Sketchy sketches

I don't know if it was the sudden decrease in temperature, the rain, my inability to sleep last night, a combination, or something else entirely, but I felt like crap this morning.

Anyway.  I think I've finished my working outlines as required by the Artisan Guild study program.  I want to give them another read before I send them in tonight.  I hope they're acceptable.  I've decided to focus on drawing as my second medium.  My explanation is in my drawing outline which I will post once I'm happy with it.  Anyway, I've been drawing on and off for years.  It's been awhile so I'm really rusty.  Here's what I've been toying with. *  Excuse the fact that they are web cam photos rather than scans.  I couldn't be bothered to get the scanner connected to my computer for these. **

This is my teacup from yesterday morning's breakfast.  I did some shading today after I realized, to my horror, that I put the cup in the sink before I was finished with the lighting.  So...  it's a little wonky and you can tell I've not been shading for a long time.  My husband (bless his honesty) pointed out that the proportions and/or the perspective is a little off.  I knew there was something off but it took a second pair of eyes to really help me figure out what it was.

Here's my husband's Xbox controller.  This was challenging because of all the curves.  I don't think I've ever drawn anything like it so it was a fun practice.  Again, things don't seem quite right but I'm still proud of what I was able to accomplish!



* Please don't laugh.  I'm getting back into the groove of a hobby I was never very good at to begin with! :P

**  Again, for my lj friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/

New Things in the North Country

Oh!  A couple things I wanted to mention before bed.

First off, Watertown is getting a sushi and hibachi restaurant!  Woo!  I have no idea when it's opening but the thought of a more diverse cuisine up here is worth celebrating!

Second, there's apparently going to be a psychic fair in Clayton, NY (40 minutes away from my current home) in the Clayton Opera House on the 24th and 25th of April.  There isn't a lot of information on it at the moment, but I'll try to keep abreast of the situation.  I don't know if I'll go or not, but it seemed pertinent to the Pagan community.

Have a goodnight and a lovely Monday!

Ignore This.

I'm fiddling with some settings.

Happy Sunday, readers!  Did you remember to spring forward?

North Country Goes Green


I wanted to start off by apologizing if I sounded *really* negative about the Watertown Irish Festival.  It really wasn't that bad.  I was mostly annoyed by the difficulty we had finding parking and how crowded the building was.  I tried to say this last night, but I must have been too tired to finish the thought.  (Wow that really reflects well on my blogging, doesn't it?!)  Utica, as I was saying, has their Irish Festival on some fairgrounds which offer ample space for vendors, performances, and various cultural activities.  There's also a lot of parking.  I understand that Watertown wants to have the event closer to St. Patrick's Day, but that means it's cold, possibly raining, and probably muddy out.  Utica waits until around Lughnasadh, the traditional gathering of the Celtic tribes.  This means it's usually pretty comfortable out and the fairgrounds make sense.  So...  either Watertown should plan their festival later in the year or find a larger building with better parking.   Otherwise, do go!  If you're a proud Irish descendant, it's always fun to celebrate your heritage, and the money is going to a good cause - Project Children, an organization that aims to promote peace between Protestant and Catholic Ireland.

So, back to my regularly scheduled blogging*.

Art Guild and Initiate Study Programs


As you know, I'm working on the above study programs.  I've only just dipped my big toe in.  I'm starting to sketch again.  I'm thinking of making drawing my second medium.  My friend Parallax encouraged me to look to something less three dimensional.  A lot of the sewing I do, dolls and costumes, a lot like sculpting.  While I still want to learn more about sculpting with materials such as porcelain, furthering my drawing skills could be very helpful in the design aspect of sewing.  I studied drawing in high school and college but, unfortunately, a lot of my previous work has gone missing.  It's the unfortunate side of frequently moving.  I found some of my old supplies and have started to study things and sketch them.  Last night my husband's Xbox controller graciously modeled for me.  This morning I started to sketch my tea cup.

As far as sewing goes, I've been busying myself this morning by taking apart old garments that don't fit or are worn out.  I'm going to repurpose the fabric in some other sewing projects eventually.

The book I've been reading, The Rites of Brigid Goddess and Saint, has given me a lot of ideas for my essay on her relationship to the arts.  I've learned a lot already, especially in regards to the folk practices that existed throughout Celtic countries.  I'm also inspired to learn more about Irish textiles.  I know they used linen and wool most of the time.  I've been researching their clothing and it's really fascinating.

In regards to the Initiate Study Program, I'm trying to figure out where to start.  It's kind of daunting when you get right down to it!  At the very least, I want to get back into a more regular meditation routine.  As I was telling my mentee, I have an on-again-off-again relationship with meditation.  I feel that it's vitally important to my health and spiritual relationship to the kindreds, but my dedication comes and goes in waves, usually interrupting by my stress and energy levels.  Learning how to get past that so that my meditation is just as uninterrupted as my daily devotional: that is my goal for the ISP.  I need to develop some sort of schedule.

ADF Store


In other news, the ADF store, despite the message on the home page, is once more opened for business! They have a large assortment of publications, jewelry, and clothing.  I'm thinking about getting a hoodie.  I've heard that Wellspring is cold at night, and I could use a nice warm sweatshirt.





* Actually, my blogging is not scheduled.  It's sporadic and seems more frequent on the weekends.

The Watertown Irish Festival

My husband and I went to the Irish Festival in Watertown this afternoon.  I went to it with low expectations thanks to what other people had told me and, even though it wasn't quite as bad as they made it seem, it wasn't as good as the Great American Irish Festival near Utica.

I'll start with the good.  I got to see Merry Mischief perform and I really enjoyed seeing them.  They're a favorite pair of minstrels that frequent the Sterling Renaissance Festival and have been to a few Pagan festivals as well.  I love a good Irish ditty, and its even better when there are Pagan themes snuck in!  I also enjoyed seeing the local Irish step dancers (I should try that sometime...) and listening to new Irish bands.  There were a few vendors and it's always nice to see Pagan wares - tarot, ogham sticks, fairy statues, etc...  It was fun to get out and go to an event in my new home city.

That said, there was a lot to be desired from something in its 25th year.  The location was crowded and it was really, really hard to find a parking place.  GAIF, near Utica, has its Irish fest on fair grounds, meaning there's ample parking and plenty of room.  I understand that Watertown probably wants their festivities close to St. Patrick's Day, but Utica has theirs near Lughnasadh, the traditional gathering of the tribes in Ireland.  There are more cultural activities at the Utica event, including language lessons, Irish dog breed exhibits, dance lessons, and even an Irish mass.

Really, I think I would have liked it better were it in a more convenient location.  The building was just too small.  The main stage, on the 11th floor, felt so claustrophobic that we decided not to stay for the main act.  Will I go next year?  Maybe.  It's okay for a few hours and, like I said, it's always fun to get out and do *something*.  I hope there are improvements in the future.

No religious expression by students in school?

The story about Guthrie Center's industrial arts teacher, Dale Halferty, and his refusal to allow a student to make a Wiccan altar in shop class is really irking me.  I wholeheartedly agree that a teacher should not promote his or her religion in school, but that students have every right to express their religion in nonviolent ways.  They should be allowed to write about loving Jesus at Christmas time, to wear head scarves, and to construct small Wiccan altars at shop class if all the students are given free reign to create something useful.  In my professional opinion, school is the first place where children are introduced to other ways of being.  It should be a safe place for self-expression and the exploration of diversity.  I wonder what would have happened in my old school district  had I tried to do something like that.  Oh wait, I did!  In web design, I made a website about tarot cards.  In 11th grade English class, I did a presentation on the tools of modern witches to go along with our exploration of The Crucible.  My senior project was about Runes.  Any teacher that became aware of my beliefs was respectful and even interested in it.  I'm glad to hear that the superintendent for this other school, Steve Smith, is supporting the Wiccan student's right to religious expression.

Halferty's argument, that if Christians can't express themselves, Wiccans shouldn't, is bogus.  Most schools I know of allow Christian students to form after school bible study groups, to pray around the flag before school starts, and to wear crosses.  They even have that "under God" statement that remains in our Pledge of Allegiance!  Give me a break.

When I was in shop class, back in 7th or 8th grade, the big project was to make an analogue clock.  We all got to choose a face for our clock out of a catalogue.  Were there crosses?  Oh you betcha.  Were there pentacles, triquetras, Thor hammers, Brighid crosses, Stars of David, Buddha's hands, script from the Koran, or any other religious symbol?  Of course not.

Altars

I wanted to share a couple photos with you*. The first is of my in-progress traveling altar.

It's made from a small wooden box purchased at a craft store.  I painted it with two coats of dark green.  It probably could have used more but live and learn.  I like my little amateur triple spiral on the top.  :D  I have yet to work on filling it with anything, but I'm hopeful to finish it by next weekend.  I'm supposed to be in Utica for a reiki workshop and will be staying over night with my parents.  I hate being away from my altar during such visits.  I feel less than pious.  I'm planning to put two candles in it - one to represent the fire and one for keeping Brighid's flame should I be away from home on such a night.  I'm considering using an LED candle for that in case I'm in a hotel.  Lighting a tea light for a quick devotional is one thing, but leaving it on for several hours is quite another.  I was hopeful that my husband would draw me a picture of a tree but, alas, he has been distracted by video games.  I'll have to think of something else.  I would also like to find something to represent the well and an offering bowl (a tiny one).  Maybe even a vial of salt and oil?  Oh and matches.  Can't forget the matches!

The second photo is the most recent shot of my altar.

Everything is pretty much the same as the last photo except that, instead of my fairy wand acting as the tree, I finally hung the tree tapestry my husband gave me.  Isn't it lovely?  I think it makes my altar. There are still changes I would like to make.  For example, I could really use a better storage system below.  I'm also not keen on keeping my matches on top but, due to the mess below, it is the most convenient place to keep them for the time being.  I also need a dish to put under my three-wick candle.  Once it shrinks, my altar will be in greater danger of burning down without one!

Other things on my alar that I love-

My sister designed a print of the prayer I say every morning and evening.  It's framed below my tree.  The harp represents An Dagda.  The doll is Brighid.  (I'm planning to make another at some point.)  The cauldron is from my brother-in-law (to be).  The wooden carving of the horned man is something my husband made.  The rock is from the mountain he proposed to me on.  The little cauldron holding my matches (by Brighid) is from my mother's toy stove.  The little white statue under Brighid was made by my sister-in-law.  My offering bowl (absent from the photo) was given to me by an old Pagan friend, Bruce.  Lots of beloved mementos make up my shrine. :)


* For my lj friends: http://adfcatprints.blogspot.com/