Leap Year ...with Hugo Caberet...the movie

I don't do it often but I ordered Hugo Caberet the movie from Amazon for my students to see tonight. I have brought the book in to show how important a simple pencil sketch can be in the telling of a story. Several of the children have read the book...they are in love with the images and I knew they might not be able to get to the movie theater in our hard economic times. February 29Th seemed like a perfect time to share the movie and fresh popcorn made by Pat Brown. Those who wanted worked on their artist trading cards and Star War characters...many I do not even know. Nicholas gave me homework ...he made a list of new characters for me to Google this weekend so I could understand the variety of lasers and costumes.

I am tired tonight and will get up early tomorrow to go to Medina, Ohio to explore Hollows Paper Mill in search of good buys for possible student works for the Dawes Arboretum exhibit in June. There will be five artist traveling up there and I am very excited about the possibilities of this trip. Laura and I are working together to plan a special exhibit and her educational director will organize the workshops. I am including a few photos from today and hope you are safe and sound. We had terrible thunderstorms and several tornadoes South of Columbus. I contacted a dear friend and his family... they live in Elizabethtown which was hit pretty hard this morning. I will try to stay awake for the late news...the photos this morning were disturbing. Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

a night with the girls.... to be treasured

I am keeping this short... I am typing with one hand and holding Roxie with the other. No it is not very efficient but she is needing tender loving care because I had dinner with two great girlfriends. No we never made it to Karaoke but for about twp hours it was like we have never been separated. Michelle is working long hours in her new store with Best buy and she has two small children. Kathy is busy with her painting and settling her family in Chicago and preparing for the youngest to graduate from college. We had a wonderful server who made our evening special and gave us just enough room to giggle the night away. We all came home with enough food for tomorrow's lunch so it was twice the special night. Kathy ended up paying for all three of us...she is generous to a fault but I love her more with each day! I invited them to come down to the lake to paint on Michelle's days off when I am at Dawes so I will plan the picnic lunch for us all to enjoy at the tables under the shelter. I had forgotten how important my girlfriends are to my heart... Ken was babysitter for Roxie and I picked up some puppy "whoops" carpet cleaner for her tiny mishaps and found a tee shirt for $1.00 to paint in with some sweet little foam rollers to add to my design tools. I pray you have all had a great Tea for Tuesday... embrace the small passage of time with your girlfriends! Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart and Roxie

p.s. Nature's squiggle inspiration is the last photo....a future brushstroke

Dawes Arboretum ...my new home away from my home....

This morning I visited my new studio space and Laura helped me plan the layout of the room and prepare for the next three months. The room is large and quaint ...the lake is right outside to the south of the classroom. There were other Naturalists are in the next section of the building and we have picnic tables under cover for Spring showers in April. I am moving in this Saturday so I have a lot of prep and packing to complete to set up the dye studio. I will be traveling up to Medina to visit the paper mill factory to select supplies for my exploration in colors and skies before I apply the dyes to the fabrics. Laura was driving her husband's BIG truck....and I was able to get up in the front seat. I understand why big guys love their trucks...you go Toby Keith!!!

I spent some time walking around several large trees and I could envision the fiber journals dancing in the wind...today was very windy so I will have to examine the velocity issue once again. I took some photos of the largest trees in the walkabout for inspiration and visualize the flying colors. I went back to the studio and Kathleen brought in her Bonita ...I had left Roxie at home during my meeting and walkabout. Bonita looks like she could be Roxie's twin... they are so cute. Lynn Logan Grimes came over for lunch and I shared my felted piece...small...intimate... and ready to embellish with my beads. She is curating an exhibit for the next month after the ceramics exhibit opening in the next week. Then to my surprise my dear friend and artist George Leach surprised me and shared some good news ...he is having a show of his newest works up in Toledo in April. He looks great but is still recovering from his break in his ankle ... the pain is still his companion as he is in therapy to bring back his strength. His new paintings are full of colors and excitement and I want to go to the opening ...unless he plans the event the same day as Arbor day at Dawes. George loved touching the new fluffy painting brushes for my project works and promised to bring the boys out on a Sunday as soon as I get ready and set up.

I was very tired when I came home and realized Roxie had done real well in her crate training today. She was anxious to get our and run and play and poop and pee ...as soon as I lifted her up. I love puppy kisses ...she acts like she has not seen me since...forever! Ken had a flat tire this morning... so he went to get a new tire. Yes, it is a Monday and rough as it can be on some days.

Please go out and drink in the North sky...the stars and planets are aligned in a magical dance in the Universe. The sky is just too beautiful for words! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart

when you wish upon a star...a night with the Oscars

Bret McKenzie from the "Flight of the Conchords" a two man group from New Zealand just won his Oscar for his music and original Muppets film score. Now I was in love with the movie Rio..."awkward!~" but I know my four year old friend Justin will be just as happy about the Muppet Movie win! Hugo is doing real well tonight ... I can not wait to own my copy of this spectacular movie from Martin Scorsese. I am in love with the theme of discovery in this movie and the city of Paris is alive with the illustrations!!!

This afternoon I prepared sketches in my Dawes reference book and selected some new information from Dharma Dye supplies... Jerry's Artarama ... and Procion Dyes have been very helpful as I continue to wash my bolt of cotton fabrics in preparation for this large series of first dye processes. Tomorrow I will walk the pathway of this installation and interest is growing ...mostly word of mouth... for over 25 years even my neighbors have wondered I did up on my hill in the woods. Now I am working to create a colorful landscape of sculpture made in fabrics dancing in the winds. I will evaluate where the clothes line will go and check on the studio space so I can begin asap! I received my Dawes Arboretum newsletter and I feel so honored to be working in the preparation and demonstrating for this year's Arbor Day celebration. Last year i was working with making nature rubbings and then sending children out into the arboretum to find the matching trees. I am so blessed! I hope you all have had a great weekend! Roxie continues to throw herself into our daily life and grace our hearts with total adoration! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart