Looking for the Yellow Spring...

This past weekend was my birthday so my husband and I took a short vacation to Yellow Springs, Ohio. While it is only 20 miles northeast of Dayton it is miles away in attitude. Yellow Springs is an activist community and has been for years. It is the home of Antioch College, one of the first - if not the first- coed institutions in the US. It was the first college to have a woman as a full professor. It was one of the first colleges to eliminate race as an admission requirement. Antioch, little Antioch in the rural fields of southwest Ohio, was a special place for forward thinking folks. Coretta Scott King, Leonard Nimoy, and Rod Serling graduated from Antioch. One of my favorite novelists, Lawrence Block was a graduate. Louis Sachar is an alum.

In the ensuing years, it hit on hard times and closed about five years ago. However, like a phoenix, it has risen again, due to those activist graduates - alumni - who refused to let the dream die. It reopened and this year welcomed its fourth class since its rebirth. This must tell you something about this unique school and the village where it makes its home.

Yellow Springs is really named for a yellow - today it's more orange - spring that can be found in Glen Helen Nature Preserve, just outside the village proper. We decided to find the yellow spring from which Yellow Springs sprung.

It took us three tries. Three. And we had been given directions. We were starting to feel a little desperate, not to mention a little hot and sticky too. But after the first two tries we just couldn't give up. After all, two well-educated people could surely find a little spring....

Well, we did finally locate the yellow spring. And we have pictures to prove it. Turns out we had been given some slightly faulty directions: just keep turning left. The problem was, the first turn was to the right...

Now, I want to relate this experience to art. Sometimes you have to try more than once. Sometimes you get faulty directions. Sometimes instead of always turning left you need to turn to the right. Then you just might...find the yellow spring.

A day late, a dollar short, upside down and backwards....

That's me, all last week and into this week, which is why I am a day late posting on my blog. Last week I missed an appointment, went to a meeting that wasn't till this week, and misunderstood the date for another. People kept telling me it was the full moon causing all my "confusedness" (to make up a new word).

What was my problem? Too many commitments and not enough organization I think. I simply didn't keep my calendar up to date. I normally juggle teaching at two different schools with working in my studio and I can usually manage it, although I always feel like studio time gets the short deal. That's probably because I would be there every minute of the day if I didn't have other responsibilities.

As it is, I think I need to be forgiving of myself, admit that it was a bad week in terms of keeping it together, and move on. This week is sure to be better!

On another note, I am hanging a show of Prayer Wall collages tomorrow at Harmony Creek Church in Dayton, some new work, some older. If you are in the area after tomorrow, stop in to see!

This Prayer Wall is titled "Light and Life"

I want George Jetson's shower....

     How many of you grew up watching The Jetsons? Meet George Jetson...his boy Elroy...daughter Judy...Jane, his wife!

For those of you who don't know, The Jetsons was a cartoon series featuring a space age family of the future, who lived with all the conveniences we supposedly will have if we ever reach that "space age", including the family housekeeper, Rosie the Robot, and of course, the family dog Astro.

Well, today as I am rushing about trying to get to the gym (I did), starting a load of laundry (I am) and preparing for tonight's teaching (I am almost ready...), I found myself wishing for George Jetson's shower.

When George walked into the shower to prepare for work, he not only got squeaky clean, he emerged with his teeth brushed, his beard shaved, his hair coiffed, and .. he was completely dressed for his day, from head to toe. All this in one fell swoop, and in just minutes! Wouldn't that be just great? I have to admit I kind of resent having to take the time to do all those things - well, I don't have to shave my beard, thank goodness - when I just want to get on with my day, most specifically, get to the studio. It always feels as if getting to that studio to do the work is the hardest thing, and that everything else in life takes up so much time. How many of you agree?

If we just had George's shower...     
         

Lots of Labor - the art kind- on Labor Day

Just a short late evening post for Labor Day. I got lots of studio time today and yesterday which makes me very happy of course! I completed one more strip for my next collage tapestry; I am getting close to putting it together. This will be only the second of this series and I have yet to take full photos of the first tapestry. That first tapestry is still on exhibit at The Architectural Group in downtown Dayton through September 12. Then I will photograph that tapestry and post it for you.

I am also close to finishing a new Prayer Wall collage which will be on display after September 21 at Harmony Creek Church in Kettering, along with others. And, I have been updating my notecards.

More to come...Hope you had a happy Labor Day!