June

Suddenly it's mid-June, and I'm wondering where time has gone. Actually, I know where it's gone - doing two papers at Laidlaw this semester has taken up an awful lot of my time, to the exclusion of almost everything else, especially art.

Biblical Interpretation/Theology has been fun. I particularly enjoyed learning how to do exegesis - reading a text, taking it apart, reading it again, putting it back together, learning about the society, culture, language, history, thought and language behind it. 7-8 weeks were spent studying it. The fact I got an A- for my essay probably shows how much I enjoyed it. The last couple of weeks were hermeneutics - what people think about the text. Hermeneutics of feminism, distrust, mission, homosexuality, you name it, someone has their own special take on it. I did not do well. Don't have a mark yet, but so long as it's more than a C, I'm happy.

Then there was History of the Christian Church: Early Church to Reformation. Far to much reading (and for me that's saying something!) And far too many on-line 'conversations'. Evidently I was in the 'B-median' group, as my name wasn't mentioned in dispatches. The exam was this morning. :( At least I can say I hung in there till 11.00, unlike some people who were out the door by 1000! Again, if I get an overall C for this paper, I'll be happy.

Next semester is 'Formation' - and the course outline and textbook look awfully fluffy. Can't wait.

The other thing I intend doing next semester is to restart/continue learning Greek, as I'm taking that formally next year, and know I need to get a headstart, otherwise I'm not going to cope. Intermediate and Advanced Greek both have exams - oh joy! - but seem to be translating stuff, rather than writing essays, at which I suck.

Healthwise

Had a migraine or two in the last couple of months - stress induced; the 'synovial' cyst is growing back on my right foot, and I've got another one on my left pointy finger - ouchies! Need more exercise - Yeah, right - like that's gonna happen.

Artwise 

I'm learning to paint faces - and so far, I'm really pleased with the results. Here are my four girls so far:

I'm taking some on-line lessons from Micki Wilde who has an e-workshop on painting whimsical faces here.

The red-haired girl was my first one, brown hair #2, blondie #3, and Snow White #4. They're all done on a canvas board that's been covered with a sheet of heavy watercolour paper, then painted with a couple of coats of gesso. I've got 5-6 more of these boards prepared, but I think I'll sand them down a bit, as the surface is quite rough. #2 looks a bit wonky, because I couldn't get the angles right, and ended up removing her left eye and redoing it - she needs more work. Blondie is the one I'm really pleased with - I used a protractor and 'French curve' to get the angles right - worked out all the degrees n stuff. Snow White was started the same way, but her face is based on another whimsy face.

All the faces are done with a combination of watercolour crayons (Reeves and Caran d'Ache), heavy body acrylics - mostly Decorart, and Golden Fluid acrylics. There's also a touch of black pencil and charcoal in there for shading.

I have to say this has to be one of the most satisfactory classes I've ever signed up for. I'm learning to do exactly what I wanted! This is as opposed to one where I found out the person was posting comments and videos as they learned to do a particular process, and wasn't actually about making faces - but never mind.

So - things to do ... more work on #2, finish Snow White. finish my elephants from Paint Mojo, finish my random/abstract green-yellow board thing from Paint Mojo; finish Red Riding Hood from the beginning of the year at Mon's workshop; maybe get involved in an ATC swap  ... oh, and don't forget, Susie-girl - School's back in about 4 weeks with Formation and Greek!

happy happy happy, joy joy joy!!!!