February 12, 2009

Going to school is truly a learning experience in many ways that I had not anticipated. My classes include information about Global Warming, photosynthesis, women's Utopias and loess. I have learned to log off the computer in the hall when done using it and to print off Enthemology's Power Points from the same computer, to save ink. There is no consistency in any of the food places. Each time you order something you will be surprised. I have learned that the crosswords in the Collegian get harder as the week progresses. I've watched the fish at the Salt Water tanks and found a few new ones that I hadn't noticed before. I've gotten to know the orange fish who is always rubbing his/her belly on the orange amoebas looking something like a cat rubbing its stomach on a rug. You can get free NY Times, Collegian and Centre Daily Times with a student id. And I have yet to meet an employee of Penn State that wasn't helpful and pleasant.

Peace Always

Sharon

February 9, 2009

Photos by Sharon Lee
Penn State Salt Water Tanks
University Park, PA

If you don't mind a couple more Penn State fishes,

Peace Always

Sharon

February 8, 2009

Distractions
2006
acrylic on canvas
24" x 36"

Housework

A reoccurring "to do" on my list whether I am painting, gardening or going to school

Housework, if it is done right, can kill you.
~John Skow

Peace Always

Sharon

February 7, 2009

Springtails
Order: Collembola
Minute wingless insects
simple metamorphous (ametabolous)

Sorry no art just a bunch of bugs

Peace Always

Sharon

February 6, 2009

Bogged down with scads of homework: papers, reading and quizzes but wanted to take a minute and share something with you all.Yesterday in my entomology class we watched Microcosmos. Fantastic movie great for kids, adults, stoners, drunks, teenagers, academics and redneck. Really..

Peace Always

Sharon

February 4, 2009

Hermit of Halfmoon Valley
2006
acrylic on canvas
18" x 24"


Mid winter which seems to last forever. Come February my thoughts quite naturally turn to warmer days.

Painted mid summer 2006.

Peace Always

Sharon

February 3, 2009

Today was a long day at school made more difficult by the fact that I couldn't fall asleep last night until 3ish (cramps and such). Have been thinking about adding a second major in the environment/organics /sustainable vein and training to be an organic certifier. I know it doesn't seem art like so where does that leave me as far as creating? So here's a rough plan.No art until spring break when I plan to take the book "Adventures of Sophie" with me to Tucson to finish (just have to tweak the art on the computer, everything else is laid out and ready to go. School until the end of April, 4 months of gardening, hiking and art and then back to school. Taking a full course load keeps the thinking side of the brain busy and the creative idle-it's good to swing the other way once in a while.

Whhhheeeeeeeee

Peace Always

Sharon

February 1, 2008

A fabulous winter day! 40 degrees, blue skis, snow packed wonderfully for x-country skiing.

What more can be said?

Peace Always

Sharon

January 30, 2009

Perhaps its a silly idea to expect the Obama's to cultivate a garden on the White House lawn. They are after all city people with much to do and I expect not too much for getting their hands full of mud and such but they do have a staff who could conceivably cultivate some of their foods on the White House lawn. Think of the fossil fuels saved by eliminating some of the constant mowing that goes on there. A campaign has been started and is building up momentum. If you think this is a good idea, follow the link and see what actions you can take to help encourage Barack and girls to take the plunge.

Peace Always

Sharon

january 27, 2009

Peach Bottom Reactor, central Pennsylvania

Three weeks into school and I am still learning the locations of the bathrooms, short cuts across campus and where to purchase decent vegan food at the HUB (Hetzel Union Building-the student social center of PSU). Oh yeah and I found out that THE proposed site for nuclear waste, of which is needed immediately, meets 1 out of 6 characteristics that were determined to be ideal for Nuclear long term waste storage. Did you know that the residue from Nuclear energy needs to be stored uninterrupted for a quarter of a million years?

Good job guys choosing a safe energy alternative.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 25, 2009

My daily blog is sometimes truly a challenge for me. For instance today what's to write of?-nothing creative was done. Had lunch at an Indian restaurant with a friend, read about Nuclear Energy in addition to Herland, a short story of a society of only women, did the two-day-old pile of dishes, laundry, drug in some firewood, spoke on the phone to my mother and made several cups of tea. So what's to write? Then I thought of a source of inspiration that I've mentioned before. Since I am still inspired I'll mention it again: Keith and the Girl.

KATG is a podcast created 5 days a week by a couple in Queens, New York. It is funny, touching, annoying, shocking and totally entertaining. This couple pull their resources together and make a quality show. Their guests are entertaining, many whom are comics and musicians. I've been inspired by their drive, imagination, consistency, intelligence and creativity.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 24, 2009

Pulled In All Directions
1999
acrylic on Belgium linen
24" x 36"

Weird not being able to paint but going to school with heavy load of classes (I have recently learned exactly what that means), I barely have time to cook, bath, exercise and take care of necessities.

Drawings from Adventure of Sophie are done and ready to be picked up at photographer. Will post as soon as I collect enough $$$ to pick them up. Expecting to bring them with me in March during my spring break trip to Tuscan (gotta have a Spring Break if you go to classes in the winter. Anyway I did this painting a few years ago and thought I'd share it here.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 22, 2009

The Toothache
2002
acrylic on wood cutting board
24" x 18"


Sorry school all day / homework all night leaves little to say on this blog. Photo is of my daughter studying (we were having a study session last night together) Painting is called Toothache but expresses how over my head I feel/am back in school.

and of course.....some more Penn State Fishes.


Peace Always
Sharon

January 20, 2009

Salt Water Fishes at PSU
Impromtu Gathering in the Hall


Photos by Sharon Lee


Another day at University for me. Recommend all adults try a semester of school to meet face up and personal the next generation. Interesting bunch from noshing in class to having discussions about environmental economics and watching the inauguration in the hall of the Arts building thanks to a student who set up an impromptu screening on his laptop. Great stuff.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 19, 2009

Just Another Fact of Life
2005
acrylic on wood
20" x 22"

One of the fun things about being in school is projects. as a kid I always loved projects. While others would be dismayed I always like the challenge of a presentation. In my environmental science we need to write down all our possessions. Not an easy task. I have yet to tally the final room (root cellar) but I have found some interesting things from this project. First off I live in a relatively small house frugally. I have not moved in 22 years. Keep this in mind as you look over some of the numbers

books 293
bowls 21
plastic buckets 10
CD 425
chair 19
clothes hangers 67
clothespins 104
cooking utensils 27
curtains 63
drill bits 37
hair bands 21
kerchiefs 23
magazine 87
magnets 33
pants 44
shirts 133

lots more stuff for a total of 8281 things in my house

Gasp!

Peace Always

Sharon

January 18. 2009

Photos by Sharon Lee
Ken
Broken Pipe


Homage to Ken

Many years ago I was fortunate enough to have a neighbor willing to take the time out and teach me skills that are necessary to maintain a house without the continual expense of calling in the "experts" every time a repair or improvement is necessary. This was no easy task for either him or I as my "fixing" skills were non existent and I struggled often to understand the simplicities of structure and repair, many times accompanied by tears of frustration.This past week we had a severe cold snap and as a result I had frozen pipes.

Thanks to my friend and neighbor I calmly assessed the situation, defrosted the pipes and made necessary repairs with no more stress or anguish that going to the grocery store and picking up a few things for dinner. Clearly I was able to see the problem, knew what I needed to do to solve it and even knew the necessary language to describe the part I needed.

Many thanks to you Ken, my house maintenance guru. I restored water to my home and can now flush the commode and take a bath.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 17, 2009

The Dishes Hadn't Been Done
1998
acrylic on metal tray
15" diameter

I thought an extremely cold day like today could use the warmth of a painting.

Enjoy!

Peace Always

Sharon

January 16, 2009

Photo by Sharon Lee

Today i had an "ah ha" vegan moment. I was talking to a friend who told me that she was burning her ex-husband's clothes. I stopped her mid sentence and asked if any of the items were wool as I wanted to use the fabric from old wool sweaters and assemble a pattern of sorts to make a wool hat, sized specifically for my large head. Although I no longer purchase any animal products at the time I thought it fine to use these sweaters as they would be wasted in the fire. My feeling was by using the wool that was to be disposed of I would be "honoring" the sheep by wearing the sweater. After all they had already suffered for it that suffering should not go to waste. It then occurred to me that wearing the remnants of suffering did not honor the animal in any way in fact it was a constant reminder of the suffering that had occurred, was only about me and left the sheep's best interest out of the scenario completely.

Peace Always

Sharon

July 15, 2009

Photo by Sharon Lee

I decided some months ago to go back to school, finish on a long discarded path to a degree and hopefully hone some of my skills with the goal of enhancing opportunities to make a living off of my artwork.

Today was a typical "bad day at school", starting with a sick kid, late for 1st class because I dropped her off not wanting her to walk in the 11 degree cold. Came into class with way more noise than I wanted to taking off vest, headphones, scarf, sweatshirt, gloves, backpack, trying to sit in the back of the room so as to lessen the disruption but was escorted by a very kind grad student to the absolute front of the 300 person class where there was a seat front and center, late for second class (on extreme ends of very large Penn State campus), next class I realized I was in the wrong class and had been for the first two days of class, cold soup for lunch (Yesterday I made miso soup with tofu, seaweed and kale expressly with the purpose of bring hot soup for lunch), unexpected book purchase ($125.00). Spent the day looking especially "who did it and ran" with my out of control hair and the help from a hood and scarf. Oh yeah battery was dead in my camera which I took especially to take more photos of the Salt Water tanks.

Oh well.

Peace Always

Sharon

January 13, 2009

Photo by Sharon Lee

First day at Penn State. Photo session with some salt water fishes and inspired during a women's Literature class for an idea for a title "Thought Experiments" Not sure what the painting will be.

Peace Always

Sharon