Sleeping With Van Gogh

After several years of travelling to local artists' homes and taking images of their bedrooms, the show has finally arrived! Sleeping with Van Gogh is a sister project to the bigger project entitled Waking With Van Gogh,  which was curated by Moni Hill. Moni approached me with the photography concept and I accepted the challenge. It was a wonderful way to delve into my photography and meet some wonderful artists as well.  Here are some photos from the opening at the Hickory Museum of Art in April. The show will be up until late July, I have around 22 photos on display and there are close to 70 artists in the larger show.

  Here is Jaspie looking dapper in his pinstripe jacket, enjoying a plate of elegant finger food.

My lovely girls on the opening night. Below are some examples from the project.

Rose Fairies and Ice Cream Shop Jams

 Vivi took a big step and played a song that she composed, called Blue Moon Jig,  in a public performance. The Hop is an awesome supporter of local talent and host many wonderful events. Did I mention that they have amazing homemade ice cream? My current favorite is their salted caramel, but they have more exotic flavors too.

Vivi jamming with the Sounding Post String Breakers. David and I got to go out and see Vivi's fiddle instructor Natalya Weinstein play her second album debut show, and I was really blown away! The band's name is Red June and the new album is called Beauty Will Come. She in touring for the summer and they sound really great. Check it out.

 And Mia performed in Sleeping Beauty. It was really terrific. She took ballet for the first time this year and loved her class. The ACDT is most inspiring in their artistic performances. Bravo!

The lovely dancer and her bouquet of flowers picked from the garden.

Vivi also had a brilliant class play of the Theft of Thor's Hammer with Ms. Laura's 3/4 grade class. It was hilarious and such fun. This is has really been a busy season, in addition to these shows, Mia had a poetry reading at the ThomasWolf House  with her awesome creative writing class taught byJanet Hurley and a spring concert with the Asheville Symphony Children's Orchestra. It was a wild and crazy finale to a most wonderful and enriching year. Whew, I am grateful for summer to be here!

Handwork and other good things

What an honor and a gift it was for me to be the first handwork teacher at Azalea Mountain School! And what a sweet and blessed year we had! Here are the last of the little knit chickens and mice that the first and second grade children made. It was a beautiful and bittersweet day to teach on the last day of school, knowing that I will not be returning in the Fall. It has been a difficult decision to make but I firmly feel that my family life is demanding that I have more time and energy for home right now. My children will be young for such a short and precious time. I will miss the children at school though, and the very wonderful faculty and staff that made it such a joy to work there.

 This is one of Mia's clay projects that she made with a wonderful teacher named Mellie. She made this  totem with each bird representing a member of our family.

 This was a fun project that my handwork students made for the Eurythmy teacher's new baby girl who was just born. Children in grade 1-4 knitted the squares from plant dyed wool. The rainbow balls and mice were made in the 1/2 grade class.

It was a great honor to be able to present this gift with the school children to Elizabeth.

 And this was a project that friends and family made for Elizabeth at her Blessing Way. It is a needle felted banner which I think turned out so nicely!

  Don't you love the little gnome in a pocket?

And here is the lovely faculty at Azalea Mountain School. What a beautiful year! Blessings to all. xo

Ponies and Chocolate

Ponies and Chocolate, that is what some girls dream of! Vivi is very much like me in this way. She has started horseback riding this summer and loves it. It has renewed my love for horses too and I hope to ride on occasion as well. I think this is Ziggy she is riding, isn't he pretty?

And here is Vivi's cake which she made all herself and thankfully shared with us. When she gets a bee in her bonnet about baking something, it will happen! I helped her to find the most delicious recipe and wow, it was good. Don't you love her pretty strawberries on top? Mmmm...

Last Day of Kindergarten

 Oh, so very sweet. Jasper's last day of Little Round Schoolhouse. This has been his second place to call home for the last two years and it has been so wonderful and nurturing for my boy. What a dear group of friends and the most wonderful Kindy teachers you can imagine. Really, really amazing. We will miss it but now we are home schooling grade one with Jasper. He has been so excited to have his turn with school at home and I am so thrilled to share this with him! I have been busy planning and will soon be preparing a very special classroom space.

 Jaspie being funny and pretending to eat his flowers. His friends think he's pretty hilarious.He sure loves that!

Make new friends,
But keep the old.
One is silver,
And the other, gold.
A circle's round
It has no end
That's how long
I'm gonna be your friend.