Southern California I

Taking a year off from teaching was the best decision I have ever made. It took a few years of planning and soul searching, coupled with the unwavering support of my husband, family and friends, to make this a possibility. But always remember that if you can envision a dream, a goal, a wish, and you have the persistence and patience to come back to it often and over time, it will come to fruition in some way, shape or form. 

One of the perks of being off this year was that I was able to travel for longer periods, during times that would have been restrictive due to a fixed teaching calendar. Lim had a last minute work trip at the beginning of May in Costa Mesa,  so I snatched the opportunity to tag along! We were there for 18 days and got to explore what I keep referring to as an expansive stretch of mountain, sky and sea.  

Newport Beach 

Painting with Jenny Doh at Studio Crescendoh!

I learned about Jenny Doh through blogs and online workshops. I knew she was somewhere in Southern California, and when I learned she had a studio where she offered Paint with Me classes, I contacted her immediately and booked two morning sessions!

Jenny's style is intuitive and expressive so this mess you see below became...

this,

then this, which I did not like, so I started over and whacked more paint on it and it became...

this!

And here's the evolution of the second painting on wood board.

Here's a Display of Jenny's work at the entrance to the Santora Building located in the historic district in Santa Ana.

And this is me being nosy, taking photos of other studios in the building. (I love the dividing wall on casters.)

Drinks at the hotel bar. 

 

The Lab at night

- The LAB Antimall, Est. 1993 -

The LAB, recycled from a night vision goggle factory, began its journey to combat retail monotony almost 20 years ago. In the midst of Orange County’s suburbia and perfectly planted palm trees, we recognized a need for a homey, indoor-outdoor hang out with shops and restaurants geared for the young at heart, and not offered in every mall on every corner. The “LAB” stands for “Little American Business” and that’s what we are, and what we continue to support.

Did I mention the extra large succulents around these parts?

The Camp is a similar small business shopping area that I visited often. Everything we tried at this place was great (Black Market Bakery, Umami Burger, Ecco, Wine Lab)

The Santa Monica Pier

The Getty Center in L.A.

To be continued...

May Catch Up

It must be my fourteen plus years of teaching (and the countless years of being a student) that by May, my convictions waver. I'm always so motivated and energetic in September. The winter months make me want to drink tea, watch Downton Abbey, read, journal, make plans... and the excitement of those first 60 degree days at the end of March and early April are just what I need to keep me going. But May... May starts to smell of summer vacation and being outdoors. This internal teaching schedule tells me that the school year is coming to an end, that the bulk of our work is done and that we're ready for a break. (Yes, I know I have been on a break all year ;) You can take the teacher out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of the teacher!

Despite this internal winding down, I hope that June and July get me back into a more regular, blogging rhythm. Here are a few things I got up to in May:

1. Visiting Kremer Pigments with my painting friends

KREMER PIGMENTS

EYE CANDY!!!

Click here for more photos

2. Studying Under the Masters III...

This is an online workshop through Jeanne Oliver's Creative Network. It's a six week course given by six different artists who choose a mentor artist to inspire their learning and creating. It's a wonderful course that combines art history and observation in order to inspire personal artistic growth. I highly recommend a visit to Jeanne's blog and a nosy around some of the course offerings. You can see my wood burning piece, inspired by jeanne Oliver and Horace Pippin, below.

3. Trying to paint a seascape using craft paint and mixed media paper

4. The hubby had work in Southern California, so I tagged along! I took loads of pics, which I will share in the next few days, but here's a sneak peek.

5. Revisiting Goals
I posted a list of learning goals last September (I took a peek at them in February) and it's time to revisit them to see how they are coming along. I'll let you know how I'm doing in another post.

6. Taking Walks
Brooklyn is in all it's glory and taking walks is a must.