Monday, April 23, 2012

Holi

Holi came and went with less gusto than last year. Emily and I still managed to get completely colored. From the horrible headache and sore throat I acquired, I might retire from full-fledged Holi celebrations. 

Emily and I getting doubly-whammied by a 7th grader.

We tried to avoid water at all costs.

Enthusiasts.

Retirees.

A gaggle of girls. 

They mean business.


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Art Hike

Unwittingly, I ended up being the lead chaperon for an outdoor education day hike at the end of February. Of course, I didn't particularly mind - hiking, art, and a picnic to boot! If you want to hear more, check out the article I was asked to write for Asian Correspondent.











(Photos courtesy of my student, Phuriwat.)

Sunday, April 15, 2012

AP Delhi Trip

Back in February, we jump-started the semester with a four-day field trip to Delhi. This was the beginning of my "chaperon quarter" - a quarter filled with leading students off-campus. I spear-headed the trip, but thankfully had two friends/colleagues to help chaperon the 16 senior AP Studio Art students. It amazes me how comfortable Delhi has become to me. The students were bewildered when I said we'd be walking and metro-ing whenever possible. It feels good to get them out of their private car/private driver bubble every now and again.

The trip was great. We visited the National Gallery of Modern Art, Lodi Gardens, India Habitat Center, Hauz Khas galleries and ruins, the best art supply shop in Delhi, and Vadehra Art Gallery. The highlight was definitely a Yoko Ono exhibit which totally blew the students' minds. Unfortunately, we couldn't take photos in the exhibit. No doubt it will be the most memorable, and not just because of the adventure it took to get there. (Letting students pile into a variety of shared rickshaws unchaperoned and without specific directions to the destination definitely makes life exciting.)

Outside NGMA.

Group photo at NGMA.

Sketching at Lodi Gardens.




India Habitat Center

Outdoor photography exhibit at IHC.

Delhi Art Gallery, Hauz Khas.



A tour at DAG.

Sketching at Hauz Khas ruins.

Contributing to Yoko Ono's Wish Tree.

 

Instructions for Mend Piece for India by Yoko Ono.
Courtesy Vadehra Art Gallery

Mend Piece for India.
Courtesy Vadehra Art Gallery

A lot of these photos are Zach's, but I can't remember which.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Adventure Book

During my winter travels, I worked consistently on what I came to call my "Adventure Book." I picked up this great book a few years ago when Woodstock was discarding out-dated library books. I love so much about it - the title, the cover, the feel of the pages, the illustrations, the ridiculousness of its tales, etc. You may have heard of it, if you've read other books by Collinson, including the ever popular Cannibals and Coconuts or perhaps the tear-jerker Life and Laughter 'Midst the Cannibals.  I can only imagine how phenomenal those illustrations are. Anyways, I've had many ideas of what to do with it over the years, but finally made a move and dedicated it as a visual journal for six-weeks of traveling Nepal and India. 

Thoroughly beaten up by being dragged to mountains, beaches, grimy bus stations, historic sites, and many trains, it no doubt has many tales to tell. In total, I have more than 60 page-spreads complete. Materials were limited to a small bag of pens, a black stabilo pencil, a conte pencil, a japanese calligraphy pen, and some paintbrushes. All "painting" was done with black tea or coffee. Here is a sampling of some of my favorites.