Off to Orvieto this morning to visit some of my favorite paintings by Luca Signorelli and the duomo they are in.

Steve and Sharon Daly dropped by CF for a visit this week and we are expecting the Hale's this weekend.

We had our mid term crit of drawing students first project. Hope JBJ can get photos so I can put some images up. There was was a lot of very good work. Now off to final project and Rome all next week. Time flies.

More rain daily here with more forecast for Orvieto today.

Back to ping pong last night. Ankle is healing slowly but surely. Still using an ankle brace but colorful bruising has faded.

No swimming yet. Pool not open. The weather is too cool and damp.

Along with sketching architecture on our outings I've started a small book of imaginary towers in planning to make some paintings of the same. So yesterday when searching for images leading to abstraction I ran into this painting by Mondrian. Yes! Coincidenza bella!

Tags: italy, signorelli, students, weather
Current Mood: fine and dandy
Current Music: WFMU - Cavemen Theory On The Road

Full week, lots of busy stuff at school. Still scheduling meeting with people about my new responsibility as foundations director. Some other meetings, class and a couple of openings. Still getting a daily swim in. On friday after I got out of the pool I walked over to the Blanton to see the new exhibition, mostly to see what the Luca Cambiaso work looked like in the flesh before I brought my drawing students over. I wasn't taken by most of the paintings but I was pleasantly surprised by the number and quantity of drawings. This is one I will definitely show my students illustrating how to work with highly simplified figures.

Finally back to MY studio this morning to get back to painting. I could be close to being finished or far from it. Any which way I have tomorrow to spend time with it.

Opening of the alumni exhibition, All Together Now, at the CRL. Since I'll be up by campus, it'll be fun to take an evening swim at the aquatic center before the opening. I have gone through three swim suits this last year, blasting through the water.

But first need to go grocery shopping, pay a bill and clean house. I already did laundry early this morning.

Tags: alumni, blanton, cambiaso, class, cleaning house, crl, school, shopping, students, swimming
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: WFMU - REDD KROSS - love is you

Last night at the recommendation of Margie S. I watched the zany Canadian film The Saddest Music in the World (2003). Winnepeg during the depression, kind of a musical, a bit difficult to follow but interesting to watch without caring about the plot.

Yesterday afternoon I had a meeting with the admins in my department and took away a pile of file folders and a binder filled with info I will now be charged with taking care of.

Lunch today with Hana before she heads back east. Then my first class meeting, Drawing Foundations, with 18 fresh fresh people (17 are female so freshman is not the appropriate term).

Tags: class, film, job, students
Current Mood: good
Current Music: WFMU - la aranita" by Ismael rivera Y sus cachimbos

Here are the drawings from the first half of summer session.
Utilizing a sheet of frosted mylar about 30x40" here's what they came up with.
The glare on some is my and my digital camera flash's fault.
( 17 drawings below this cut )

Tags: drawings, students, summer school
Current Mood: hungry
Current Music: WFMU

Short faculty meeting in the morning, deciding, signing group letter.

More swimming. First lane partner was a slow poke. Then the next to share the lane was on the water polo team and pushed me to try to keep up.

Finished the 4x8 drawing and I think it looks finished and good. Others beginning there grids.

I seemed to have invited myself to the Sutherland's again, which is always a pleasure. Then Dan and I went early to the Architecture school to see the exhibit of study abroad students. Penelope, Russel and Smilja who where faculty in Italy with me. Met Nila, not sure if that's how here name is spelled, who took over for Penelope when we left. Also at least half or more of the students we had there. Slide show of images made me very nostalgic. Good to see some of the photos of happenings after Penelope and I left. We will return. That time there will never be repeated, but a new time will come with new students. Plans for poker with the faculty and eating with students planned.

We then went over to the Cactus and scammed our way in for drinks without paying a cover. Dan and I left after one shared toast and headed to Art House.

What a crowd, looked as if it was the official opening of the austin spring art world. Could barely slice through the crowd let alone look at any of the art. People seemed to be the reason to be there. Saw Michael M. the other Italy faculty member that took over for me the second half of the semester. Saw Arturo who asked me why I didn't use adjectives about the art shows I mention here. Told him I don't write about art I'm not interested in or don't appreciate. I'm not an art writer, just a rambling art maker. So now you know too.

Anyway, headed across the street for night caps and didn't get home until after midnight. That led me to sleeping in, cutting into studio time this morning.

Damn cold outside, really about 50º but this hot winter has me spoiled. I'm planning on heading to the aquatic center's heated pool sometime this afternoon. Oh, I forgot to tell you. I bought a pair of black speedos. I hope I don't look too foolish

Tags: drawing, faculty, italy, students, swimming
Current Mood: and chilly too
Current Music: something on WFMU's fools paradise