Visiting Redwood Day School
It was a gorgeous Bay day as I drove across the Bay Bridge on my way to Redwood Day School in Oakland last Thursday for my artist presentation. I was singing my head off and feeling excited to meet new friends and see what art might get made.
My fabulous directions took me directly to my destination with great ease and in perfect time. I walked into the school library and was struck at how beautiful it was. I wanted to wander through the aisles and look at all the books, but I focused on setting up for my presentation. Although, I couldn’t help but look at the colorful array of frog art displayed on the ends of the shelves and the amazing parade of art finalists above the window for the latest art contest. I could tell right away this was going to be good day.
Jen Ammenti, the head librarian showed me around, told me a few tales and generously took photos of me and the kids playing. I knew I wanted to write about my visit later, but it’s tricky to talk and take photos at the same time. Librarians are notoriously special folks! Jen has been added to my official list of librarians I love.
First off I got to talk with kindergarten through 2nd graders. I was impressed as the entire library filled up. I found a friend in the first row to help me out. She posed as I dressed her in the same shawl I photographed for Nana’s Big Surprise written by Amada Irma Perez. We talked about the story inside the story that the art can tell. We looked at Continue reading »
Filed under Maya in the Classroom | Tags: children, presentations, school visit | Comment (1)Fall Cornucopia
The dark. As a child I loved the coming of the dark. I grew up in the desert and the sun was merciless until Fall came when it lowered its head and seemed to rest a moment. Because of this the Fall had a cozy, homey feel to me. I was very aware of the quality of light in the Fall, low and intimate. The sun was now mine, not some distant burn up high, far away being out of my reach. It was up close and personal. It warmed me instead of burning me. This made the whole world feel more like my living room, my home and I belonged exactly where I was. I too could rest. Settle in. Daily ritual kicked in as school held a steady pace of week in and week out.
This was a time of certain smells coming from the kitchen; baked puddings replaced the peach-y pitch of summer. Caramels melted in a big pot and round, red apples dipped in. A parade of holidays commenced beginning with Halloween and Continue reading »
Filed under From the Life | Tags: altar, Fall, holiday, project, season | Comment (0)Invisible Families
When I was a child, they didn’t teach about my family in school. They didn’t talk about my family on television or in the movies and definitely not in books. At least not the books I ever came into contact with at my library or school. If my family was mentioned at all, it was to condemn, ridicule, or shame. Why? Because I have a gay father.
The messages I heard repeatedly from my childhood were loud and clear in everything I read, everywhere I looked, and everywhere I went. I must be the only one. My family must be something I’m supposed to hide – a difference not to be celebrated, but embarrassed and ashamed of. My family, and therefore I, must be less than, unwelcome, an outcast, deserving of the harsh treatment because otherwise someone would try to stop it, someone would talk about it, someone would tell me it was ok, right? These messages followed me throughout my middle school and high school years and into college. Never once did I meet another kid like me, never once did a teacher acknowledge families like mine existed, never once did I not feel fear that someone would find out my secret and tease and shame me for it. My family was invisible. I was invisible.
At the end of my junior year of college, after I had told maybe a handful of people my entire life about my family, I was sitting at a computer researching scholarships. When out of nowhere I found an organization called, COLAGE. An organization for children who have lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender parents! I couldn’t believe it! I wasn’t the only one, I wasn’t an outcast! I wasn’t supposed to be ashamed. No, in fact, I could be proud! Proud of Continue reading »
Filed under LGBTQI Families | Tags: acceptance, empowerment, family, lgbt, reflection | Comments (3)Gathering the Ghosts
Just the other day I was innocently walking to the train station to meet Matthew for lunch, when I was hit with a book. The story, the imagery, the title, all of it just landed in my head as if it was some big thingy that had fallen from the sky and bang! 
Now it was in my head. It nearly stopped me in my tracks and I had to laugh out loud. I told Matthew when we met up at the train, “I just got hit with a book!”
I don’t know exactly where it came from, but as always, once it came it felt like it had always been there. It was so obvious that it was clearly mine.
As with nearly everything, I just noticed its presence. Hello, I said to this new book in my head. And I let go. I have so many creative bits land in my head that it has taught me the practice of letting go. If they push to creation on their own, then so be it. But I know that I can’t force it myself or I will most certainly make myself mad!
Much like its dramatic arrival, this book Continue reading »
Filed under The Creative Process | Tags: book process, children, creative process, creativity | Comment (0)Hats for the Head
Here it is November and I’m waiting for the cold to hit so I can start wearing my warm hats! I will use any excuse whatsoever to create. And one of my favorites is “having a head!” My head affords me the constant excuse to make hats, crowns, horns and soon masks! Who knows what else my head might need?!
I have loved hats ever since I was a kid. Wild hats! An old lady friend of the family once gave me a large box of hats she had left over from the 40’s and 50’s. Out-of-this-world hats! Hats with feathers two feet long and spirals of ribbon and fake flowers piled high…you name it! What an era! I wore those hats for years and I can see now that they left an indelible mark on my psyche.
Here are some of my hats: crocheted, knitted, felted, ribboned, furred and flowered. I have so many more in the corners of my brain just waiting to sneak out…but for now…
Red Hat: (left) This one is made from a sweater vest from Zai’s babyhood. I wore it all last Christmas season. I have two huge poinsettias I clip onto the back. Tis the season!
Green Hat: (right) Someone gave me a big bag of vintage hand knit socks that had been worn many years and Continue reading »
