After days and days of snow, we had a couple minutes of sun this morning. All those white spots that look like digital noise in the photo are actually sparkles of sun off the snowflakes that are still in the air. Janet had mentioned to me once about the way the moon always reflects off the ocean, making a silver pathway from you to it, no matter where you are standing, and this morning that's what the snow looked like. A path of glitter.
Last night Ron and I were one of the teams teaching at the Drawing and Painting marathon. From 6 pm to 2 am, students work on one continuous painting on a huge piece of paper, and hourly a team of two comes in and gives the kids their parameters and inspiration for the hour. Ron and I were there from 10-11pm, so their paintings were well underway, and the kids were only starting to burn out. Ron showed microscopic images, I read a passage about atoms from A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson, and the kids were supposed to think about what tiny things could be making up the elements they already had in their art. I was nervous--how could I walk around and help kids with painting and drawing? but Ron was right--there was no "teaching"; just letting the kids run with it. And to give you an idea of the diversity of what people were making the kids think about, the woman that came in for the hour after us played the violin and told them to think about space. And to top it off, she doesn't know how to play the violin. It was fun, and I was glad they thought of inviting me.
Love,
Ruth
5 comments:
Dear Ruth,
You needn't ever worry about not being able to teach. What you do effortlessly is inspire, and that is more than enough. I forget whose quote it was about 90% persperation, 10% inspiration? I've also forgotten the subject they were talking about, or even if those are the right percentages, but if I could remember the thing, it would be appropriate here.
Sounds like it was a fun night. Lucky students to get a two-for-one deal with you and Ron.
Love,
mom
Dear Ruth,
Glitters in the snow: Every so often the snow actually looks like that fake stuff you can by in the craft stores. The kind that is like irredescent Ivory Flakes ( you are too young to remember that laundry soap ever looked like this, but visualize mica flakes, only white). Anyway, my point is, every so often the snow is so perfectly sparkle-y that it looks like a craft's project. Up until I saw real snow like that, I always thought that craft snow was fake-looking. Nope. If you look long enough, eventually you will see real snow that looks fake.
I like your description of a path of glitter. Are you sure you aren't living among backdroops for the local theater?
Love, mom
make that " backdrops", not droops. As in " props". That's what I get for trying to be cutesy.
love, mom
Dear Ruth,
I can't believe I misspelled so many things other than backdroops. Have just figured out how to do a spell check on this blog thing.
Perspiration was another one, and I know how to spell buy.
Must have been painful to read.
Love,
mom
Spell check only works when I know the word is wrong and check it myself. Nothing is automatic on this thing. I will hit the preview button from now on. And try to be more concise.
I just have to say that I totally agree with your mother. You have inspired me with so many things.
love t-dog
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