MORE THANKS GOING TO...

to all my ex-students who continue to check on me, 

visit me

 and be in my life.

Because of technology it makes it so easy to keep in touch.

I'm so thankful for that.

Here is Alumni Nicholas Tudor,

 who I believe graduated in 2013ish, 

who came to visit with his his lovely girlfriend.

Nick had taken Ceramics I & II with me 

and hadn't thrown on the potters wheel since he graduated.

He was curious if he remembered how to do it.

Learning to throw a pot is an incredibly difficult global skill to learn,

thus it's the same as riding a bike.

Once you learn,

 your muscles remember the steps and feeling.

So as you can see Nick took to it like a duck to water as they say.

Just look at that smile on his face.

Doesn't get any better!

Here I am with art alum as well as Art Instructor,

 Jordan Joyce.

I believe he graduated Whitney in 2011 0r 2012.

He went on to study art at Cal State Long Beach with famed Fiber Artist

Carol Shaw-Sutton.

I ran into Jordan at the retirement party of our beloved Drama Teacher,

Jodi Improta.

He participated in several of Jodi's productions

and he is the grandson of one of our favorite retired teachers and administrators,

Gary McHatton 

It was wonderful to catch up with him.

I was so hoping he would be the one to take over for me when I retired.

He really wanted to come back to Whitney to teach

 since her practically grew up there,

hanging out as a youngster with his Grandpa.

But it was not to be,

our Principal had other ideas.

Happily,

 Jordan was hired to teach art at a High School in Azusa, Ca.

which is a town right below the San Gabriel Mountains (near Pasadena)

So I'm thrilled for him and he's on his way. 

Gosh, 

I've known Jordan since he was in Elementary School,

 and taught him art from 7th grade until he graduated Whitney,

6 years.

Happy Thanksgiving and much love to my thousands of art students around the whirled.

You will always be in my heart.

TODAY MORE THANKS...

for these two goofballs,

Granger and Tatum.

They give me unconditional love and oodles of licks.

I've never known two dogs that have their capacity for companionship and joy.

My babies,

my grand dogs.

I feel my heart swell with so much love every time I see them.

I'm guessing it's the kind of love your feel for your own grandchildren.

I'm still patiently waiting.

Hint, hint!!!!

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR

Especially for this little guy,

Anthony,

known now as Ant,

 who just recently turned 3.

What a doll he is!

FINDING HAPPINESS WITH GRACE KIM

Every so often I like to do an update on some of my all-time favorite students.

Recently I had a request from Liz to do another.

So let me introduce you to Whitney High School 2007 Alumni Grace Kim.

Sadly,

 Grace's art work was never featured on my blog since she graduated before I built the blog in 2009.

But I want you to know her as I do,

a remarkable young woman back then and now.

She took both my Beginning and Intermediate Crafts Classes and excelled in both,

with many of her pieces being displayed at our annual Open House.

And before my blogging days,

 I took several photo/slides of her work and taught with those for years.

In High School,

 Grace crushed so many arenas;

Academics, Languages (she speaks at least 3 that I know of), and Athletics.

She was one of our strongest competitors in Cross Country and Track and Field.

After Grace graduated I really missed her vivacious energy and laughter.

We had grown close and formed a bond after teaching her throughout her 6 years at Whitney.

And what made her even more special to me was that from 2007 to now,

she has shown up on my radar about every 2 years.

When I was still teaching she would run from her home in Cerritos to the school, 

and surprise visit me.

She'd be in a complete sweat but I didn't care because just to be able to hug her

 and be around her has always brought me great joy.

Grace went to college and did her Major in International Business 

with a concentration in Spanish Language Communications,

and now works for a Public Accounting Firm.

She has also met the love of her life, 

Soul,

 and I've never seen her so happy and content.

Recently she caught up with me again and brought Soul to my Tues. Nite art class

so I could be introduced.

The both of them are like two peas in a pod,

perfect together.

They told me they love to travel, go car camping and explore the U.S.

Soul works for an Aerospace firm,

 but like Grace has a favorite creative outlet,

 sculpting in wood.

Grace has gotten herself back into knitting

and takes it everywhere she goes.

She just finished the pair of socks above.

And she really thrives on reading difficult knit patterns and figuring them out.

Isn't she just a doll???

Dang I love you Grace!

xoxoxox

Before I wrote this post I asked Grace if it was ok,

and she said yes,

but that I had to tell you all that my classes were her favorites in High School.

Ha ha!

That makes me so happy Grace,

thank you for that.

She also wants everyone to know that knitting has reminded her 

how important it is to create with your hands!!