Snowy night in Nottingham Forest. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
My calendar this month contains Zoom meetings, art show set up, and a car mechanic. Our life this February differs dramatically from that of last year. Our car will have its first oil change in a year. We do not drive anywhere.
Just chillin’ letting the icicles grow. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
I appreciate the gift of time and the blank days on the calendar. I am able to be home, to work from home, and to not feel guilty about it. I take the time to walk around in the snow and take a dozen photos to capture the one good shot. I am grateful to pass time by gazing out of the window to watch the snow fall, the birds nest, and plants grow while I wait for paint to dry in my art studio.
My view from the sofa. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Above: snow photos from our garden and local park.
A month ago, I was asked to show my portraits in a local café. I had to rush to have the paintings framed, and was given an hour to hang 22 works. Andreas was a big help. It feels good to exhibit in an accessible space where people will spend a little bit of time with my paintings. I would love to meet friends there, hang out, enjoy lunch, coffee, and conversations, but that is not yet possible.
Stained glass was the art medium of the month in the studio: In my first project, I recreated a stained glass tree that reflects human’s disconnect to the earth. It’s titled Plant Trees Not Houses. The first version was created in 1998 and it hangs in our living room. The 2021 version was shipped to our sister-in-law in Oregon. In my second project, I built three-dimensional sculptures of stained glass cacti that sit in containers filled with marble chips. The containers I made out of four tape cassettes super glued together on a base of either music CDs or stained glass. The cacti are being marketed to old school, music loving, houseplant killers. I feel these people exist and need art ha ha. These pieces will be included in a Trashy Women show in April. And lastly, Special Olympics ordered an unexpected additional four Polar Bears. Glass kept me busy.
Work in progress. The grey glass is mirror. Stained glass and photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Plant Trees Not Houses, original on the left created in 1998, new and improved 2021 on right. Stained glass and photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Next month will be different: I am watching daily weather patterns across the north American continent in the New York Times and Andreas is creating a new website which is sort of a hint of plans. Stay tuned blog fans……
Proof that spring is coming. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Thanks to Andreas for editing the first version. It was as flat as my mood. As much as I LOVE snow, I’m ready for winter to be over. 🙂
Rough start to February for this half century complainer. I chose to go back to my alma mater to take a German language class with my brother-in law George. My Deutsch class at the Saengerbund is fun, but not challenging. We haven’t covered much and we’ve been going over Christmas words for two months. I thought it would be fairly easy to sign up as a listener for a beginning class at the U of D. Ha ha, no, not easy. (maybe for me) I had a lot of problems with the UD website trying to figure out how to register for the class as a faculty spouse and not a student. Thirty years ago, I would go to the registrar’s office and they would help me figure it out. So, I decided to do this. I walked into the registrar building and no one was around. After a few minutes someone poked their head out of an office door and asked to help me. I told him what I needed and he looked at me with pity in his eyes and told me to sign in. I said where, on a computer? He pointed to the screens against the wall. His eyes once full of pity now rolled up into his head and he said yes in a slow, calm voice.
Ten minutes later (I was the only one sitting there) a woman came from another office and offered to help me. I told her I was having trouble registering and she said I needed to do it on the computer. I said yes, I know, but where and how? I asked her for a pen to write down the instructions she was giving me. She looked at me with surprise. “A pen?” she asked. Yes, I said, I need to write this down. There wasn’t a pen to be found in her office. Eventually she found one down the hall. Everything she told me was useless. George eventually figured out how to register and we signed up in time.
We have a lot of homework in this class.
The class has been great. We love the teacher and the work and pace are challenging. I do feel old sitting across from my high school friend’s son and a lot of the videos are geared toward college kids. (Andreas says they’re “modern”) I got 100% on my first quiz!
The new car has me feeling old too. It has a slow start (must be a hybrid thing) and I find myself driving slow and careful like an old lady. I’ve been gradually learning all of the buttons and new gadgetry stuff with the computer. I still can’t get used to the keyless entry and start. I don’t like it. (She mumbles under her breath, humbug!)
AND ANOTHER THING, my stupid old teeth. I went to a new dentist this month. She’s Andreas’ dentist. (very young) Her office is modern. I caught myself using the word newfangled to the hygienist a few times. After all of my newfangled x-rays she informed me that I had seven cavities, needed two root canals and two crowns. WHAT! Do you have any idea how much that is going to cost!?, I asked her. She didn’t, but said that someone would eventually call me. Holy mackerel, I’m the kid with the good teeth who never gets a cavity. Doesn’t she know that?
Studying in the dentist office. I’ll be here every Tuesday for a while. My two hour visit this morning cost $2,000. Not kidding.
Ok, enough boohooing about feeling old. Thanks for listening and yes, I hear some of you saying, “Just wait..hahaha.”
In January’s blog I mentioned that I was walking three miles a day with friends. Now I’m walking every other day with them and to class on the days in between. I love it, it’s great and I’ve lost a whole pound in two months. I know, impressive. Yay old people metabolism. Shoot me.
Andreas and I had a wonderful Valentine’s Day in our own weird way. Our tradition is to buy a painting we both like. This year it was a portrait by Linda Harris Reynolds. Somehow, with our opposite tastes in art, we chose this and we love it.
Portrait of Diana McDonald Keller in oil by Linda Harris Reynolds.
Spring, or at least spring flowers seem to be here early this year. Snowdrops and crocuses are blooming in February and maybe we’ve had more warm days than cold. We volunteered to participate in the Newark Arts Alliance Garden Tour in June and we are trying to prepare the garden ahead of time. I think it’s making Andreas nervous.
The first crocuses have bloomed in the neighbor’s garden. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Andreas helps neighbor Francis with his early spring clean up. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
I began a welding class with the Trashy Women last week. So far, I really enjoy it. I thought it would be scary or difficult, but we have a great instructor.
With instructor John heating rebar with a flame torch to bend it.
MIG welding a rebar bottle tree for the garden. Photo by Jamie Holbrook Troiani
I was also given the opportunity to speak to my friend Kathy’s fourth grade class about what it’s like to live on a research vessel in the Arctic. Her class of six nine-year-old boys was very interested in the ship and the icebergs. They had so many questions for me. I showed them my photos, videos from the German Icebreaker Polastern’s current project, and let them try on Andreas’ polar work suits. It was fun, and it must have gone well because I’ve been invited back for Career Day next week.
Showing the kids where our ship traveled near the Scoresby Sund. Photo by Kathy Mosing Seeman
Helping a 9yr old into a polar work suit. He looks warm. Photo by Kathy Mosing Seeman
In the studio this month my attention has been on finishing a painting for a high school friend that I’ve been working on since September. It has been much more challenging than I anticipated, but It’s turning out well.
This painting is complicated (for me) both in execution and subject matter. Grace Jones is larger than life in so many ways. Photo by Andreas Muenchow
I’ll leave you with this photo of my little cousin Jason. He’s celebrating his 37th birthday today. I’m so old!! Happy birthday, Jason!
Andreas and I challenged each other to create a blog today (New Year’s Eve.). It has been a while since either of us has had the time to write.
Andreas working on his blog. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
In Germany last year we had many events to write about and many shareable photos as we traveled a few times a month. Since we’ve returned to the States, we’ve only taken a weekend away to Bethany Beach, Delaware to celebrate our first Anniversary. The beach in December was cold and rainy, and we enjoyed the empty beaches, movie theater and restaurants.
Andreas on South Bethany Beach in December. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
We are back to old routines. Andreas taught a Time Series Analysis class at the University of Delaware this fall and is actively serving on University committees again. I have reconnected with most of my private students from 2018 and have picked up a few new ones as well.
One of my private student’s finishing up her sea shell drawing. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Andreas’ sister and our brother-in-law moved into their new house this month. They have been waiting in our house since last spring for their house to be built. We enjoyed having them as house sitters and when we returned from sabbatical we enjoyed their company after spending the year alone. What a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better.
Happy new homeowners. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Facetiming Kaffee Klatsch with their brother and our sister-in-law in Diez Germany. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Some new routines for me include daily studio time to work on commissions and time to take classes like portrait painting at the Centreville Art Students League and beginning German at the Delaware Saengerbund. I also volunteer at the Newark Arts Alliance again and serve as Board Secretary. I enjoyed volunteering for the NAA Events Committee this autumn to help create and execute a fundraising event.
Iceberg stained glass created for the Newark Arts Alliance fundraising event. Photo and artwork by Dragonfly Leathrum
My portrait painting class with Artist Linda Harris Reynolds pictured here working on her demo. Centreville Art Students League. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
The Trashy Women Artist Collective has also been very active. Since my last writing we had two shows. One at the Gallery at La Cigale in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania and another at the Bookplace in Oxford, PA. Two of us from the group, Maggie Creshkoff and myself participated in a recycling art show at the State Department Building in Washington DC. Trashy Women Trebs Thompson offered a glass mosaic making workshop on her Whimsical Farm.
Trashy Women having fun at an art fundraiser in Chesapeake City, MD
Trebs and Maggie at the Gallery at La Cigale Trashy Women show. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Trashy Women show at the Bookplace Galley in Oxford, PA. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Sitting with my artwork in The State Department in Washington DC. Baby Iceberg windows on the front of the table. Photo by Maggie Creshkoff
Andreas and I had our first Christmas in our home. It was quiet and relaxing in contrast to the past two years. We hosted a small gathering on Christmas Eve. and then spent Christmas day relaxing and visiting friends.
Christmas Eve with two of my favorite, former co-workers. It’s always a party in the kitchen. Photo by Lauren
Andreas’ favorite Christmas present. Safety first. He bought me tickets to see Star Wars AND watched the movie with me. He doesn’t know anything about Star Wars so this was a big deal ha ha. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
In the days since we’ve been a bit lazy reading, eating Christmas cookies, and binge-watching The Crown on Netflix. Surprising, we found a show that we both enjoy. In contrast to last year’s insane fireworks display in Bremerhaven, we plan to spend New Year’s Eve at home with a DVD and a fire like a boring old couple ha ha.
Happy New Year/ Frohes neues Jahr to you and your families!
Partying like it’s 2019. Happy New year! Photo by Andreas Muenchow
Dragonfly Art Studios Nottingham Forest location is back in operation. In the last few weeks I have been starting commissions, taken an oil painting class and painted a few personal projects.
Dragonfly Art Studios. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
The main commission I’m working on is the annual Night of Heroes award windows for Delaware Special Olympics.
Admiring the color of the pattern tracings to be cut. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
I’ve been filling this commission since the late nineties and even though it’s a lot of work, it’s not too stressful. This year it consists of three larger award windows and seven smaller awards.
From two big sheets of glass to boxes of tiny pieces ready to grind. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Grinding each piece to remove sharp edges and to help it fit the pattern. This takes a long time. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
The pieces have now been wrapped with copper foil tape and are ready to be soldered. More glass in different shapes and colors will be added around these pieces before soldering. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Artist Linda Harris Reynolds in her studio at the Centreville Art Students’ League. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
The goal of the class was to learn to paint from photos more successfully. Linda had some great tips and was able to paint alongside us. I love to watch her work. I chose a photo of Andreas that I took at the fish market in Bremerhaven.
Laying in the base colors of the painting. Photo by Sara Rose
Our class’ progress after one week. Even though these painting are unfinished here you can see our distinct styles. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
The painting continues in my studio where I work on it a little each day and hope to finish soon.
Unfinished painting of Andreas. I hope to post a finished version soon. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Off task projects have included painting a bicycle helmet, birdhouses and a bat house for Nottingham Forest and some photography.
New bumble Bee bike helmet using acrylic paint. Drivers beware. Selfie by Dragonfly Leathrum
Bat and birdhouses in progress using acrylic paint. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Protected. Photo of a seed pod found in Nottingham Forest. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
Fascination. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
I also had a cat sitting job and have spent time with friends. All in all it’s been a pretty wonderful summer.
Miss Yoda playing with the paper from my copper foil tape. Photo by Dragonfly Leathrum
DragonflyArtStudios 