Miniskirt Memories

Here's a little sketch I drew whilst at the coffee shop yesterday afternoon. This couple was sitting at a table outside and I could see them through the window. The young woman was facing the window, but perhaps forgot that people inside could see her quite clearly!

It reminded me of being a teenager. I'm 52 years old now, and when I was in 8th grade, miniskirts were brand new. We all wore our skirts at least 5 inches above our knees, which caused problems for our parents and school personnel. I remember one English teacher asked the boys to leave the room and lectured us girls about how to sit in our desks and admonished us to keep our knees together!!!

Then when we were sophomores, our Algebra teacher, Mr. French, liked to look up our skirts when we sat in his class. He was a creepy guy, to say the least!

This "view" reminded me of that English teacher and her lecture. She was right, it's not a real attractive look! At work I see so many students who are always tugging their pants up or pulling their skirts down

Emma Pod

HAPA at the Aladdin Theater

Barry Flanagan & Nathan Aweau

On Friday night we went to a HAPA concert at the Aladdin Theater. HAPA is a Hawaiian band that performs a mix of traditional and new Hawaiian music and chant. They produce an amazing sound for just three guys! The concert was really good and we had a great time. HAPA is Barry Flanagan, Nathan Aweau, and Charles Ka'upu  and two hula dancers.

Not only are these guys good musicians, they are very funny! And Charles, the chanter, is a thoughtful, spiritual person. The place was packed with folks who are from Hawaii originally, or who just love going there to visit.

Nathan & Charles

We first heard HAPA when Keli'i Kaneali'i was the lead singer. Our favorite album is the one called "Collection", which has their best songs.

The Aladdin Theater is a funky, old, art-deco style stage theater. It's a smaller venue that has been renovated at various times over the years. It looks like someone in the 1970's used that "antiquing" paint that was popular and put a wash on the columns. Gold lame curtains were added to the upper boxes. The original painted lampshades are still there, but I wish the place could be restored with true art-deco colors and style.

EDM Challenge #114:Draw Something Ugly That You Love

This week's challenge is to draw something ugly that we love or feel sentimental about - and therefore keep. Here's my entry: a rubber chicken. This ugly, dusty old thing has lots of good memories attached to it.

This was a going-away present from friends in the College of Nursing at The University of Iowa. I worked in student services there for 7 years. We started a tradition of giving "rubber chickens" for various occasions.

When I left that job in 1992, it was a bit difficult for me. I really enjoyed the university and the college and the people there. But it was a college town without alot of job prospects. My husband got a new job out in Portland, Oregon, so we moved away from the midwest.

My co-workers signed this chicken with funny things like:

You're no turkey
Stay abreast of your friends in the College of Nursing
Stick your neck out and enjoy
Spread your wings
We will miss you Chicken Little
Don't forget your old hens
Good luck to a good chick
Hope things end up well (on the butt of the chicken)
Just kiss them on the lips and leave (on the beak)
I guess you'll need to "wing" it for awhile
Run for your life! (on the leg)


For my going-away party, they decorated the room with nursing lab stuff like rubber butts, arms, torsos and legs and Halloween costumes! It was pretty funny. Here are a few shots

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A Few More Pots....

Since I started drawing pots, I decided to sketch some of the others I have around the house. Here are three of my favorites. I like the matte green and brown tones of older pottery.

 The fluted top pot on the left is an old Weller, the taller middle pot is a Peters and Reed, and the vase on the right is a Niloak. These are from the "Art's and Crafts" period (early 1900's) and I like their earthy colors and textures.

Emma Pod

Bye Bye Pots...

I have been collecting old art pottery for the past 15 years or so. It's been great fun scavenging in antique stores, garage sales, and online to find good deals. I've decided to sell some of the pieces I'm not so crazy about or no longer have space for.

 I've been trying to figure out what they're worth and plan to list them on craig's list or ebay. I've bought alot online, but have never sold, so it will be a new experience for me. Tonight I decided to draw some of the pots I'm thinking about parting with. I have a few more that I'll group in another drawing.

These are mostly old McCoy pieces. The back left vase is a Weller and the green hanging planter is a Roseville. I'm not sure who made the tall turquoise vase, the two blue pieces in front, or the low maroon pot.

EP

EDM Challenge #113: Draw a Fence

Here's my offering for the week's challenge #113 to draw a fence. Actually, I drew a fence post. It's from a New Zealand photo that I found online at the address posted below.


It was very hard to get a good photo of my drawing without too much glare from the flash - and the colors don't look quite right either. Anyway, I like the moss growing on the post. It looks alot like Oregon.

Original photo at:
http://pinker.wjh.harvard.edu/photos/new_zealand/images/fence%20post.jpg

We are working to downsize our stuff again. Last weekend we cleared out three bookshelves and we're sorting books to sell or give away. When we moved here, we had 35 boxes of books from six undergrad and graduate degrees earned between the two of us, plus tons of novels. We still have six bookshelves left.

I'm also sorting through my collection of antique art pottery and am going to try selling some on ebay or Craig's List. After working so hard to find pots at good prices, it's kind of hard to part with them. But, we have way too many.

We had a couple of terrific spring days this week, but it's gray and rainy again today....just in time for the weekend! : (

Emma Pod

EDM Challenge #112: Draw Something Fresh, Plus Josie

This morning I finally did my #112 Everyday Matters Challenge to draw something fresh. We had nothing fresh in the house all week! Last night I did the grocery shopping and got some fruits and vegetables.

You know you're old and have been married a long time when a Saturday night outing is a trip to the grocery store!!! I saw some young, cute, dressed-up people there - and remembered Saturday night dates. Actually, I was kind of glad I had no place special to go.

I had expected work to be slow all week because of spring break, but it was really busy and really hard. Students came in with all kinds of difficult problems. Spring term begins tomorrow, so people were taking care of late admission and registration, financial aid problems, probation and suspension appeals, bad grades, etc.

Here's a shot of Josie, helping me paint this morning. She likes to sit on anything that is off the ground or table surface. Today she sat on my art box to observe. She has beautiful, icy blue eyes.

We have sun today, so I'm going outside!

Emma Pod