I will be back.....

I am extremely exhausted ....even though I slept until 11:30 this morning. We visited Don at Kendal Health Center for rehab and he is looking better in color than he has in a long time. We stayed for most of the afternoon and then headed over to Chris and Dave's 50TH anniversary family reunion and picnic celebration. It was a hot steamy day but under their trees in the back of the lawn the afternoon breeze kept us fairly comfortable. There is something magical about witnessing the celebration of 50 years ...five decades of dedication to commitment, family and love for one another. They have been remodeling on their wonderful home in the woods ...and the new additions could justify any home improvement magazine. Their bedroom and her studio are breathtaking but the new kitchen defies my words to give you an adequate description. I know wee were very honored to have been included to this close circle of friends and family. I will hold this afternoon in my heart's memory for a very long time. I will share some of the photos of four generations celebrating the marriage of two very young kids some 50 years ago. God Bless you Chris and Dave...you have set a high bar for all of us. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Weathervane Theater ...tonight is Chicago!

It is hot once again and I am staying as cool as possible but I look forward to this evening. I promised to post the rest of the photos from yesterday's Reece's painting experience. I know I am still smiling and hopefully she is also. I worked on the wedding collage "Creation" for the young couple upcoming nuptials on Saturday. i added some glaze with iridescence and silver . I then began working the papers to make a 50TH wedding anniversary card for Saturday. I have been extremely tired and may go into the doctor's office for a blood test to test for mononucleosis's tomorrow morning. I have discovered I was exposed by one of my Family night families. I know how easy it is for me to catch just about anything. So keep me in your prayers until I get the results. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

Tuesday and Wednesday ...filled with grace and my children...

Tuesday began with an early meeting my grandchildren up at Velvet Ice Cream Mill. Four generations of family traditions since 1914 when Grandpa Dager, a Lebanese immigrant (15 years old) arrived in America. His great grand daughter Andre and I serve on the Licking County Convention and Visitors Board for Licking county. They began a family business creating the best ice cream in our whole state...I might be a tiny bit prejudiced because my own girls grew up on their ice cream and visiting the Mill on hot summer afternoons. We went in to visit the open shelter for a demonstration of how their ice cream began as a hand cranked product to the viewing room of modern production of today's favorite flavors. The children enjoyed chasing the resident geese around the grounds...much to the goose's displeasure. We then went to inside for a special lunch before I needed to return to my studio for a lesson with Ian. Ian was prepared and very specific about his desire to create his first painting of George Lucas's Star Wars hero "900 year old Yoda" We worked collaborated in the sketches and I helped him mix his first colors and the two hours just flew by. I am so proud of his intensity and direct focus ...he shared some advice for me to pass on to my grand daughter who is entering middle school this Fall. I was tired but I felt genuinely full of pride in his process and interest.

Tuesday evening we visited with two friends preparing for their upcoming wedding ceremony on 8/2/2011. Tony made a great dinner with delicious farm raised vegetables and some of the best tilapia we have ever had. Then my Ken shared his newest pie recipes for dessert....four berry pie....blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and strawberries....YUM Yum! I came home exhausted and just fell into my bed.

Today I renewed my special friendship with an 8 year old artist Reece. We had worked on collage before to create her "monkey" a few months back. Today she arrived with some special examples of her school art projects and was feeling very brave...she wanted to paint an Ohio landscape. We worked with watercolor pencils to make a sketch ...preliminary sketch to work out colors and composition. Her little stomach was growling so I quickly ordered what every artist needs ...peanut butter and jelly for quick energy and a vanilla milkshake and a few tater tots. We then jumped into creating the sky and skyline...moved to the rural impression of the Ohio farmland ...and finished with beginning perspective and floral details on the fence line and in the framing tree. She was just a s wonderful as you can see from her eyes. I gave her the fixings of her first cardboard portfolio to protect her latest sketches and practice works. Her aunt picked her up and I truly look forward to getting together in the near future in August.

Tonight for Family night we played with Manga cartoons. Simple steps to begin teaching proportions and placement of the human bodies in action. By creating simple cartoons..they children began to really see what make our individuality visible. The gallery was totally hopping tonight with activity and happy families. I hope you enjoy the photographs.

Tomorrow we will attend the Weathervane's summer production of one of my favorite Broadway productions...CHICAGO! Have a great week in your studios. Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

p.s. I promise to add the photos of Miss Reece's process and Family night working on Manga cartoons. Time to go to bed!