Friday Art and Cat Blogging

Greta who is very secure in her masculinity

Just finished breaking up a potential dust up between Greta (who might actually be a small boy) and Gaston. Apparently Gaston was in fine Yowl Mode -- so loud that he woke The Amazing Bob, who came down to alert me to the porch commotion. I went out armed with catnip and treats and proceeded to go full metal Ghandi on their little keesters.

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. 

Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding.

Gaston and Greta in the midst of serious words

Pacifism doesn't come easily in the Feline Galaxy.

No Rocco yet but, old man that he is, he’s probably ducking all the adolescent fuss.
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Day of the week underdrawers -- what a concept. Clearly invented for folks who aren’t able to read a calendar unless they’re wearing it.,,
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This is Somerville Open Studio weekend. The weekend when I see loads of great studios (and salivate with envy) and tons of art. The paintings, sculptures, claywork, etc., span the accomplishment range from awful to mediocre with the occasional stunning gem or three thrown in just to keep me coming back year after year.

Jen and I will likely swing by Mudflat first. There's often some pretty decent student work on display and, on occasion, some fab pro work.

I used to have studio space here -- a sublet actually. This was back when they were in an old cramped space in East Somerville. They’re still in East Somerville, a nasty-ish area, but now in significantly nicer, roomier digs. Way back then, Mudflat was moving towards becoming, primarily, a school (versus studio space for potters/artists with classes taught on the side):

Now located in a newly renovated state-of the-art facility, Mudflat follows its mission to promote and expand appreciation of and participation in the ceramic arts. Mudflat offers classes, workshops, outreach programming and events for students of all ages, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In any case, I left in part because getting there via public transport (we didn’t own a car back then) from our apartment in Brighton was a mega hassle. I might have stayed on though had the atmosphere been less clannish/cliquey. Folks got and kept private studio space based, in large part, on their friendship with the powers that be there. Of this group, many didn’t actually even use the space except for the month or so preceding the big biannual open studio events.

sigh. That was close to two decades ago -- I wonder what it's like now.
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And, from NBC, news of a very happy triumph of reason over fascist fear mongering:

Principal fires security guards to hire art teachers — and transforms elementary school

...now, three years later, the school is almost unrecognizable. Brightly colored paintings, essays of achievement, and motivational posters line the halls. The dance studio has been resurrected, along with the band room, and an artists’ studio.

The end result? Orchard Gardens has one of the fastest student improvement rates statewide. And the students — once described as loud and unruly, have found their focus.

“We have our occasional, typical adolescent ... problems,” Bott said.  “But nothing that is out of the normal for any school.”

The school is far from perfect. Test scores are better, but still below average in many areas. Bott says they’re “far from done, but definitely on the right path.” 

The students, he says, are evidence of that.

Very nice end of week news!

And finally, a random quote from Otto von Bismarck:

 When you want to fool the world, tell the truth.