Pin(ch) me because I must be dreaming!

Three or so years ago when I started this blog it was largely because I wanted to fill a niche that didn't even seem as if it existed in the first place. While there was an abundance of elementary and middle school art education blogs, it seemed like there were few (if any at all) blogs that specifically focused on high school art education! This sort of things made it very difficult for me - a just starting out high school art teacher - because, well... I felt like I was venturing into unknown territory with no metric or wisdom to draw from in order to be able to tell if/what I was doing right or terribly wrong.

Times have so changed though because this blog has been established and reasonably maintained (save for a few brief sabbaticals and interludes) to the point where my blog analytics regularly indicate that I average well over 100 hits per day for some of what I have shared here. One of the biggest drivers of hits is coming from pinterest. Check out this screenshot of all of the things that have been pinned from my blog...

I cannot tell you all how much it delights me to see that the things that I do in my classroom and then share online are things that are being carried out and about in order to serve as inspiration and instruction not only on the high school level but in other ways as well - at community art centers, in other grade levels, at the college level for beginning teachers. My blog analytics have regularly reflect that not only do my site visitors come from international locations but also places such as universities and board of education servers. I KNOW this means that I am connecting with other visual art professionals and that is just amazing to me.

From the beginning my goal has never been to be a professional blogger and have this be the way that it would happen. I don't blog to get rich or to be noteworthy and I have only wanted to share and be an active member of the art education and professional visual artist communities.  While I know I still have a long ways to go with this blog, I am feeling so encouraged every day as I tangible evidence that the blog is growing and reaching more people every single day.

Thank you ALL OF YOU who visit and give me hits to this site because it really affirms me and what I have sought to do from the very beginning. While I believe that I probably won't win any huge awards or be majorly recognized in any way because of how and what I do here, it's enough for me to see my blog stats reflect how the blog is growing exponentially.

It's working!!!!!!

I am so pleased to give you an update on the new art gallery within the art gallery at my school.

The students have really taken to it and I visit it every day's end that I have to help manage and monitor its use. So far there has been everything from sharing of works-in-progress from the classes I teach as well as some surprises like things that look like they were done in class or quickly done just to be a part and within the "mix."

Currently I am waiting for a pretty big shipment from Amazon and one of the items in that shipment is sculpey clay and 50 circular magnets of a brand that I found is most high quality to do something like make more magnets for this gallery within the gallery. This endeavor is going to be the first fellowship event for the school's art club. And down the pike for the art club? We also have lots of set painting that will happen, face painting at the October school-wide community Harvest festival, and then monthly afterschool make-and-take gatherings for students to be able to make arts and crafts in a more relaxed type of atmosphere.

It all starts here

Yesterday (last night especially!) was big for me. Not only was it the start of my 32nd year, it was also my first fine art gallery showing EVER.

Months ago I was "networking" to drum up interest in a visual art ministry endeavor I was trying to "hatch" (see here) and I gave a contact card to a person connected with National Community Church here in DC.  Weeks passed and nothing happened with it. It was slightly frustrating but I also took it as a sign from the good Lord that the time for things to happen with it just wasn't now.

Fast forward a few weeks and I get a seemingly random email from someone at NCC asking me if I was interested in participating in gallery night showing with other DC Christian artists. There was an application to fill out and slides to prepare to be approved and it had to be done within 24 hours because that was the deadline. All of those weeks and months of not hearing anything? Well, the answer was out there but it just wasn't meant to be revealed until then. God's orchestration is truly amazigood and ng.

To make a long story just a little longer, I applied and was accepted to the show and last night it happened at Ebenezer's Coffeehouse in NE DC...

My only grievance is that the lighting was terrible on three of my pieces when they had promised to bring in more to correct the situation. *shrug* Live and learn and I'll make sure it won't happen like that again.

The opportunity to show again in this venue was presented to me at the end of the event but I might pass in favor of pursuing a venue that offers a more classically defined gallery environment showing that is a lot more permanent - what I showed yesterday was put up and taken down in only hours.

My dream since I was a little girl has always been to be a real and working fine artist. Last night was a small step in that direction but all great big changes start even with the smallest steps.  Now that I have this under my belt I'm aiming for something bigger. I'll let you know when it happens. Not IF it happens. ;)