2021 In Review

December 28, 2021

Hard to believe that another year is nearly in our rear view.  During this year, I made a big lifestyle change early on – March 16th, to be exact, and it’s been a life changer in so many positive ways!  But that is only the beginning of the journey known as 2021 in my book.  The picture shows some highlights- I’ll explain them briefly in clockwise order:  Saturn as seen through my Celestron 90mm refractor telescope; artist,  Not Vital (pronounced Note VeeTal) walking amongst one of his art installations, my interpretation of his piece in“food” for my art class project, my shoe project-again for my art class, and  the Camper transforming from its 1981 bland-ness to rolling art

Cross section of 2021 highlights
Cross section of 2021 highlights

I embraced another semester at Ohlone College.  To accomplish what is going on at work, I need to show my persuit of a degree.  Not having a degree worked in the private sector, but not now.  My major is fine arts with concentration on multimedia.  I assumed my 3D art class I registered for was going to be something with 3D modeling and printing.  Nope.  It was a fine art class where I had to make 3 dimensional art objects.

The image, explained
Saturn.  That was always my favorite celestial object to look at with my telescope – and it still is. I had a telescope I got last Christmas, but it turned out to be disappointing, so I got a larger one in August or so and am very pleased.  I was able to hook up a camera to it;  I still need to figure out “stacking software” and get that going.  I also came up on a couple of Edmund Astroscan telescopes – they didn’t make the photo spread here, but they will definitely be featured in an upcoming website I’ll be building.  Saturn and Jupiter are about to go on hiatus until around March where I’ll have to get up early to see them – but they are well worth it.

Not Vital – I had to do research on an artist and I chose him.  He’s a Swiss born artist and does a lot of work with light and reflection – so his work immediately appealed to me.  I did my presentation on his work and this 2008 work of his, “Let 100 Flowers Bloom” inspired my food project I needed to do for class.  We had to choose a work from our artist we wrote our presentation about.  Hershey’s kisses on silver straws lined up on my walkway did it – they kept rolling so it wasn’t as simple as it seems.  In summary, I discovered an artist who intrigues me, and I would love to see his work in person.

The Shoe – this was my FAVORITE shoe from the 90’s.  LA Gear Stardust!   I had 3 pairs of them – wore them all out.  I found a pair on eBay – one is pictured here in the background in a size 7 which I modeled the model shoe from.  I found another pair in a size 9 which I wore while making my shoe.  I just LOVE how it came out!  The sole isn’t shown here, but I did the sole very accurately but painting the sole of the real shoe, stamping it onto paper, reversing it (mirror image back to regular) and carefully painting it.  I’ll have to add it to my art class photo album on this website.

The Camper -  I had started painting on the “don’t kill me in the night” x4s which we put up on the corners of our expanded tent trailer.  I painted vines with leaves and my friend suggested I write on a leaf each time we go camping – the date and place and who we camped with.  I was painting some fun signs one morning over hot chocolate at the campsite and my husband suggested I paint the whole camper – why not?  Pictures of the camper project.

So,  I did.

It took a couple of weekends, and the last part was the door since the door is stowed on the ceiling of the camper when it is folded up.  We had to take it out, I had to spray it, and then the scenery was painted on the next camping trip.  Paints will accompany us on each trip now, so I can add something besides a Sharpie note on a leaf on the “Don’t Kill Us” boards.

Something else not shown is my resin art.  I started doing more and more resin pieces, and as I write this, I will be making some eyeballs out of polymer clay as I have a pour that I will be doing later on.  Yes.  Eyeballs.  I make some pretty darn realistic looking eyeballs and I will be putting them into a sphere and a pyramid.  Molds, of course.  I hope they come out fun!  I made a lot of candle holders for the fall and holidays and gave away all of my “beach” ones, so I need to make another for us to enjoy.

I also got back into my music again - picked up the Viola for the first time in 40 years, and played a lot of Hammered Dulcimer tunes - and even did a couple of videos with my friend. 

So , as I embrace 2021, the questions are posed:

  • Will we be wearing masks at this time next year?
  • Will we be adequately immunized to fight whatever COVID strain comes next?
  • What will mankind be fighting next (it’s always something)

Big questions, way beyond my telescope, art creations and my little world in general…I hope it’s all good, man.  (Saul Goodman).

See you in ‘22