Who Turned on November?

 Wow - where has the time gone and how did I land in the month of November?! Actually, I know exactly where all the time has gone. My district switched over to 'Standards Based' or 'Proficiency Based learning and grading this year. There has been a huge learning curve. I would say truthfully that there has been more of a learning curve for the software program that we enter our assessments into than the concept of Proficiency Based Learning. I am very lucky to work with a supportive group of dedicated educators. With a few 'bumps in the road', we made it through our first set of Parent/Teacher conferences last week.

Perce Rock (Pierced Rock)

Side view of Perce Rock

Distant view of Perce Rock

Speaking of the road, last month we went on a little road trip to celebrate our 30th anniversary. After turning our pick-up into a 'campah', we spent five days driving around the Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec. We had a great time - a much needed little break. I'm glad I researched campgrounds ahead of time because most had already shut down for the season. We ate well, read good books, and soaked up the gorgeous views.

School Underway, Good-Bye to Summer

I've had a remarkably busy month and a half. School is well underway now. My students will have their artwork on the walls of the DOE in Augusta from 10/1/14 through 12/31/14. My annual school mural is done. This is the 10th year I've created a mural with my students and staff. Actually, this year it was fully the students - not enough squares for the staff! I broke from tradition and created a 'quilt' like mural of a folktale. The story is: 'Anansi the Spider', and the students love all the color.
Last month had me in California for a wonderful wedding. After photographing way too many palm trees while I was out there... I bought myself a little palm tree for my drafting table.

view from the wedding venue....

My mittens were featured in a Blast From the Past post on the Handmade Movement blog:

http://handmademovement.blogspot.com/

Summertime... Summertime

Poppy in progress

Lots of painting in my studio for July and August. It's all about flowers this summer. I am so grateful the poppy seeds I got in Vermont last summer produced another crop this year. After shocking red-orange petals, their pods have such wonderful shapes and patterns.
I've just loaded my Sweet Peas print in my Etsy shop. I'm happy with how it came out.

This summer's weather has been lovely - truly a gift after that cold winter. I'd like it to go on and on but the 'back to school' flyers are arriving in the mail and I'm starting to 'prep' in little ways.

Sweet Peas print in my Etsy shop here

Needle Felting on Mittens

 SnowDay Artist - Genevieve Keller

Here's my latest pair of fingerless mittens. I've needle felted panels on the fronts. In order to have the mittens accept the felting, they were knit with 3 strands of worsted weight yarn.
This shade of green is just about my favorite color. The design feels like 'Celtic Art Nouveau' if there is such a style. Happy 4th of July!

 SnowDay Artist - Genevieve Keller

Summer Vacation begins with 'house guests'

Summer vacation begins! This time with two canine house guests for a week. They are wonderful dogs. Doggie #1 just wants to be petted and then runs away, only to return for more petting, then runs... Doggie #2 wants to get in the chicken coop, and by golly she got in twice yesterday. She managed to flatten herself out and wriggle under the coop to access the pen. Smart dog? - yes but not happy chickens. Today I will arm the exterior of the coop.

Doggie #2

Doggie #1

Summer finds me going back and forth between gardens and studio, with little breaks to eat. THIS is the life!

Fiber Frolic 2014 - Maine's best kept secret

The Maine Fiber Frolic

Genevieve Keller - Snow-Day Artist needle felted mice.

The Fiber Frolic is this weekend. I will have a few needle felted mice at the Maple Lane Pottery booth. The Fiber Frolic is a FUN event, and it looks like the weather will be good. It's been rainy this week in Maine - my gardens are happy.

I'm winding down the school year. It's hard to believe that school lets out in 2 weeks. I'll be grading and loading final student comments tonight, and tomorrow, and... you get the idea!

Cheers!

Happy Mother's Day!

I spent the weekend gardening. First buying and transplanting seedlings. Then weeding. I took lots of pictures. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Spring Break... Leopard Slugs!

The snow is finally gone and it's
starting to 'go green' around this little knoll top 'farm'. Do three chickens and a few gardens make us a farm? At any account, I frequently think of new names to give our spot here along the Sheepscot River - depending on what's about. A few days ago I encountered a Leopard Slug in my basement. Why is it that about 15 minutes after the snow melts... the creatures arrive? When I was removing the horrid creature I opened the basement door only to find another leopard slug on the stone step. Latest farm name: Slug Convention Farm.
Other than the slugs, today ends a wonderful week long spring break. I weeded my flower bed, painted and drew in my studio, knitted 3 pairs of mittens and felted mice. I also got a copy of 'Miss Potter' the movie. I've been trying to stream this on-line to no avail. Now I own a copy and may watch it any time - it's a great movie. What a great woman. I hope you are enjoying your out doors where ever you are.

MAEA Spring Conference

I had a wonderful time at Brunswick High School yesterday. I attended the Maine Art Educator's Association Spring Conference. The title was 'Cure for the Common Core' - always a lighthearted and clever group of educators! Here are a couple of pictures from the workshop I taught on needle felting. My 'students' made butterflies and penguins.

Last night the MAEA group headed over to the Inn at Brunswick Station for an award ceremony. I received recognition for becoming a National Board Certified Teacher in Art for Early and Middle Childhood. I was given this great ceramic box - I love it. Mr. Mousey is getting in the picture to say that I will be teaching needle felting mice at PortFiber the next two Saturdays. Check out PortFiber's website to join the class!

Maine Art Educators Association Spring Conference

If you are looking for a place to live, I highly recommend Scarborough, Maine. I spent last Saturday at the Scarborough Library doing a demo on needle felting. Approximately 500 patrons came through the library that day. These people, patrons and the public, were very nice, interesting, and fun. The staff were friendly and helpful. This wonderful Library frequently holds events like this Textile Day - how cool is that?! A library that feels like the center of the community. So there you have it, move to Scarborough.

This Saturday I spent the day painting scenery panels for the school play. It was fun to paint on a large scale. In two weeks I'll be teaching a beginner's class in needle felting at the Maine Art Educator's Association Spring Conference. The conference will be at the Brunswick High School. I'm hoping to find the time to hop over to the art museum at Bowdoin College during the day. Tomorrow is April! During April school vacation I'll be teaching needle felting my mice at PortFiber. I hope to see you there!

Scarborough Public Library Textile Day

Scarborough Public Library - 'The Starry Night'  needle felted sweater

I will be doing a needle felting demo next Saturday at the Scarborough Library's 3rd Annual Textile Day. This will be felting in an 'applique' fashion. Here's a picture of my work - a sweater that I started a while ago. I will also have felted mice, mittens, and art prints at my table.
If you are interested in felting mice, I will be teaching a class at PortFiber in April - just check their website. PortFiber is a fiber artist's haven in Portland.

For the record, yesterday was Snow~Day #5! I might be in school in July at this rate! 

Kikiriki.... Cock a Doodle Doo

My Chicken Mittens have found their way into this lovely Treasury: I believe that the title "Kikiriki" is the sound a rooster makes.

Other items in the Treasury list

Duck, Duck, Goose ... now a print

'Duck, Duck, Goose' © (see that?!)  Genevieve Keller

I am enjoying a week off from teaching... my studio has felt like a comforting nest this week. I finished painting 'Duck, Duck, Goose'. Prints of the original are now available in my Etsy shop.

Today I put 'watermarks' on all my prints. The reason for this is that I found my 'Olive Ewe' image is listed on a tattoo board on Pinterest. (If you are curious, search 'Olive Ewe' on Pinterest). It's creepy that someone would steal my image and make a tattoo of it. Frankly, I also feel that that was a strange choice for a tattoo. I guess this is a 'wake-up' call, though I have always written that my work is copyrighted. On to new work. As spring is somewhere around the corner, I'm feeling a call for some botanical work.
  

Snow Day #4... and Valentine's Day!

We were perhaps in 'blizzard' conditions yesterday and school let out early. Today is a Snow Day, a Friday before vacation, and it's Valentine's Day. Wow.

Right now it's snowing sideways. So I'm hunkered down in my studio listening to 'A Tree Grows in Brooklyn' on cd while finishing up a little painting I'll call 'Duck, Duck, Goose'. This is the life for me... Happy Day to you.

Snow Day #3 ... a day of felting

Today was a lovely SNOW~DAY! I spent the day needle felting mice, stoking the woodstove, and getting a few chores done. I shoveled a path to the chicken coop and dug out the mailbox. Winter has settled in once again. As I sold a mouse at the opening of 'After Hours' - the MAEA show at the Saco Museum, I have been making a replacement. I hope to drop her off at the museum this weekend.
Would you like to needle felt a mouse? Great news! - I will be teaching a class in needle felting these wonderful creatures at PortFiber in Portland. This will be a 2 part class: Saturday April 19 & Saturday April 26. 10:00 - 12:30 both days. Check out the PortFiber website, look under 'classes & events'. I hope to see you there!

Snow-Day #1

Today I had my first Snow-Day for this school year and it was divine! I ventured outdoors once in the below zero temperature, to shovel out my mailbox. I have been getting little notes from my mail carrier reminding me of the proper dimensions of a snowbank. The rest of the day I spent knitting miniature sweaters and putting the finishing touches on a needle felted Mouse Family. I will drop this fun bunch of mice off at the Saco Museum tomorrow for the upcoming Maine Art Education Association show. This show displays the works of Art Educators from the State of Maine. The show opens January 14, and runs until March 1st.

I highly recommend trying your hand at needle felting. It's a fun craft - very visual (most crafts are!) and no pattern needed.