OUR BEAUTIFUL BOYS

Jim and I are so very proud to show off our newest grandson.

Mom took Anthony and big bro Syd for their first photo shoot together,

and Pop pop and I are just tickled with the proofs.

We enjoyed these together today on FB with big goofy smiles on our faces.

Hoping for a few of these for Xmas to put into frames.

Hint, hint Jules.

FOR ONE SO YOUNG...

these are truly remarkable pieces of art.

All three pieces were done by young artster extraordinaire 9th grader Madison Plotkin,

an up and coming superstar.

She created these works for admission to the Ryman School of the Arts,

an off shot of USC's Art Dept. for High School students.

I'm sure they will take one look at these incredible pieces and reel her in.

Good Luck sweet girl!

LEAVING THE NEST

There have been several positive and wonderful changes in my children's life this year.

My son is getting married soon and also has a new job with better pay and benefits.

And my daughter has let the nest to try living without parentals.

And for the very first time has hung and put up her own Holiday lites.

She asked her dad to show her how and they worked as a team on this.

I really like her color scheme,

so soothing with the purples, greens, silvers and golds.

(Students,

what is the name of this Color Scheme.

Tell me on Monday when you walk in the door for extra credit) 

She surprised her dad and I by inviting us over for her home cooking 

and to show off her decorations.

It almost brought a tear to my eye when I saw her place decorated.

I thought she's really growing up and taking on home ownership and big time responsibility.

It just made my heart so happy and put a goofy smile on my face..

Also to see what lovely taste she has in not only her exterior but interior decor as well.

That's my girl.  

And then to the deliciousness.

My ex brought the appetizers

 and I brought the spirits and we settled down to a terrific taco building feast.

She used a favorite recipe of her boyfriend's mother.

She calls them Diana's Tacos.

I personally don't care for the packaged taco seasoning you can buy and add to your ground meat,

and was thrilled to know she seasoned it herself with garlic and onion powder,

salt & pepper and a few chili flakes.

It was scrumptious.

Danielle,

and if you ever read this post when I am dead and gone,

know how very proud of you I am.

And Diana,

I'm going to have to try out your taco recipe.

SARA'S DANES

Alumni Sara Oh, 

Class of 2018,

 has an affinity for all animals,

all creatures for that matter,

so oftentimes her art reflects that like in this Accordain Book she created for her Bookbinding class.

She recently sent me these pix to show me what she's been up to at Art Center in Pasadena, Ca.

I thought for sure she was painting with Gauche (an opaque watercolor),

but she told me it's acrylic.

I'm loving how she limited her Color Scheme to Monochromatic Blue,

and how wide her range of value is.

 Incredible!

This is a remarkable piece Sara.

I bet your instructors there are so impressed with your technical skill levels

 as well as your design skills.

I know I always have been.

I love and miss you so much.

ROUND AND ROUND IT GOES

 COIL POTS

CERAMICS I

clay, glazes, oxides

This is the 38th year that I have taught this assignment

and the kids never fail to come up with completely new design ideas.

The main requirements were to work to at least 8 inches high

and to come up with at least 2 separate coil patterns along with going round and round.

This first beauty is the work of senior Catherine Lu.

She picked the perfect glaze to hug her coil work and show it off,

Cobalt Blue Gloss.

And then contrasted it with our Black glaze on the inside.

Senior Michelle Hwang created a piece that feels inspired by an Asian temple from Antiquity.

Love how she glazed it.

First she stained it with all four of our oxides then wiped them off 

and dipped the whole piece into our Transparent glaze.

Really looks ancient.

This next one doesn't have a name yet,

but I'm working on it.

I really like the way the coils flow around the pot with little balls put in here and there.

And the glazing is perfect.

This is out Tan glaze with the oxide Rutile brushed over top the balls after the glaze dried.

Here is another remarkable pot by junior Michelle Son.

She also used the Tan glaze with oxides brushed over top to high lite areas of pattern.

Love how she finished it with the lip treatment that looks like petals of a flower.

Clever young woman.

Don't know if you remember me posting about senior Christian Balbido's coil pot last year

 that was broken as he transported it from home to school.

Well,

 he cleverly used those pieces and made a mask out of them for extra credit.

 Then he had to build this second coil pot to get his grade for the assignment.

He had to work quickly to be able to meet the firing schedule,

so this piece turned out more spontaneous then his first attempt.

 I really liked it because he created so much movement with his coils.

and loved the strong ending which is critical on a good coil pot.

Also loved how he glazed it.

This adorable coil sculpture is the creation of junior Lina Kim.

This piece was way beyond a beginning piece.

In fact,

I wasn't sure when she told me what she wanted to do that she'd be able to pull it off.

Boy was I wrong!

The construction took her 3 times as long as the other pieces,

and Lina came in everyday after school or would take it home to give it the extra time needed.

We were all so very impressed when she finished this remarkable work.

And then there was junior Sara Ryave.

This coil sculpture was probably the most remarkable coil pot to ever be made at Whitney 

since I've been teaching here.

I felt that this piece was college level sculpture and belonged in a gallery.

When Sara began it she didn't know it would morph into a figure sculpture,

that came later as she was working on it in class 

and several of us remarked to her that it was starting to resemble a nude.

So then she went for it and really worked it into more of one.

And then the way she glazed it with the oxide staining on the outside

and the contrast of the glaze on the inside;

just brilliant work Sara!

I am so very proud to show all these off.

As I've said so many times,

it is such a pleasure and a privilege to teach here at Whitney with these crazy bright young minds.