The Masses have Spoken

 

There are many reasons doing art shows is SO fun.  First, your only job for that period of time is to talk about your art.  Blather on in creative speak bliss while the visitor's eye glaze a bit.  It's great.  The second fantastic thing is seeing people's reaction to your work.  Now I have to be honest, this doesn't always go like you want it to.

 

People don't know it but within an instant of time I can tell what level of 'like' a person might have for a particular painting.  You think you can hide your MEH face but I see it a mile away!!  A smile, golden.  A lingering pause, fireworks.  Bring someone over to take a look with you and I do my internal happy dance.

 

But one thing that always impresses me and makes me a better artist is peoples ideas, suggestions and comments.  Greve in space, that idea came from an 8 year old.   So when my customers come up to me and tilt their head, ready to share I listen.  I see them worried about my reception of their comments but inside I can't wait to hear what they have to say.

 

This image idea is courtesy of Lucy, a fellow cycling chick. "Where are the girls?" she asked as she was thumbing through my notecards.  I thought, "Yeah Gina, where ARE the girls?"  Sure, Greve is the bomb but girls love bikes too.  Into the studio I went.  Lucy approved all four images I created and soon they will be in 4x6 notecards.

 

I love to hear customers thoughts.  Some are bizarre and a few bruise my ego a bit but that's what makes me better.  Lucy had a few other suggestions. "Is there a girl Greve?"  Stay posted! 

 

 

 

The Simple Things

 

 

Everyone should have a dog.  Well, okay not everyone. I have a few friends who, in MY opinion, neglect their four legged companions.  Neglect in the sense that they don't walk, run and play them regularly.  But if you want to lose weight, get a dog.  Suffer from SAD, a dog will cure you.  Feel you don't live in the moment, let a dog show you the way.

I have a Treeing Walker Coonhound. She's from the blood hound family and they are VERY athletic and energetic dogs.  I will again emphasize the VERY. Pouring rain? Onto my bike I hop for a 5 miles loop.   -20 degrees?  We go for a ski.   Oh yes, there is grumbling from me but I picked this breed for this exact reason.  Everyday I will take time out, no matter how full the schedule to exercise my dog and myself.

We all know our lives are too manic.  Too much electronic media and distractions.  We all love it and hate it.  And even though I am not any where near 'addicted' my 'puppy time' lets me unplug and do some mental house cleaning.  Often inspiration hits!

Today is a full day and so the dog gets only a neighborhood walk.  Along the way I saw this twig laying on the ground.  It looked like a mini tree.  It needs a swing.  With a little girl.

I won't pay any bills with this little watercolor but I thoroughly enjoyed creating it.  It made me wonder what other natural things I could incorporate into art.  It was a short walk by our normal standards but yet I still found a little inspiration.  Take a walk, you never know what's waiting.

A bird, an Italian and a Midwest girl

 

 

They say you can learn a lot about an artist by looking at his work. Hmmmm, I painted a chicken riding a fish yesterday.  That could frighten Freud.

But I have been told that people see me in Signore Greve.  One client even told me him and I have the same posture.  True story.  Hey, my grandpa was a D.O. slouching was never an option!  And it is true that I wore a scarf, the same scarf, in my school photos from 4th-6th grade.  ( it really needed to be retired after 5th grade)  So clearly Greve and I are of the same tribe.

 

I think Huey is the person I really want to be.  Confident in himself with awkwardness and all.  Not everyone gets him and that's okay.  It's funny, in high school I don't remember trying to 'fit'.  Somewhere in my young adulthood I became more concerned with my alternative sights on the universe.  Now in middle age I find myself content in my alternative sights.

 

 

Greve and Huey are both travelers which is a clear insertion of one of my loves. I guess it is true.  It's impossible to create something from yourself without having it be a piece of you.  It's fun having an illustrated alteration of myself.  As for the chicken on the fish....I'll leave that to Freud.

#2 Pencil

This is a little sketch I did for an artist friend that I was texting.  The story behind the sketch doesn't really matter but what is important is what this sketch began.

For years I have tried to become better with the pencil.  Drawing isn't my strong skill which is kind of crazy.  I mean, I can scribble out an idea for a painting but it really doesn't come to life until I touch it with a paint brush.  Imagine if an artistic license was like a driver's license...I would fail the written test! 

My high school art teacher required 10 sketches a week.  They could be of any subject but they needed to be a full sheet of paper.  Any subject??  What kind of monster was this woman???  I would stare at my blank sheet, I would walk past my dog, our gardens, the giant towering oak trees and out into the fields of the Midwest stumped at what to draw.  I mean there was nothing!

Okay, I admit, I look back and think, good heavens why did that seem like such a chore.  I shake my head at my younger self and open my sketch book.  I walk past my dog, my garden, the gangly spruce trees and out into the mountains stumped at what to draw.  Come on, we live in Alaska.  There is NOTHING to draw!

Don't think the ridiculousness of all this doesn't make me insane.  But I don't seem to have a mind for drawing.  I'm only a working artist for pete's sake! 

My little bee has changed me a bit.  Since then I have been sketching quite often.  This artist friend of mine is a great drawer.  He is inspiring me and encouraging me.  It's a simple thing but I know it will make my paintings better.  I don't imagine me packing away my brushes but it would be nice to not have a blank piece of paper haunt me.  Even if that means simply bringing to life a little, fuzzy bug.

Huey Takes Flight

"Huey-Fireweed Song"  12x18

 

This is Huey!  Some of you may have seen Huey fliting about.  He is a new character I have been developing.  How do you develop a character?  Good question.

 

When I first painted Signore Greve I really had no bigger plan than to paint a fun picture of an Italian man with his dog on a bike.  Really, that was it.  One painting became five, become 20 became a book.  It was awesome!  Through no real plan of my own Greve took on his own life.  It was as if HE developed his own personality.

 

Wanting a piece of art for my bathroom I painted a cute little singing bird.  Man, that bird is cute so  I painted him again and named him Huey. (obvious name choice)  It sold.  Hmmmm, I could be on to something.  I painted three more, they too found homes.  Recently, Huey with a fox ( see post June 4th, What's the Password) was presented at the illustrators show at Blue-Hollomon gallery. What a great opportunity to get some feedback.   It sold!

 

So the answer to the above question is that I don't really know how to develop a character.  I am going to go with what I know.  Keep creating Huey.  Sketch him here and there.  Paint him here and there and slowly he will tell me more about who he is.  The cool thing is often a sketch won't come together and you realize it's because that's something the character just wouldn't do, a place they just wouldn't be.  I know, I know it sounds silly but it's true.

 

Like my journey with Greve I am now enjoying the great part of it all.  Pick up my pencil and brushes and see where Huey takes me.

Copy Cats

Wasn't Freud who said we all suffer from the delusion of originality.  I would  like to think I am special and different, unlike any other.  But we can almost always find someone who share our quirks and preferences.  Maybe not the entire package but close.

 

As an artist feeling original is HUGE. Being special with your craft is what makes us go into the studio everyday.  When someone says they love our work and ooze with a genuine energy we glow feeling that we did something no one else can.

 

This is a painting I did several years ago after a bike trip through Portugal.  We loved watching the fisherman bring in the nets in the mornings and sorting through their catch.  That delicious bounty would most certainly be lunch and dinner in the little fishing village where we had rented a room.  I wanted to capture that moment.  Fish in a net aren't pretty so I was happy when I came up with this composition.  Original don't you think?

What is this????  I walk into a furniture shop this week and I hear my husband gasp. I turn around a see this pottery. I know!  They totally copied my work!  Wait, that is unlikely.  I am pretty small potatoes in the art world.  I am actually just a potato eye lying on the barn floor.  So it's almost worse, my idea wasn't original at all!  I mean look how close it matches!  Is it possible that some potter who mass produces designs for furniture stores saw my work on line and copied it.  Again, unlikely but I want it to be true.

Sorry Freud, I want to keep thinking that I am original.  I know my doppelganger is out there with her pointy nose and big hair.  But I will ignore her if we pass on the street.  I can't explain this pottery or the origin of the design but I do plan on continuing my delusion of originality.

The New Family Portrait

I love this new movement!  Remember when the family portrait was an awkward photo at Sears Portrait studio?  Your mom would pick out your clothes and style your hair in a way you never wore it except for family pictures?  Those days are a thing of the past!

 

Here are some examples of family portraits I have been asked to paint.  The above piece is placed in Homer.  A four person bike? Not a problem in the world of Gina Art.  I can include the kids favorite outfit and of course, the furry family members.  I really enjoyed figuring out the bike on this piece.  Would you believe there are four person bikes on Google?  I never tire of painting Alaska.

This client wanted to always remember the beauty of the Chugach.  She has since moved out of state and sadly one of her 'family' members has died. But she will always have this piece of art to remind her of fun summer days with her four legged companions playing in the mountains.  I grew up with a Harlequin Great Dane and I love these big dogs.  I was thrilled to paint them.

 .

Amsterdam was the location of this portrait.  After an awesome trip to Europe the husband decided to create a gift portrait for his wife to always remember the great time they had.  The nice thing about my portraits is animals can be transported without boarding a plane! I really enjoy painting buildings.  Have just visited Amsterdam last fall it was nice to reminisce while I worked.

Life is fun.  What's better than capturing your moment of bliss in a family portrait.  Sure the chin resting on the fist is a classic pose.  The gel slicked hair had it's moment. But this is 2013!  Make sure your next family portrait makes you smile every time you see it.  Even 10 years from now.

What's the password?

"Pop In Visitor"

 

I recently joined the Society of Children's book Writer's and Illustrators.  I was sure I could learn some things and they offered some seminars and shows that I thought could do me some good.  I received an official membership card and a huge book with lots of tiny words and listings I haven't given much attention.

 

I also received a cool brochure called The Bulletin.  Lots of good stuff in here. Great art. Wow, I mean lots and lots of stuff that I HAVEN'T A CLUE ABOUT!  Did you know children's book illustrators should do practice sessions with character diving?  Me neither.  But my rock throwing exercises?  Ummm, non-existent.  I'm a fraud!

 

I must tell you that they recruited me!  I was approached at a show by this charming woman who left me with materials.  Didn't she know I have never done character emotional explosions. Couldn't she see I am a loser when it comes to extreme drawing.

 

Seriously, I was waiting for a knock at the door.  Men in trench coats would enter and remove all my pencils, brushes, markers and GULP my scissors!  They would rip my 'creative license' to shreds and leave me with a job application for Wal-Mart greeter.

 

Get it together Gina!  You have two children's books with one in it's second printing.  You are selling books in four states.  You have a MEMBERSHIP CARD.  They can't touch you.

 

Gee, look at the time.  I gotta go.  It's not like I am letting this brochure intimated me or anything.  You know, it's just that I need to do a text challenge with 100 words I love.

Until we meet again...

 

This is the newest creation off my easel titled, "Private Showing". 

 

 

What a weekend uh?  It was Alaska hot and we were all good and ready for it.  I enjoyed it, don't get me wrong.  My book and I were snuggled nicely in the hammock as the sun beamed down.  But still...

 

Okay, no don't be a hater but there is always a twinge of sadness when the snow begins to melt.  I love winter!  The quiet, the safety in the woods, the colors of blinding white with crisp blue sky.  But what can I do.  If I had been standing in a line for tea on May 18th when the giant, gorgeous flakes were tumbling down I would have kept me joy to myself!  Can you image the scuffle if I smiled brightly and said, " Isn't it beautiful?" Ugly, nothing but ugly.

 

Summer lovers have a hard go of it here.  I understand how itchy it is for them when the snow continues to fall in May.  But must I squelch my love for the last snow flake?  What's an artist to do? I painted snow and ice.  The polar bear and I commiserated over the demise of winter.  No more Northern Lights, no more hot chocolate by the fire.  No more brilliant days of skiing.  I get it, it's over for now.

 

I do love the heat from the sun it's true.  I will now hike with bear spray and slather myself with sun block.  Mosquitos will seek to kill when I walk in the woods and I will be happy. But there is still one tenacious pile of snow in my woods.  If you'll excuse me it's time to go and cheer it on.

Packing Their Bags

There really is only so many times you can hear the word "NO" before it starts to wear on you.  Sure,  you give yourself pep talks and remember all the hard luck to fame stories you know.  You picture yourself on Oprah telling your inspiring story of perseverance.  The audience tilts their head in admiration and determines to never give up themselves.  Then reality gives you a right hook.

Having family in Colorado makes it a perfect location for Signore Greve and Celli. Not to mention there is a lot of love of bikes in that part of the world.  And COME ON, who can say no to Celli's adorable face?

Lots of people that's who!  I had a long list of potential bike shops and books stores who I was willing to let carry my books.  But the 'no thank you' pile was high and my self esteem and confidence was but a mere flicker. 

And then I called Dave at Treads Bike shop.  "We don't do well with books."  Yes, this one I had heard many times.  " I know that is true of most bike shops but I have a formula for selling at shops that works!"  (smiling my brightest and most persuasive smile through the phone).  There was more back and forth before he agreed to take a look at my digital portfolio with a sigh.  I hung up grateful but not hopeful.  That night Dave wrote me with an email that started with the words.  "Okay,  I'm in." (cue the inspirational music).  There was the happy dance, the kisses blown from Alaska to Dave in Colorado and I even patted my self on the back for not giving up.

So if your in Denver and you want to check out a cool bike shop, stop into the one of four location of Treads.  Greve and Celli will be smiling from the counter.  Now I dream of an email that Dave sends that has the subject line, "Re-order for books".  Cue the inspirational music.

CODE WHITE!!

 

That's right, it is code white in my house.  The most dreaded, horrifying code of all.  The code that drives me to the brink of insanity, changes my habits into an obsession of cleaning.  It's Spring and the dog is shedding.

Now you just chuckled to yourself thinking, " Sure, my dog is shedding too."  NO! You don't UNDERSTAND!  You have a normal, average dog.  The kind that drop some hairs when the weather warms.  The kind that after a few brushings return to their happy, wagging selves.

Ginzee walks around with a halo of white, shimmering in our brilliant, returning sun.  When she shakes in the sunlight you gasp at the cloud of dander and hair that shoot out of her body.  When she wakes up after a nap Steve and I jump up with excited voices convincing her she MUST go outside this minute. (Waking up always equals a good hardy shake.) She groggily stumbles out the door with wild eyes and lets out a full alert hound dog bay.  Sorry neighbors but this is an emergency, she's shedding!

Still not ready to give me the gold medal for shedding dogs?  Well hold on to your lint brush.  Treeing Walker Coon hounds have a double coat.  Yep, take your dogs fur and double it.  She has so many hair per square inch you can't separate her coat and see her skin.  Yes, I live with a 50 pound shedding sea otter.

My vacuum becomes my best friend, I convince the dog to spend her day on the deck.  I increase the budget to include a constant supply of sticky tape lint brushes.  When she starts to shake I block my wet paintings with my body. There is nothing to do but wait it out.  Clearly, Spring is in the hair.

Macaroni and Paper Mache

 

 

And now introducing.......MRS. EDWARDS!  The kids go wild!  They sit on the edge of their seats, they oooooo and ahhhhhhhh whenever I show a sample of my work.  They gaze up seeing me as a rock star of the art world.  I beam, basking in their appreciation.  And then...

If it had been a concert the lighters would have started to flicker off and the sing-a-long voices would have started to fade.  Even though I had planned well for my classroom visit in Wasilla the kids were struggling. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?  I had really made sure the project would match their age group ability and yet clearly they were struggling.

Every class I adjusted and even though things improved the big 'TA-DA look what you just created!' moment was missing.  I was relieved when lunch arrived.  I needed to new plan and FAST!  While munching and pondering I started chatting with a local teacher.  I expressed my frustration.  "We have no art classes here" she said. "The simplest concept of line and shape these kids don't get, they haven't been taught." Please insert your horrified gasp here. GASP! No art classes?  Are you serious?

I was a creative kid and having a brother 2 years older than me was beneficial.  I knew what big art projects were in my future classes. I couldn't WAIT for 4th grade where we got to design with markers a real, live plastic dinner plate.  You could even put it in the dishwasher!  Or the metal project where we got to tap in a design into tin.  ( I knew for a year mine was going to be Snoopy)  There was the wood shop project where we got be make a recipe card holder.  (To this day my mom is still using the holder my brother made). I can not imagine not having art in school.  Every year I looked forward to all the little and especially the big projects.

I quickly got busy.  These kids would have their TA-DA moment.  Poor art-less babies, what has this world come to?  Imagine if I had no Mrs. Roslanic to encourage, counsel and eye roll at me through my high school years.  Would I have pursued art?

Well, I did it.  I came up with a project that the last two classes loved.  The room became filled with, "Mrs. Edwards, look at mine!"  Ahhhhh, music to my ears.

I know money is tight and there are constant budget wars and conflicts.  But a world without macaroni art?  None of us want that to happen. 

When Pigs Fly

I love birds.  I grew up with parakeets and even had a lovebird named Spooner.  I love painting birds and watching birds.  And I love feeding birds.

I have a feeder that hangs outside my studio window.  Here I am working away and a whole other world of bird hierarchy, chirps and flapping goes on outside.  It's quite wonderful really until 'IT' happens.

When the feeder empties things get ugly.  The peeps take on a tone of " HEY lady....get out here!"  They stare at me through the glass.  They gather like some bizarre feathered gang on the spruce branches.  Occasionally one will thump the glass.  A  miscalculation of flight?  I don't think so!

Now understand these are flying pigs I am talking about.  They don't seem to be suffering from any leanness brought on from the long winter.  I have red polls that I think could take out a raven!  And look here BIRDS, your food costs money!  Not to mention the knee deep snow I need to tromp through to get to the feeder!

Yes, they always win.  The feeder will be restocked and a chickadee will flit to the feeder all adorable with a sweet little cock of it's black and white head and I am cooing my love all over again.

Bird feeding season is brief here in Alaska.  In one minute a bird feeder becomes a bear feeder.  In just a few weeks the feeders will be tucked away for the summer. No one wants a bear to see you as an outdoor café.  Can you imagine?  I can barely hold my own with a nuthatch!

I play for a living

Ah commiseration.  It bonds us, allows us to vent and to know we aren't the only ones with this struggle to endure.  I use to have a job where I could join the gripe fest.  Sales meetings with no apparent purpose or end.  Fabric covered walls that did nothing to drown out your yakking co-worker.  The microwave with a patina of blown up soup, salmon and peas.  I remember it all well.

I no longer have a corporate job with all the hair tearing out moments.  There isn't a day that goes by when I don't breathe a contented sigh at my job as an artist.  It's awesome, honestly and I am so grateful for it.  I just can't talk about it.

I might ask a friend, "How was your day?"  Then the low lights are discussed and I nod and shake my head in disgust at the appropriate moments.  Do they then ask me about my day?  Nope.  If I try to tell them about my delicious morning ski, my current painting on my easel, the fun conversation with a client I get stink eye.  Stink eye alone would be fine but then the mocking ensues. 

My husband, whose support and willingness to live on a little less makes my career possible, is just as bad.  I have many text messages that say, "I love and hate you."  Usually this is in reference to my lunch time hike or sun filled studio.  I mean such oppression!  Who can be creative when your friends and family are plotting your demise.  Is it my fault I have the world's best job? 

Wait....did you just roll your eyes at me? 

Pay ATTENTION!

"She broke up with me.  She said I was too attentive...whatever that means"

 

For a while I thought my name was Pay Attention.  It has taken years of hard work to be more focused and in the moment. 

My first moment that I can recall of zoning out was in kindergarten.  We were given a piece of paper with a line on it about 3 inches from the bottom.  The instructions were NOT to draw beyond the line.  I never heard the teacher. I was thinking, "What is this pesky line doing here and how can I incorporate it into the drawing."

I ripped my side mirror off my car when I was in college.  Should have paid attention to the garage door opening.  And just recently I broke our bedroom door when I walked right into it while looking the other way.  I didn't say my focus wasn't a work in progress.

Recently I was invited to a conference for teachers from around Alaska.  There was about 400 people present and I was invited to sell my books during the lunch break.  There were awards given for teachers who have went above and beyond typical duties.  The sad thing....no one was paying attention.

There stood a woman who had spent a lot of time determining who was worthy of the award, who should receive it.  She prepared a beautiful speech highlighting the qualities of each recipient but no one really heard her.  It was sad. 

Let's make a pact to pay attention to each other.  No, texting while driving doesn't count!  When someone is talking to you look at them.  Not at your phone, or over their shoulder to see it anyone more interesting is coming along.  Just look them in the eye and listen.  We live in a world full of distractions.  We could all use a bit more practice in paying attention.

Puppies and kittens.  Just the words make me want to giggle.  We can't get enough of them.  I hate to be the predictable cooer whenever a puppies or kitten crossed my path but I can't help it!  But now cooing is always at your finger tips.  Welcome youtube!

I am not an Internet surfer.  I am not patient enough and honestly most my friends keep me smiling with kitty videos ( have you seen Simon's cat?) and dog videos (have you seen 'bacon flavor'?).  They send them on to me through my email.  No, there are no cats and dogs on my youtube history but I do have a weakness.

I could watch artist's video blogs for hours.  I only discovered this recently and I am looking forward to the next time I am down with a cold.  I can't wait curl up in bed with my hound dog at my feet and my cat at my side burning up hour after hour of watching someone else draw.  You don't even have to be that good for me to commit!  Sometimes I watch it and say, " No! leave it!!  Don't add the silly babble!"  I've watched artist sneeze on their art, drag their sleeve through paint and stick paper to themselves.  Ahhhh, my people.

Next time you're surfing around the web type in artist's blogs.  There is some great stuff out there that may give you a shot of inspiration.  Cough, sniffle....hmmm, I may be coming down with something.

Art in Life

It's true.  It is just the size of a shed in a trailer court.  But you see it don't you?  It's one of those great moments where your truckin along through your day and something just makes you stop and laugh out loud.  You don't see it?  Here, I'll help.

BONJOUR!  Okay, I know I stereotyped him just a bit but the shed was wearing a beret!  When were in France we again and again passed French carrying their fresh baguette still warm from the bakery.  I almost wish this shed was in a route I regularly took.  You know I would shout back a 'bonjour' when ever I passed.

Don't miss your 'art in life' moments.  They're all around.  I will bring you another one in a couple days.  It's amazing what you can see in a potato.

What's wrong with this picture?

There is lots of bad information floating around in this world.  No, ostriches don't stick their heads in the sand.  What doesn't kill you DOESN'T make you stronger it just makes you scarred and traumatized. And most importantly 40 is not the NEW 30 it is just plain 40.

If any Alaskan travels outside the state they get asked bizarre questions based on bad information.  Do you travel by dogsled?  ( that is an actual repeated again and again question) or one of the most annoying, do you know Sarah Palin?  Well of course.  All 660,000 Alaskans get together for family dinner once a year.  I always make my famous mashed sweet potatoes.  Sheesh.

Getting a book published is challenging and that is a fact I think all people know.  But recently I saw something that stopped me in my tracks.  Here was a book on how to draw animals and featured prominently on the cover was a black bear.  Now, I must pause here to empathise that this artist found a publisher that said, " Wow, you're good!" and shelled out money and effort to promote his book.  Are you ready?  Here is the bear.

 

What's that?  He looks like a moose from the chest down?  EXACTLY!  Has this artist even seen a black bear?  I don't mean in real life but even a photo?  Here let me help.

 

 

One of the charming things about the bear is that they walk with a serious pigeon toe gait.  One of the scary things about a bear is that they are fast, fuzzy tanks.  It's the stocky build coming at you that causes you to panic.

I don't mean to pick on this artist.  I always try to do my research before I paint an animal but I am sure I have misdrawn a beak, paw or snout along the way.  But let's not add to Alaska's misconceptions.  There is very little risk of a bear silhouette being confused with a moose. Yes, we use the U.S. dollar as our currency,  English is our language and we don't kiss by rubbing noses.  I hope that helps clear up some strange ideas floating around out there. Now, I gotta run, my dog sled is double parked.

There's always a heckler

 

Hecklers don't come much better than the cranky old men in the opera box on the Muppets. Their names are Waldorf and Statler. 

 Here is a quote with a little Alaska humor : 

 Statler: "Why did they want the igloo?"

Waldorf: "I don't know.  Maybe someone broke their ig."  Great stuff.

 

When I do school programs the teacher will often give me a heads up if a difficult student is in the class.  I understand their motive.  They know how to keep the student engaged, to not be rattled by his or her shout outs.  The thing is they don't need to warn me.  You see, I myself was a heckler.

 

My mom sent me some old school papers a while back.  This is an actual comment from Mrs. Main who I believe was my 3 grade teacher.  "Gina usually works without disturbing others."  Well, Mrs. Main was being nice, she was one of my favorite teachers, because I excelled at disturbing others.  Why concentrate on your reading exercise when I can show you a picture I just drew of a giraffe!

 

This patterned continued as I progressed through school.  Mrs. Larsen just laid it out by saying,"Gina visits too much and disturbs others by chatter."  CHATTER??!!  You mean brilliant epiphanies generously shared.   Another teacher said I had trouble handling leisure time.  Trouble?  I know for a fact I was rocking my leisure time.  I would start a comic strip and hand it to whoever would be willing to draw the next panel.  Trouble....please.

 

I imagine my mother let out large sighs while reading my report cards.  She knew she had a high energy kid.  That's right, not disruptive or chattery but as the great Mr. Goegde said," Gina is enthusiastic".  Ahhh,my hero.