Boost Up or Burn Out

I think it is fairly ironic that I am in a graduate program at TTU for an MAAE, and have reached a point in my teaching career that needs a boost before I completely burn out!   I totally love my graduate program!  It is certainly the right program for me, and I'm so thankful to be a part of it. The program has revitalized me as an artist, and it has been a huge motivation for me.  I love reading the books, creating art, and interacting online and in person with fellow students and my professors.

I have taught art for many years both privately and in the public school setting.  I began teaching art in Gilmer, when my second child, Jennifer, was just a baby.  I had a private art studio that I began in my kitchen and then later built on to the house to accommodate more students.  Infant Jennifer was even my inspiration for my art logo for the private studio at the time.  I taught privately for about 20 years all together.  And was privileged to teach Joshua Rogers from the time he was in kindergarten to when he graduated from High School.  I taught my own children along with many others while we lived in the Piney Woods of East Texas.  We moved and built a home in Quitman on seven acres of land, had a pond, farm animals,  a huge back porch and I designed a large studio with a loft.  This was the nicest studio that I ever had, and I loved being surrounded by quiet and the natural surroundings.

  

As my children grew older, I transitioned to a different schedule.  I wanted to keep myself on a similar schedule as theirs, so I transitioned to being an art educator in Texas.  I have now almost completed 18 years of teaching public school, and I have taught every single grade level from Pre-Kindergarten through High School and College Board AP courses - all in art education.  One year at Gilmer Intermediate, three years at Rains Jr. High in Emory, three years at Alba-Golden Elementary, ten years at West High School, and now one year at Connally High School in Waco.  

While working at Rains, I completed a second Bachelor's degree in Design Communication with Texas A&M - Commerce. We moved to the Waco area in 2007.  Partly because of my dad's battle with cancer, and mostly because my son Michael was in Kindergarten and he needed a school that could give him what he needed as a special needs child.  I knew that Midway was going to be a great school for him, and I made the decision to apply for Waco area jobs, and Michael and I moved in July 2007.  The rest of the family followed.   

While working at West, I went through the effects of the traumatic explosion of April 17, 2013, the "portable campus" that we occupied for three years, and the building and moving into the new High School once it was complete.  

Also during my ten years at West, my father battled cancer, went through some major surgeries, and then lost his battle to cancer in June 2012.  I am an only child, and I adored my dad.  I miss him every single day.  We went through a couple of moves during this time, and I also went through a traumatic divorce.  One of my daughters, went through several serious illnesses, and also a brain surgery for removal of a benign brain tumor.  

I began working at Connally for several reasons:  mainly it was so much closer to home and less time on I-35.  It was also a pay raise, and I was excited about working with students from a very diverse population.  It has been a good year, and my students have done very well.  However, it seems that with my transition to a new district, a move to a new home (and all of the work that entailed), working on grad school, and being a parent to a now Junior in High School - well, as many people tell me - "my plate has been full".  

I'm really thankful for this semester of reading and for this project.  I'm not sure that I would have been as motivated to create this garden and studio space without the impetus of my graduate class.  

Through the readings and books and projects we have looked at and discussed in class, I realized that I truly needed to focus on something that would nourish my soul, and artistic need to create.  

I know that I will be here at least another year before transitioning to live in Scotland.  My son's Senior year is coming up!  And that is hard to believe!  I am so glad we moved to the Hewitt area and the Midway school district when I did.  We have had a wonderful "village" here to help me in raising my son to a beautiful young man and amazing human being.  

I think this year, I have just been a little road weary.  And I struggled more with my own personal health issues and allergies.  Fortunately my health issues are easily dealt with and I'm very thankful for that.  And I'm on a road to better health.  But dealing with severe bronchitis and adjusting to a new job was not fun!  I'm so happy to be feeling better in that area.  

I don't know exactly what the future holds, and like in my last post, I wonder about my transition to Scotland.  Will we spend summers there to begin with?  Or make a full blown move?  I'm thinking that at the very least, I would like to plan an Art Residency in Scotland for Summer 2019 and take my son and daughter with me.  

Whatever happens, I am so glad, that we had this semester project to work on.  Mine won't be complete by the end of the semester, but that is o.k.  I have made a start!  And also quite a bit of progress.  I look forward to working on it more during the month of June, and then having the joy and pleasure of creating in my own comfortable studio space once again.  I feel like that this is the Boost that I need in order to carry me through my graduate program ,and also through some more years of teaching and working.  

So here are the most recent pics of my progress and what I was able to do this weekend.  

I was able to put together the umbrella stand for our picnic table, and move the table and chairs in place.  I am going to make a rock area here similar to the fire pit area, and also create a rock garden in the space close to the growing mission fig tree.  

 The front porch, and the addition of a Gerber Daisy.  I love flowers - they just make me feel happy and alive.

 My friend Missy helped me with her vehicle to go back to Lowe's and get 12 more bags of rock.  This time I got pea gravel - it is easier to spread and to walk on, and less expensive.

 This is our new kitty, Queen Lizzy hiding out under the studio.  So far, she likes being outside more than inside.  I was also thrilled to see a bunny in the backyard today, and a squirrel running around.  I also love spending time outside and listening to the birds sing their songs.

The finished fire pit set up.  I sprayed more round up in the area and finished spreading the rock.  We are having our first cookout tonight with hamburgers and hot dogs.  And my son and daughter and I have already been enjoying this space.  As soon as school is out - finishing the studio space is next.  I look so forward to having my own space to create.