So has everyone given up on this thing or what?!!!

So has everyone given up on this thing or what?!!! Ain't nobody posted in a long, long time! What gives?! Are we shutting this thing down or are we going to do something?

Pura Vida Trinket

The back is a waterfall and tree from La Carolina.

The front says Pura Vida. Nate calls it a trinket.
I think it's coalition worthy.

A little poetry for my artist friends on thanksgiving

i found this book at DOGSTAR. my friend Lhaw's (my thai neighbor that i love) husband owns it.

it was autographed and everything!

and the recipes make you barf. German yuckiness. i am part German so no offense. German food in this particular book is absurd. BUT the manner in which it is written will have you in stitches. notice the artist's breakfast is served with beer. the chapter is called "A Snack With Your Mid-Morning Drink".
Classic.

Coalition Reminder and Christmas Album

Just wanted to remind everyone that December 1st is the first gathering of the We're Just Artists Coalition. Come around dinner time and we'll either order vitamin P or we can potluck it. I'd like for us to hang out and share what we're doing artistically and what visions we have for the Coalition.

ALSO did you know that the Make and Send Website contributors are making their 2nd annual Christmas Album??? Well they are. You can download last year's songs AND the album cover artwork (all art done by Russell, the best artist brother i ever had) all for free on the site.

my "stitch" effort

I bought this book "sock + glove" to use for my art club after school. It shows ways to create little stuffed friends from socks or gloves. An old pair of blue socks I had had stuffed in the back of my drawer since college were perfect for the elephant. This is my feeble attempt... not quite like the book, but still sweet, I just need some practice!

I also broke out the crochet needle for a new scarf. So far, so good.

support this bill...

check this out...support it if you see fit.

thanks and good day!

RJM bracelet

This is offering one to the Radial Jewelry Makeover. The beads are some shell seed beads and some real seed beads(as in from a real plant). Both types of bead were sourced from donated necklaces. The body of the bracelet was also donated. I took the ends off unraveled it, and rebuilt it using the beads. It came out fairly well. Here is how it looks while being worn. I like it.

a trade

here is another Melly & Me (name of the pattern maker not my sister) bag. I think it turned out good. i am going to trade it for a piece of pottery which I will in turn give away as a wedding present next weekend for Beth's wedding. i like this bag but here's the thing. IT TOOK FOREVER! like a whole day. I'm just slow i guess.

THIS IS IT- DECEMBER 1ST, 8PM at the LANC.

ok. the mix party is still happening but will be most likely in February. SOOOO December first is on the Calendar. Save the date now. The first Coalition meeting with an old fashioned critique, some selling of your wares if you so decide and of course some wine and intelligent conversation. SAVE THE DATE. Serious Coalitioners best represent.

cheila...

do these work for ya?

Liliana Arias had an art show today!

Here she is and lookin' good too! these are a few of her new pieces.

A Halloween Treat from Russell

please comment. let him know you give a hoot.

Philosophical Epiphany

Today I was thinking about my philosophies of art education, and I came to a realization. I place an incredible importance on community, and I feel that as an art educator my goal is to pass that on to my students. Which brings us to the point of "What is community?". Community to me is, broadly, anything that is larger than self. We are not here to solely better our own existence. We are here to make as much of a positive impact as we possibly can. We have each been given gifts and it is our responsibility to employ those for highest good. As a more narrow definition, community can be anything from helpng your neighbor jump start their car to volunteering to serve in a soup kitchen to running for political office or spearheading an environmentsl movement. In art specifically the theory translates into working with students in ways that increase awareness of local, ethical and global issues. I hope to inspire my students to be good citizens, first and foremost by being one myself. Much love artists.

I made some things

Hi all... I have not had time to make much, but am working on samples for my art students.
Watercolor with pen + a possible after school club idea to make our own version of "Ugly Dolls"

NEW SONG by cheila

check make and send OR music i make

WGAL

Guess what avreage neighborhood student teacher got his mug on television tonight. He was interviewed for bringing the Radical Jewelry Makeover to Hempfield High School. He looked stupid on TV, but for a student teacher to be on TV is pretty good I think.

RUSSELL MADE A STICK GUITAR

i made a stick guitar today. my own design. i used the strings you got me that broke my guitar, and the extra tuning machines i got to fix my guitar. the black bars are pieces of a comb i put knotches in. it has some major drawbacks though, like, its not in any kind of real tune. not sure if it even can be..... stand alone it sounds like an unpluged electric guitar. but if i press it up against various things i can get varied effects. coffee can sounds neat with a twang to it, when i press it next to the tambourine it almost sounds banjoish, and when i press it on the body of guitar and ukelele it gets louder with the box to resonate in. it should be good for a song or two in the future. i had a better piece of wood that i was going to make it out of but it requires more sawing and such and the piece i ended up using was perfect width. so there you have it.....stick guitar.
(*text taken from an email)

just the same damn thing, with a mat

 

Nothing new, just with a mat now.

new music from me and russell

http://makeandsend.googlepages.com/home is the home address but you can click HERE to get to the music faster. Listen to all four of the "I dunno" versions (done by 3 of us) including the original by Russell titled "Don't read letters"

what's going down with just artists

i heard tell that nobody checks this dang site. well guess what. that has to change. i know we're all creating SOMETHING. ALSO...if you have not checked my brother's video out please take a quick moment to do so. i reposted it bc it was having technical problems playing. I am also going to announce that there is another music mix party buzz going around with different players wanting to co-host which i think is great. I'll be posting my crafty biz-naaaas on here from now on and I suggest we actually plan our first meeting. let's keep it real. i mean dang.