michelle ward

Graffiti Wall

I LOVE GRAFFITI!  The writing, the graphics, the color, the randomness......yes, it's considered destructive, but I love looking at it.  This is a compilation from a run down building on the beach front at Asbury Park.  Very sad to see the entire boardwalk in ruins.  In it's heyday it must have been spectacular, with art deco pavilions and an old merry-go-round.  The main building is now a ghost of what it once was and contains mounted blown up picture postcards revealing it's lovely past.  The Jersey beaches we visit are not like this - they are so filled with life, and activity, with amusement rides and vendors.  It's going to take alot to bring back Asbury Park to it's "Glory Days".   Here's to hoping they do.

EDIT:  I meant to include a link to an artist I found a while ago.  He has cool stuff on his site, and has published a book on graffiti based on his magazine - BloodWars. 

Check it out: http://www.sfaustina.com/

Autism Awareness Month

Here is Sam, making a dream come true...meeting his first Orca.   He's had a love of Orcas since birth......and carries picture books of them around EVERYDAY.  It was a thrill to witness his first meeting with an Orca last summer.

Before the month ends I wanted to say something about Autism Awareness.  We are priviledged to be parents to 3 children, and have lived with Autism for 14 years.  Instead of using this month to have a school fundraiser, Sam's teacher decided we would take this opportunity to thank the staff in our new middle school for making us feel so welcome.  The boys in Room 10 will be making hot dogs to pass out all day Friday.  We are lucky to have such a great teacher, and we are thrilled to still be in the "regular" school.  I'm amazed by the great kids in the middle school who have emerged to come be our "buddies", giving up their lunch hour to spend time in Room 10.  When we celebrated Sam's birthday earlier this month we had a party at the house with 30 people - many of them were the buddies from school.  How cool is that?  It was wonderful to be able to take a moment, and express to them how grateful we are that they have embraced Sam and made school such a fantastic and "normal" experience. 

Raising money is important.  Raising awareness is important.  But giving thanks is important too.  We are so blessed.  Sam brings a richness to our lives that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Late night play.....

Messing around with Photoshop..........

 

I'd love

the first

one as

a t-shirt. 

Don't you

love the

cool

graphic Ts

out this

summer?

Finally!

Finallly finishing our taxes!

AND FINALLY....my friend Julie Pearson is letting me build a website for her.  She's a huge inspiration to me - she taught the architect in me to let loose and get messy.  What a gift she has been to my life for nearly ten years.  We still have alot of work to do before we go LIVE with her site, but here's a sneak peek at one of her pieces......

Alphabetica ..........

My friend Lynne has released her new book Alphabetica.  She has a great way with words doesn't she?  Here are some pages I did, not seen in the book.  These are in Teesha Moore's journal.  I was going through a time of loving to make Letter Ladders.  You start with two words, same number of letters each (four is easiest), and build the ladder getting from the first word to the last by changing one letter on each line to form new words on the way.

How Cool Is That?

Show and Tell.....my favorite part of the morning in pre-school.  Raising my hand with polite but eager enthusiasm, I had so much I wanted to share, and desperately wanted to be chosen.  Now I don't have to wait a turn....I can show and tell all I want.

I've set a goal for myself to work in my art journals this year.  I have piles of evidence in my studio that I've been meaning to get into my books.  As I complete my pages I will post here, and hopefully the process I go through will encourage you to work in your own journal.  I am an art journal enthusiast and want to spread the fever.

A page from a while ago......thoughts on Oatmeal Raisin cookies.