Report Cards

My report cards were always the same. "Gina is a joy to have in class but she talks to much and disturbs others students from their work". Was it my fault I was a fast worker, leaving time in every class for socializing? Hmmm, I bet that would probably be my report card even now!

I liked school and I even liked most my teachers. Even if their reports made my mom give me the scowling, disappointed face. Now, when I visit schools to talk about my book, "If We Hopped on Our Bike..." I see myself in every class. I have visited 6th grade down to pre-school and there I am every time. The eager hand in the air, asking questions when the speaker is in the middle of a sentence ( sigh....I still do that). Some kids raise their hands only to be struck with shyness the moment my attention turns to them. Yeah, I NEVER had that problem. When I ask for a volunteer there is a mini version of me snapping her arm out of the socket to get picked. How some things never change.

I had a great time visiting Scenic Park schools. The above picture shows the awesome art they created for me as a thank you. All the students traced their hands with their names on a giant thank you card. I even got a group hug before I left. It was great.

I hope to visit more schools next season. I always enjoy myself, always learn something and always leave with better ideas of how my next presentation should be. The best part? I am always expected to talk in class.

Stuck

I feel like this puppy. Stuck. I have a show in a few months. I had several ideas I was anxious to work on. They all seem to be reluctant to become brilliant. I have tweaked and sketched and consulted and whimpered and begged.....but nothing.

Artist block isn't new to me. I have experienced it before and probably under the same deadline situation. But now it seems worse! I go to bed every night hoping I will be struck instead of stuck. I am trying to keep the panic at bay while I gather my creative cells and throw them a party. But now they all seem to be hung over and disinterested in my plight! How dare they, I even gave them cheese doodles.

During these times my studio changes from being a haven to a torture chamber. Every tool seems to be rolling their eyes at me. "PLLLLeeeease, that's the best you can do?" Didn't they use to love me?

I will carry on. Hunched and pathetic I will endure the insults while waiting for my creative cells to get their act together. Until then, more cheese doodles.

Wild Ride

Have you ever seen the Blue Man Group? I have been thinking for a few days what I should say about the concert we went to on Tuesday. On the way home I asked my husband how he would explain the show. He was a little speechless as well.

I guess I would call it a great, funny rock/percussion concert that was amazingly creative. During the segment shown above, they take a canvas and place it over the drum as it is being played. The splashing colors create an original piece of art. They do this again with dye filled marshmallows spitting the color out of their mouth and onto a canvas.

Later in the evening they take someone from the audience, dress them in a full jumpsuit, paint them, hang them from their ankles and swing them into a canvas. No, I am not kidding. Oh, they did put a helmet on them. You know, safety first.

The really cool thing is that the art was given to people in the audience. Think of how much people who had seen the show would pay for a piece of the art. But they all make it part of the fun. And it was really, really fun.

If you get a chance to see them perform you are in for an amazing ride. I came home feeling creatively recharged. Hmmm, if I only I had a jump suit, a helmet, a pulley and......hey Steve?