Museum Visit + 2013

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Yesterday, we took BJ’s mom, who’s in town for the week, and some of my family to the MFAH. I took phone shots of a few of my favorites from the museum’s collection while our moms and my aunt walked through the War Photography exhibit.

2012 was definitely a trying year for the both of us—apart from the opening of a store, we had a lot of change going on. Looking back, I definitely got burned out, and I often didn’t handle the stress in the best way. But I feel very hopeful and determined to have a healthier and restorative year. Moving into our current place (smaller and in a more walkable neighborhood) was a step in the right direction. This year we’re resolving to take time to visit our city’s museums. They’re only a short walk or drive away.  We’ve already had two museums visits so far—not bad for the first month. Here are a few other goals. I tried to keep it simple:

+ Decompress each night by reading or drawing in bed. Close the screens, put down the phones.
+ Call, write, text my friends in other states at least a couple of times a month.
+ Drink water & eat breakfast.
+ Collaborate, create, and continue to practice my craft.
+ Watch movies with BJ.
+ Be a more patient and better teacher, wife, sister, daughter, friend, etc.

 

good things

The good things that can get lost in the craziness …

A made bed, a trip to Sloan Hall where we picked up a piece from the Dream Collective aka my strawberry earrings and a shield pin for BJ, a resilient plant and organized home, afternoon naps, a gifted bowl from ND’s ceramic sale (Thanks, Tien!), shrimp tacos for dinner from Goop via L.A in Bloom, sisters sleeping over and a trip to El Bolillo for cheap, delicious pastries, taking my mom to see the MFAH Impressionist and Post Impressionist exhibit before it leaves, and a belated  Mother’s Day Cake from one of our favorite recipes -Orangette’s Marmalade Cake with extra orange and lemon juice)

french fete

Last night, we went to the MFAH’s French Fete celebrating the Impressionist and Post-Impressionist pieces from the National Gallery of Art. The super long lines and crowded galleries was still worth it, but we’ll definitely come back and use our comp tickets later to slowly take everything in. I’m probably late on recognizing this but there are so many dogs sweetly placed in Impressionist paintings! I spotted them in at least 8-10 paintings including one of our favorites Mary Cassatt’s Little Girl in a Blue Arm Chair.


National Gallery of Art

And from their permanent collection, I’m always in awe with the Greek Myrtle Wreath c330-250 B.C and a few of the sculptures on the first floor.

 

 

pick me up

This summer is going by way too fast and we’re getting pretty frustrated that there are way too few hours in the day after we get back from work, make dinner, clean, etc. This +  all of the other things going on has put us in a little funk.

With the school year approaching, I’ve been filling a lot of professional development hours with workshops. Some are not so exciting but still helpful—like the two-day sessions on classroom discipline. And others—like the ones at the MFAH and Glassell—are much more enjoyable and relevant. The sessions were only a few hours each, but I got to dabble in collograph printing, pinhole cameras, enameling, ceramics, and, well, just having some fun. It was just the boost/kick in the butt I needed, and now BJ and I are considering taking an evening class during the school year.

sourpower2Instant pick me up. I used to by these by the strip, but I spied a bulk pack at Candylicious in the Rice Village.

watercolor plate2Our plates and cups seem to be chipping at record rates. I wish I knew how to do something like this.

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I tried enameling for the first time and decided to do something simple and not so “art teacher”. You know what I mean?

glassell pinholes 2Yes! Got to go back into the darkroom and learned how to use a paint can as a pinhole camera. The weather and lighting were unpredictable, but I still had fun shooting in the sculpture garden.

work in progress2Working on a few projects and still figuring out my footing.

hah. excuse all the hand shots. not feeling so creative. again.