It's Official...I'm a DIT!

DIT
...it stands not for Ditzy

...however there are those days

...it really stands for

Docent In Training

Yesterday, 2007.08.29, was the first day of my docent training for the de Saisset museum on the campus of Santa Clara University.

I had such a great time. This first training key point was...

What is a Museum?

Karen, the Assistent Director for Exhibitions, Education, and Community Outreach

explained museums as three-fold including

Collections

(storing and preserving artifacts)

Exhibitions
(showing both permanent and traveling collections)

Education Interpretations
(all the interactive aspects such as tours, docents, activities, community outreach)

We went on a behind the scenes tour of the museum.

Do you know what a "Preparator" is?

Well I met one named Ernest.

("One who prepares specimens or exhibits for scientific study or display, as in a museum.")

This person's job entails everything included in setting up displays for the exhibits,

from installing the art work, painting the walls to security displays to building platforms.

Jean, the Collections Manger, showed us around her work area. They have moving walls and racks where all the artifacts are stored. She is concerned with everything from pests, temperature, earthquakes, fires, loaning out materials and organization.

I have homework to get to for next week

....read the book, "The Ohlone Way", and chapters 1 and 2 of "Telling the Santa Clara Story"

The tour we give will include the Santa Clara Mission located on the campus. It is all about ART-HISTORY-KIDS

Next week....a history tour of the campus and learn about the Archeology Lab!

World Wide Sketch Crawl #15

LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA

I decided to try something new. On Saturday, August 25th I joined in a

World Wide Sketch Crawl.

What is this?

It is a day devoted to sketching in new places. Through seeing it posted on the web with a community of artists, I thought I might want to join in somehow, but on my own level. I suggested to Amy at CMP that this could be something other listeners might want to join in on.

So...it was a slow start for me. Finally the day was clear for me to be free (didn't know my schedule due to soccer confusion), however I was going to have to go it alone. What a procrastination bug I had...my dh had to almost boot me out the door because I was dawdling around feeling uncomfortable for some inane reason or another.

I finally get going, with enough supplies to paint a town! I convinced myself that I needed to stop by Longs Drug Store because I needed a pair of sunglasses (yet another silly dawdling ploy). While I was there, I just picked up a few needed items. See below in my car trunk the TP! Aye-yie-yie!

(Oh yes I decided to document the day no matter what happened!)

You take this bridge over the freeway to get to Forbes Mill, my first stop. I forgot it is decorated with children's art murals. Fun to see and notice on my sketchcrawl day!

This sign should have clued me into the traffic I was about to see on such a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. As you can see on my sketch page below, many people were enjoying the day in the best kinds of ways.

STOP #1: FORBES MILL
Here I am with (I took pictures of myself too) my new sketchbook planner. There wasn't a great place to sit with a view I wanted to sketch, so I sat on a curb in the shade in the parking lot.

Needless to say...when I got up....yee-ouch!

Here is what I completed in about 40 minutes. I decided to make 3 stops in the time I had, so I needed to keep moving on. This is an 8.5" x 11" sheet of watercolor paper.

(you can click on the photos here to see a larger version)

Later the next day I added the watercolors at home. I just didn't have enough time while sketching. I just had the best time and felt totally comfortable. Something I hadn't expected at all. These spots I found were historical, beautiful, and I easily found things I wanted to sketch. Do you think in 1854 there were people stopping to sit down and make a cell phone call, or jogging with their children in a stroller, not to mention the bike riders speeding by.

I can imagine an elderly woman trying to get some much needed fresh air and exercise.

I can imagine families walking and talking together.

I can imagine dogs.

STOP # 2: LOS GATOS HIGH SCHOOL

WOW...

I have driven by this school.

I have even taken a class in an adjoining building.

But not until you stop and stare, take pictures, evaluate what you like or want to draw do you notice the details and beauty of something!

This is what I love about Art!

Did I luck out or what....great spot to sketch!

Great benches in front of the school - no problem finding

a comfy spot this time for another 40 minutes.

Oooohhh....the Yarn Shop wasn't open until noon....I could have dawdled in there, but by now I was on a sketchcrawl ROLL...no time for dawdling!

STOP #3: OLD TOWN LOS GATOSAnother great shady bench and more fun to draw

....all in all it was shaping up to be a

terrific time!

Yippee!

I'm Looking Forward To

My Next Sketchcrawl Adventure!

Beginning of School + New Calendar System = ?

My New Planner/Sketchbook

Here is my new planner/sketchbook. I seem to get the bug to get reorganized as the beginning of school comes around. I know...what is this doing on an Art Journal Blog????

Painted Lady

(This is an 3 ring binder 8.5 " x 11" with a clear pocket front. I just happen to have an old assignment for a collage I did for my painting class at West Valley that I tucked in the front cover. It suits me well!)

Well....it hit me the other day after seeing Jana Bouc's homemade sketchbook and then someone else who keeps their sketch pages in a 3 ring binder

- PLUS -

my DH wanted us all to switch to the Google computer calenders to share with each other

- PLUS -

the beginning of school urge to reorganize...

- EQUALS -

VOILA...a new planner and sketchbook combined!

This solves some of my problems. First I still need to have a place to write lists upon lists! I loved my old calender by Amy Knapp's Family Organizer. It had the best system for me a stay at home mom. I just made it larger and with a few added bonuses. However it doesn't come in a larger size like this...which I decided would work better with a printed out calendar from our online Google Calender. (I know Why bother if it is online...WELL...I like to plan things months ahead of time and these stupid online things just don't view well in a monthly format when you are away from a computer monitor)

You see on the LEFT SIDE is a grocery list that you can tear off and take with you - Amy Knapp's was better because it was perforated. I have upgraded it with having categories in color, to put my lists in.

1. Bread
2. Dairy
3. Meats
4. Canned Goods/ Dry Goods
5. Other Errands (eg. Post Office)
6. Other Stores (eg. Returns to Target)

Also on the LEFT SIDE is a To Do Section... again upgraded to color categorized!

1. Phone Calls
2. School Stuff
3. Computer To dos
4. To do (eg. prune roses)

Now on the RIGHT SIDE is my Weekly Reminder attached to a Menu Planner.

Totally helps plan meals with everyone going and coming and I need to cook healthy...I just love having a plan for meals. It seems to cut my work load down.

...AND NOW FOR THE ART PART!!!

Here is where it gets fun and should be on my Art Journal Blog.

Above (ON THE RIGHT SIDE) is the section where I can put in my sketch pages.

I just cut up a sheet of my favorite watercolor paper and punch it with a 3 ring hole punch...easy have all that. I then only put in 3 or 4 sheets. I can take them out and work on them and then when done, I will transfer to a Sketchbook Binder to save. This way I just carry around one binder for planning and sketching...wherever I go.

Above (ON THE LEFT SIDE) is a plastic sleeve...I just love plastic sleeves! Anyways I can put inspirational things if I want. I have my Mosaic Collage of my Interior of my house and My Gardens. This was made in response to the Creative Mom Podcast a while ago. Now I can look at it anytime!

...Now More ART!

These are my ATC's...that stands for Artist Trading Cards.

This is something again inspired and run by the Creative Mom Podcast (CMP)

...Thanks Amy (Different Amy)!

Each month since February of 2007 I have made a 2.5" x 3" card with a theme and then I trade mine with someone else from the CMP listeners. I've sent mine to Germany, Florida, Ohio, San Francisco...and more.

In return I get a little bit of art from a fellow CMP participant.

Below is my baseball plastic sleeve card holder in my planner now....Yippee...I enjoy looking at them. I've also decided to keep the one I'm working on for the month safely tucked away here too. The top left pocket is what I'm working on for August...the theme is JOURNEY.Sometimes I make an extra one I've kept a few like The "TREASURES" one above is Dale and Anthony reading the Pirates book I did a painting of in West Valley. Below in the center is one I did of Nick called "Midsummer's Night Dream". Other than that they are from other artists.

If you read all this....my DH thinks you're nuts.

And Now On To Other Matters!

HikinSketchers!

HikinSketchers!

We had our first outing to Vasona Lake .

My idea is to combine two activities, art and exercise, which I had decided to focus on when I started my blog. I wrote about them back in February in my entry called "Art and Exercise". So here is one attempt to make these two come together.

Here are the sketchbook entries I did on our first outing. Some are good, others not so...but the point is to get out and do it! You never know when a good idea will come up from getting out there and trying. So I will be posting other days when I get out there and...

HikinSketch!

Hopefully it will catch on and become more regular and I can hook a few more sketchin' / hikin' friends to join me.