A small art group forms in Kinsale

Hi everyone,
Did I tell you about our art group? It happened spontaneously. I took a favorite book: The creative Habit by Twyla Tharp as my entry into the book club at our local Bookstor' (that is the spelling). During the conversation one of our group mentioned that, "of course you can't learn art - you have to be born with the talent." Well all who know me from my art teacher days know that this is one of my pet peaves, I know for a fact that you can "Learn Art" because that was the philosophy of my art teacher - and I did!

To make a long story a bit shorter a group of four of us have been meeting now on the odd Tuesday a couple of times a month. I designed three two week segments: drawing from an object in front of you, drawing from a photograph (where we are now), and creating a composition (which we are working towards). They have learned to see as a person drawing needs to see, to use their pencils to create values, textures. We started a game to play with shapes as we discuss composition and next week I will bring my art books and we will discuss our thoughts as we create compositions of our own - which will begin the following month.

Our group include Katherine who lives out of town in Oz Haven with her husband and two early teenagers on an acre + of land - gorgeous, by the river. She works in juvenile probation so, of course, we spent one evening talking about at risk kids in Ireland and comparing that to the US. We can share professional resources etc. Una is our other member who is new to our lives. She and her husband work from home on the internet as Margie and I do. She is in information management and brings a wealth of interesting ideas to our discussions. For instance, do you know why the years go faster as we grow older? It is all a matter of perspective - when we are ten a year is one tenth of our lives - when we reach 50 the proportion is much different (let alone a 100). They lost their first child after six months due to a whole in his heart, and I have learned a lot from her sharing her stories and being willing to help us understand the issues that have defined her life. Artwork gives us time and space to let these stories develop - it is lovely.

They love it - I love it and we are discussing adding a few more people and maybe going on the odd field trip. Serendipity at work.

Lots of love,
Alana

Illuminated Journals

Here I am as you will find me most early mornings - snug in my place in one corner of my office/studio as I work on my latest creative enjoyment - illuminated journaling. The pleasure I derive from sorting my clip art and photos, sizing them appropriately, printing them and then cutting them to size so that they can be made into stickers. Then mixing these images with stenciled celtic knots and stamped images I proceed to decorate my journal pages one by one. Fabulous!

All the best to all of you,
Alana

Rhodondendrons and travel in Ireland

Its sad that the rhododendrons in this picture are so small that you can't see them. The southwest of Ireland is an enchanting part of our Isle and is covered this time of year with huge rhododendron bushes - some as big as a house. Multi colored, they originated in the Himalayas, brought to Ireland by amateur botanists in the early 1900's. One book calls these beauties the "foreigners who never left" as they fight to take over from the native oak.

Margie and I spent last weekend in Killarney, and ventured, as pictured above, to Bantry House, overlooking Bantry Bay. A bitter sweet visit where we met Mr White the current owner of the family estate, held in place by strangers tramping through daily with the customers to his expensive BnB. We all enjoy the 15th, 16th and 17th century treasures outlined for us in a multi page explanation as we explored the house. A testimony to impermanence in the face of what I am sure was a life where people expected lives that sorted out as they had for centuries, nevertheless the world moved on and they scramble a bit to keep the legacy for their off spring.

Our adventures included a day to a herb farm, where we exchanged expat stories with a German woman and a day of bike riding through Muckross house, another of the English manors, this one owned by the state.

Margie and I look forward to many visits from the US this summer. Starting with my childhood friend Vickie in June and going through Jean and Carla coming in October, we will enjoy showing those we love the country we love.

All the best,
Alana

This doctoral program is finally fun!

Hi everyone,

I have the perfect life!!! I just got off the phone - having done great work helping the sales staff at our university envision the doctoral program of which I am Chair - work that I love because it is a place where I can use my passion to help things grow - and now.... Well now I am seated in a great home, a stones distance from the marina in a world that is NOT the crazy university setting where I work... So today I am celebrating that my new position as Associate Chair of the up and coming Doctoral program in K12 education at Jones International University is finally warming up and getting fun AND that at the end of the day I still live in Ireland.

Our Ed.D in K12 education got off to a slow start, partially because of the slowness of some internal decisions and JIU and partially because I had a writing project that was tying up my plate. What has made it fun these last few weeks has been:

1. Organizing the faculty who will be writing classes and how that will proceed (God I love to organize - isn't that sick??).
2. Working with new technology (see my earlier post on the future).
3. Planning how to incorporate participatory action research into.....the mentoring program for sure, my life guaranteed and the rest of our students lives if possible.
4. Working closely with both my boss and the other chair (of the business department). I haven't had such a workable situation since my days at CASASTART with Larry and Sharon. Funny - they are on my mind for other reasons these days - but that will have to be another post.
5. Finally - letting my passion for the future of education invect others to the good of what we do.

The weather here also makes it a joy to end the day and still be in Ireland. Not only is it sunny more than rainey, but the days are now blessedly long. I can work long hours and still have tons of daylight to play. Life is really really good.

I hope it is equally good with all of you - and I look forward to hearing your stories as well.
Alana

PS: For anyone interested the book is up on Amazon - the final proofs went off to Sage today. Search on: Participatory Action Research or E. Alana James and it should pop up!

FAVOURITES

It has been a long time since I've blogged but yesterday's sight in town just struck my memory bank of happy moments in Sassy's in Belmont or Guy's on Haight Street in San Francisco. You will soon see what I mean and may have your FAVOURITES from kidhood.

You see FAVOURITES is the local NewsAgent/sweets store in Kinsale. Yesterday while sipping my tea, munching a scone and enjoying some very focused peoplewatching from Patsy's Cafe, at 10:30am a hoppin' time of the day. You see, this little restaurant is located at a conjested narrow crossroads.

Back to the memory--I was amazed to see about 25 primary school students all scrunch through the door of the this tiny bright orange store, all 400 square feet, including walls, racks and stacks of merchandise and daily newspapers. The teachers were diligent on monitor duty outside the shop awaiting the smiling and satisfied, nibbling returnees. As I observed, I started sharing what I was witnessing to the woman who shared my table. To appease my aroused curiosity another woman "in the know" was sitting next to our table explained the great event which was unfolding before my novice eyes. What I was viewing was the reward for the first holy communion class who had just finished practicing and were now able to go buy a treat before trudging back to class. It was obvious, even to a blow-in like this ex-pat, that these Kinsale kiddos were happy as clams with this bonus for marching time in the parish church. So as I savored the view and the last drops of my tea, I reflected back to the many candies,(SWEETS is the term here) lined up awaiting my pennies and nickels that were to be hastily spent before going to the Haight movie theater or when all the cousins took a break from swimming at the Killeans to trudge to the local Sassy's candy shop. To see kidstory repeat itself is sweet!