WELL, been a little while... the stomach flu, family struggles, and a  friend in hospital. HOWEVER, I've been looking for a new venue, wrote up a long bio on my art career from high school to now, to be considered for a new local magazine, and just got the E-mail with congrats that I WILL be in the June issue of  SubCulture magazine!!! I will be the Artist Profile for that issue!  What is SubCulture? Well, it is a magazine for Rochester's creative small business owners, tattoo enthusiasts, artists, musicians, athletes, and just cool people! The premier issue was spread all over Rochester a month ago, and I was very impressed with the concept, writing, and feel of the magazine. Dawn Kelly, artist and friend put me in touch with Victor Gomez,(1/2 of the mags' creators), who asked me to submit an in depth bio,I did, and I'm in. After a horrendously stressful few weeks, this is just so great!  So now to think about what art to have published...I wish for all my problems to be like this for a bit!

I was really touched yesterday when I had a gathering with my portrait students.  I had come to the conclusion that the "drawing from life" class I've been teaching for 20 years was no longer viable for financial and other reasons, and to end it until I came up with another venue.  I was surprised at the response! One of the high school students teared up, lip quivering, and another just put her head down.  One of the adults in the class, who is a dynamic business owner, said she NEEDED my classes, that my teaching skills, and the class dynamic needed to continue. She even offered space at her design studio to keep things going in the meantime!
With the economy over the past few years, even with my tutoring five days a week, I have been just scraping by.  Sometimes I want to give up, then I get a letter, or a phone call from a parent, or a past student reminding me of how my influence on them had changed them for the better.  That's what keeps me going.  I'm not sure yet how things will morph this year, but I know it's time for a change, and I'm ready.   One thing is NOT going to change.  I will always teach...and my students are my rewards.

OK! Thanks for the great response on FB!  I would also like to let you know that I teach portrait classes, tutor in all mediums and subjects, and have an upcoming workshop coming up in Feb! The workshop is on "Expression in Portraiture". If you are interested in any of the above, please contact me at   artheart54@hotmail.com.  You will not be disappointed!  Thank you again for all the kind encouragement!