs and keeping it fresh all the time. Congratulations to you and I can't wait for your exhibition! click on the image for a link to his site and check him out.

David and his Artwork

This work was created by David this year and it represents a day in his life. He has started experimenting with mixed media and he has a knack for it. He says he wants to make more. We keep a lot of his little experiments in the studio and when he wants to create a "masterpiece" we pull all of these things out and he will then design his larger piece using past items he has created. It breaks the process up a bit more and allows him to process the completed project without being distracted by the finer details of each individual component. He uses this work to talk about his triumphs and struggles his fears and joys... he is communicating more and more and we believe his work in the studio has been a tool to help him do that. By the way... this piece took Grand Prize for the 12 and under category in the National Program for the Arts Exhibition this year. Not bad for an autistic 8 year old.

Old Friends and Mentors

Thinking of some of my old friends and mentors today. How I miss my mentor, Linda Ganstrom. The energy that was produced in the studio on a daily basis was incredible. I have been no place that has matched it. Her abilities as a teacher are also unmatched. I think sometimes we forget how much we owe to those who have helped us become who we are today. The joys and struggles, but always there is growth. This is just a shout out to a very special person in my life who gave me more than she will ever know. THANK YOU LINDA!

Apartment work stalled, new work to begin in another week

OK so the work on the apartment has slowed to a HALT... The beginning of school sure put a damper on the progress, but after this weekend things are looking up again. Hopefully we can finish the small room to the left by the end of October and then slowly start the rest of the apt in Nov and Dec, planning on finishing it up around Spring in 2010. The studio is in working order but a long way from organized! Wish us luck as the progression happens. We really need mom here to help make the detailed decisions and of course write the checks... Hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather!

And then there was ART

For me the moment I finally realized that I had to make was late in my college career, after going through many boys and majors I finally found my place, a place I was always familiar, somewhere that I felt welcomed and at home, a place full of acceptance and sorrow and joy but a place of honesty. FInally a place I could express my life, my feelings, my joys my sorrows and be completely honest with myself and the world without being offensive or direct or even scared. For me this was a beginning and an ending, like a birth. I could finally begin the life I knew I was meant to lead and to never question or doubt, never falter or quit, to continue without fail no matter what obstacles have been put in my way and I can tell you their have been some roadblocks. Yet I continue... Art is as much a part of me as my children, I cannot imagine a life without them. Thank you to the ones who helped bring me to my beginning! I owe you my life.

I know a bit deep and I usually don't go there, but I felt it should be said so with honesty I said it in a way that I understand and those on the journey will also, those that were there with me and those that will come after me, never quit! It is as much a part of you as you hand that helps you create or communicate with the world. Always give more of yourself than you are ready for and you will succeed. Follow your own path and you will find joy and believe in yourself even when others don't, you will survive. Keep creating!

Update

Just an update and a cool photo from the fair that Brad took. David had his first official horseback riding lesson today. He had a great time! What a beautiful night to ride, Photos to follow. I also picked up a few commissions tonight so all in all a great evening! I get to paint the side of a barn, I haven't ever done this before so it should be fun! Looking forward to a great Fall and cooler weather, I get a lot more done in the fall and spring, it is amazing how much the weather can affect my mood! David and I will be in Lubbock until Friday night so we will see you all when we get back!

Already planning for Spring

OK, so today I realized as I was contemplating plans for the Spring semester that I have not made figures in a while, so I plan to refocus my energy on them. I believe I fave a new strength and will be able to express more than I ever have before. It is time. I am ready to expose that part of me and I believe that the new work will be well received. I will work on the new series at the same time that I am working on the Autism exhibit with my family. The photo to the right is a very tame example of the new direction I will go with the work, I will work with a combination of modeled and cast forms to express my journey as a woman, mother, wife, child, sister, daughter, lover, artist, teacher and friend. I hope this first piece from an old series about "nesting" will give you a glimpse into my ideas. I really need to get a better picture of this work... Stay tuned for more updates soon to come. I will also be posting progress on the new studio soon.

A Double Rainbow Just Appeared

What an interesting evening. A clear cool day just turned into a overcast rainbow filled sky with thunder rolling in from the northeast. Should prove to be a nice night. We are making all the important decisions on how we will set up our studio and the work on it should begin within the month. We can not wait until it is up and running as a fully functioning studio. We will post pictures as the work begins. We are expecting mom to come and live here soon so her apartment construction is underway. I have been filling y sketchbooks with ideas for our big show about autism and can not wait to get started on the major pieces involved. Currently I am just trying to keep afloat with my teaching load and parenting responsibilities. It is a lot to juggle but somehow we manage to get it all done. Have a blessed week as I only hope to post on the weekends for a while...

First Blogging Day

Today has been a day to catch up on rest, allergies are horrible and no art is getting done... but work somehow continues to get done. I am married to a very motivated man! : ) We are still working on the mother in law suite behind the studio (pictures to be included soon). The boys are four weeks into school and doing great! David (8, 3rd grade with Aspergers Autism) started at a new school this year and is doing great! We have been so fortunate to have great teachers and support staff working with him. He continues to do therapy at home with me and tae kwon do and horseback riding as supplements. William (6, 1st grade, neurotypical) is also excelling. He is also riding horses and learning to be a cowboy as we just bought a 4 acre ranch for the studio. Brad is working hard as always and continues to learn more about himself and us all as he now has room to play on the ranch. He finally has his own space and is thriving! I am exhausted and worn down, but somehow am able to function in a fairly normal capacity. Of course, that depends on who you ask...lol. I am still teaching part time and loving it! Still making art and of course being a wife and mother to some of the best boys! We are continuing to work on many show opportunities including the Autism, The Art Show. We are working hard on the new studio in preparation for a grand opening, by then we should have a decent body of work to show in there! Hope y'all can come and visit one day, but for now we are definately under construction.