Printingmaking Bonanza

My jet-lag is starting to wear off and it's getting more and more difficult to get up for my morning beach walks. I am still pushing through though. I think it's worth it! I feel really healthy. Helen cooks amazing, clean food that has been such a refreshing change from my usual frozen meals. I am more active than I was during my teaching at Fishers HS. I have a nice glow from the sun (I'm convinced everyone looks healthier and more alive when they have a little sun to them). And I am just feeling very full mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Today, year 8 was ready to print their Adinkra inspired textile! Tarryn let me demo so I could begin taking lead. The first class, the ink we used didn't allow the brayer to rotate fully, so we had to rush and get the other ink to continue the demo. I've been in situations where things don't go as planned so it didn't fluster me at all, but goes to show you should always test things out first before you have a go at it in front a classroom full of students. The second class went much smoother during the demo after I had my test run with the first class. Students practiced printing their linocut on paper, a small square of fabric, and then printed four times in a box on the community cloth. Students were very engaged and loved the process! I enjoyed modifying the lesson to fit 8th graders. The process of creating three symbols on transparent paper, stacking them, and creating a new, unique symbol was a great exercise for them. And then seeing how each individual stamp contributed to a whole was also good for them. In the future, I'd love for them to have more time to plan out the cloth as a group before stamping in whichever spot they choose. They could take their practice print on their fabric square and then worked as a class to organize a balanced, cohesive composition of separate symbols. It would be a good extension to the collaboration.

Year 9 is currently making altered books exploring personal and community issues and events. I decided to make one with them! This is the first page of my journal which will document my time here in Byron Bay! So in this page I pasted in my boarding passes to Sydney and Ballina, and a note from my mom. I drew an outline of Indiana on top of the note from my mom, then sketched a line from home to Indianapolis, then a flight to Waikiki shown by the Hawaiian Islands.Then a close up of the coast in Australia stretching from Ballina to Byron Bay. I love how it turned out!