Orange Everywhere!

It's in the pumpkins, the trees, the eery sunrises and sunsets this time of year, and it was in the color palette  I used for my most recent self portrait.  It's about 95% done, but needs a little work still.  I wanted to paint myself before I turned 29, since it is an artistic tradition I've noticed since I've been studying the history of art. Durer, among others, painted his infamous portrait when he finished his apprenticeship at the ripe age of 28.  I feel that painting yourself at 28 shows a"coming of age".

This shows the first half hour on canvas. I've made great progress since then.  Stay tuned. 

I've also been painting for the 2016 Pumpkin Express.  This annual event held in Brick, New Jersey, helps raise funds for Juvenile Diabetes Research.  It's my 11th year painting for the cause. 

I hope someone will buy this Beetlejuice pumpkin!

 The orange in yesterday's sunrise took me by surprise. We get such foggy, strange mornings since we live so close to the bay. Yesterday was no exception.

My students have been working with clay to create canopic jars. They get extra credit if they can sculpt the correct organ and place it inside the jar.

The Mona Lisa got an Egyptian make over.

We also went on our cemetery tour field trip today.  Each student made a few tombstone rubbings to bring home. I was surprised to see what students became invested in it. A few of the students couldn't stop asking me for paper.