Art of the Week-"Reflections"

This is the final painting we had to complete for Painting I nearly two years ago, and it is also my one of my favorites.  Maybe because I was already familar with the skeletal structure of a cow... 

Kaitlyn R. Nelson  "Reflections" 2010 Oil on canvas

Weekend Warrior



Yet again, I'm please to say another productive weekend occurred on the farm. Although my paint brushes unfortunately never left the jar, I did in fact do some painting. Since I've moved into a tiny, second floor apartment, the only contact I get with green grass is when I jump out of the way of a wayward skateboarder on campus. So when I go home, I'm usually outside either working in the yard, garden, or barn. In fact, I sometimes even wonder why I bother to take my backpack home with me because most times I don’t even open it. I guess you can blame my sister for my 'weekend warrior' status. A year ago right now, my family and I were scrambling around to prepare the farm for a wedding, that of which we learned about in January and took place that June and so Extreme Make-Over: Farm Edition happened. While some maids of honor plan bridal showers and go dress shopping, I was pouring concrete and building retaining walls. My sister's wedding is another good story, but I'll post about that around their first anniversary. Anyway, I guess never really recovered from all those projects. You'd think I'd never want to see a weed whacker or paint brush ever again, yet every weekend that I make it home, I'm itching to do something constructive. This weekend was no different, except for the fact that we actually got more done than we even planned on.

It all started with a stop at a local thrift shop and some cheap ugly shelves. I've become somewhat of a DIY and repurposing junkie since my aunt gave me a stack of Country Living magazines. I've also been on a mission to make my late 80's apartment a bit more home-y, while keeping on a meager budget. Anyway, I liked the brackets, but they had a horrible stain job. I picked up some cans of primer and spray paint on my way home and started working on them that night.  However, I couldn't find a single scrap of sand paper on the entire farm and so the project was put on hold.


In the mean time, and after a trip to the Jung's store, my mom and I got to work on the garden. Because of the wedding, our garden wasn't exactly up there on the priority list. In fact, it was left off completely and the only work it saw was an occasional mow to keep the weeds down. That year off was a bit like hitting a reset button for my mom and I. For years, we've not only battled the weeds in the hard clay-soil that turns into sticky muck when wet, but we've all battled each other with different gardening styles. My mom has a tendency to go a little overboard when buying bedding plants. We try not to let her to go into a garden center unsupervised anymore. She also makes sure that every square foot of garden space is used up. Therefore we end up with a garden packed with multiples of eight different varieties of tomatoes, fifty plus potato mounds and way more zucchini than anybody should be allowed to grow. I, on the other hand, am a quality verses quantity gardener. I'd rather have a small area that I can easily get around in and keep a head of weeds. Since the garden got a bit taken over by quack grass during last summer's neglect, and because our trusty rotor tiller may have finally bit the dust, mom and I worked out a compromise that will not only be more manageable, but pleasing to look at. We decided on making several raised garden beds.

We've talked about making them for years, but we just never got around to it. But we finally found some time to do a lot more working and a little less talking. Our neighbor gave us several loads of oak beams a few years ago because my dad, being the way he is, couldn't turn down the potential usefulness. After about eight years of stumbling over them, we realized they were prefect for our project.

First, we built a narrow bed for the peas. We put down a sheet of weed block paper and a few layers of newspapers to prevent the existing weeds from sprouting up. Then we put down some composted manure and topped it with a mixture of peat moss and soil. The other two beds we completed will be the home of our new raspberry plants and strawberries. We used to have a beautiful patch of raspberries, but for some reason they didn't make it through the winter before last. For those we put a thicker layer of compost down and will cover the plants with straw mulch.

 Something I didn't plan on getting done was the new compost bin. I believe mom found the idea in a gardening magazine and it literally only took ten minutes to build. All it consist of are five wooden pallets held together with fencing wire. There’s one pallet set on the ground for air flow and covered in old hay. Simple as that...

We also did some work around the yard. We built a new house about ten years ago and we've slowly, but surely, been completing the landscaping ourselves. There are some things that I wish we could have afforded to have done professionally, but nonetheless, I think it looks pretty good, despite the few bumps here and there. On the east side of the house, my mom created a raised bed with a two ponds and a waterfall. She would like to extend the water feature into a small stream and a third pond in the small yard next to the garage, but we are still working out the logistics of that. Nonetheless, we did a little contour work on that part of the yard. It certainly doesn't look pretty, but it looks a hundred times better than before.

After a quick run to Farm and Fleet on Sunday morning, I finally got my sandpaper and returned to original project. I sanded off the globby stain and smoothed out a few rough edges. After seeing what the stripped wood looked like, I almost called it done there, but I decided to stick with my original plan and paint them a creamy beige color. I took them to the shop and painted them with primer, and started over after the wind knocked them into some mud a tractor had dragged in (grrrr!). I had originally picked a khaki color since all the walls in my apartment are white and I wanted them to stand out, but I began to think the color was too dark. Because of that, I found something lighter on my sandpaper run and sprayed it on.

Meanwhile, I also took the floor vents from the bathroom and kitchen out with me and gave them a little make-over. The flat, white, vents weren't installed in the wisest places because everyone always steps on them and the powder coat paint job hasn't held up. I painted them that khaki color because a.) I wanted to use the paint for something and b.) I thought maybe the dirt wouldn't show up as bad. After priming them, I went to spray on the top coat and I got an idea for my shelves after the first pass of paint. It made a speckled pattern over the white primer and so I did the same thing to the shelves and...whola! Take that Nate Berkus! Now I just need to decide on a place to put them and what the heck to put 'em...

All in all, it was probably the most productive weekend I've had all spring. On Sunday night while I'll was feeding the calves, I started making a list of everything we accomplished.

Let's see, I repainted my shelves, went to Madison and picked up the art supplies I've been meaning to get for a month, picked up mineral and starter from the feed mill, make the beds, bought seeds and plants at Jungs, mowed the lawn, weeded flower beds, made a compost bin, repotted my house plants, burned the brush pile, smoothed out the yard, started work on the patio, and I even found time to color my hair during all that! We weren’t just weekend warriors…we were weekend conquers.
However, starting a farmer's tan was not one of the things I'd hope to accomplish this weekend...lovely.

Philosophy of Education

So far I've posted about two of the three C's of my blog's namesake, but I haven't really discussed anything about my future profession, teaching.  For those who don't know, becoming a teacher isn't exactly a cake walk.  Not that I'm complaining (well, maybe a little bit), but becoming a teacher takes a lot of work and about ten times as much writing.  There's philosophies, standards alignments, lesson plans, classroom management papers, observation reflections, child development studies, Praxis tests, and Knowledge, Skill, and Disposition statements, all of which must be completed before you can student teach and put everything you've written about into practice.  Then throw all that work on top of your chosen Major coursework.  The good new about all that work is it does weed out people who are in the wrong program.  You've got to be either really dedicated and/or incredibly stubborn to keep going sometimes.

So for your reading pleasure, here is just a small portion of my teaching portfolio.  This was the easy part to write.  I will post a standard alignment to show the torture we must endure to endure more torture as a first year teacher in a middle school...just kidding! 

I wrote this my first semester at Platteville for Intro to Education.  There are some parts that I will probably rewrite before my second level interview, but you'll get the gist.

Philosophy of Education

The Role of Education

If humans were born with every possible skill they would ever need to prosper in life, then there would be no such thing as education.  But, because that is not the case, I believe education is the most important process in humanity.  The world is an ever-changing and constantly evolving place, and sometimes the changes are so rapid that it is hard to keep up.  Both the cause and solution of that constant dilemma is education.  As new ideas and methods are discovered, we have to learn what they mean and how to apply them to our everyday lives.  Thus, one is never finished learning.  The role of education is not just what students learn, but how they learn it, and how they apply that knowledge to future situations they will encounter in their walks of life.  There is no better teacher in the world than real life experience and I believe students must be educated to think critically and how to learn from those experiences to become contributing members of society.

The Role of the Student in Education

            I believe a student must be willing to take charge of his or her own education.  Students must have an open mind and be willing to explore different ideas, subjects and cultures because they’ll never know what they will find interesting if they don’t explore their options.  The most important role of a student is to ask questions and not be afraid to use all the resources available in his or her pursuit of knowledge.  They must also show respect for their teachers and fellow students by being positive participants in the classroom.  Students must have a sense of pride in their work and put forth their best efforts in everything they do, even if they think they are bad at or are not fond of a certain subject.

The Role of the Teacher in Education

            I believe the role of an educator is to teach students important life skills and to help guide them in their pursuit of education by exposing their students to as many things as possible.  A teacher’s biggest challenge is to teach in such a way that makes the students enjoy and be passionate about their education.  Teachers cannot make students learn; they have to make the students want to learn.  I also believe it is a teacher’s mission to challenge his or her students, because nobody knows what they are capable of until they try.  Teachers must always be willing to continue their own education and be flexible.  No two people learn the exact same way and a teacher must be able to adapt to their students learning styles.  Teachers must also be the leader in the classroom.  They must be authoritative and hold their students to the highest standards, but not be an authoritarian who is unreasonably demanding.  Teacher must also keep up with their own education to ensure they are teaching their students the most up to date information and methods.

The Role of the Teacher in the Community

            The role of a teacher in the community is to be a productive, proactive, and positive role model.  I believe that when one decides to be a teacher, that person has to dedicate themselves and answer to higher moral standards than one would in any other profession.  It is their job to be an influence to those who will dictate the future and if an educator wants his or her students to go on tog be productive members of society, then that teacher must lead by example.  If students see their teachers being active members of the community, then they will take the initiative to be one as well. 

Why I Want to be a Teacher

            Being a teacher wasn’t my first career choice, but looking back, I realized it was the right career choice for me.  I believe that knowledge is an incredible gift.  I decided to be a teacher after reading and writing a paper for a Freshman Composition course on a book by Lewis Hyde.  In that book was a chapter about the ‘labor of gratitude’.  That chapter explained how one cannot fully appreciate the meaning or reap all the benefits of a gift given to them until they pass it on to someone else.   I love learning, and more than I love learning, I love passing my knowledge on to others.  I want my students to have as much fun as I do when learning and I want to help guide them down the never-ending and winding path of education. 

Just Pictures!

In an attempt at shameless self-promotion and because I seem incapable at writing a 'quick' post, I've decided to post a few images every week or so of my work.  I'll think of a better, snappy title sooner or later. I will post everything from quick sketches to class assignments.  I'll still write full-fledged posts, but I just want to get more pictures on here since I am a visual artist after all...

                     Kaitlyn R. Nelson 2011 Still life of Pumpkins and Squash Ink on Paper 18x22in

Just one of the many in-class drawings from last semester's drawing class using different values of ink wash like watercolor.  Did you know that using watercolor is actually considered drawing?  Learn something new everyday...

A Productive Weekend

So yet another weekend has come and gone and I’m excited to say that it was actually quite productive.  As I said before, living and working on a farm is incredibly inspiring for an artist.  I’m surrounded by picture perfect moments that I wish I could capture on canvass all the time.  Except for when I have to change to fly tape, that’s just disgusting…  Anyway, the down side of all that inspiration is all the work it takes to keep it all there in the first place.  I drive home nearly every weekend just so I can put on my work boots and feel like I’ve accomplished something besides staying awake through my entire Art History class.  It’s sometimes really hard to justify sitting in a comfy chair with a cup of coffee and make art when the heifer yards need to be scraped and the milk inspector is due. 

But somehow the stars aligned and I finally sat down and painted for a substantial amount of time this weekend!  I’m a bit ashamed to admit this, but I haven’t worked on anything since I had to vacate my previous painting premises in favor of Christmas cookies and cheese platters.  However, it’s not to say I haven’t touched my painting supplies since then.  I’ve had to move them out of the way a few times…

Anyway, I set up shop out on the porch, got my iTunes going, and finally got to work on a painting that I really, really want to do right.  I took this picture a year ago at my hometown’s Memorial Day service and I really hope to complete it before this year’s.  When I finish it, I will write more about why this is such an important painting to me. 

 For now, we can just talk pure aesthetics.  This has got to be the most challenging piece I’ve worked on to date.  The lighting in the picture is extremely hard to work with.  Those wonderful florescent lights that all elementary school gyms seem to come standard with aren’t exactly ideal, far from it actually.  I really enjoy playing with light and contrast in my work, and I’m struggling to quell the flatness going on at the moment.  There are no shadows to ground the subjects to anything.  I think I just might designate a light source and get a better range of value going.  Painting the ACU pattern is proving to be equally challenging, especially because of the horrible lighting.   After several, aggravating hours and nearly stabbing a brush through the canvass, I realized I needed to first figure out the areas of light and dark. As of now, I thinking ambiguity may be the ticket instead of thinking I’m going to get every, single pixel in there.

I’m also on the fence about the chairs in the foreground.  They take up so much space and are just kind of…there.  However, I’m afraid that if I take them out then I will have to improvise what they’re hiding and it won’t look right.  Lots of perspective to guess at and dink around with behind those chairs…

 Nonetheless, I still have a long ways to go, but it has certainly come a long way.  More to come!

Spring!

When I was younger, summer was my favorite season of the year. Obliviously, the lack of school played a significant role in that conclusion.  I’m sure I wasn’t the only kid who dreamed of an endless summer vacation.  However, the wisdom I’ve collected in my advancing years have allowed me to appreciate more than just being able to sleep in on a week day.  My revelation is that I love spring and at the risk of sounding sappy, I love it because it’s all about new beginnings.  Think about it, we end the year with cold and snow and we begin the New Year with more snow and even lower temps.  When the sun starts shining a little warmer and the days get longer, it is the first time you get the sense that there is actually something new about the year.  Plus, it usually takes me a few months before I stop writing the wrong date. 

Spring on the farm is probably the reason I love the season the most.  After being buried under snow and stuck doing the same old chores day after day, sometimes the only thing that keeps us from going crazy is the prospect of warmer weather and new projects.  As most know, spring this year has been a bit unusual.  A few years ago, it hit 80 degrees on April 1^st and we all thought that was crazy.  Around St. Patrick’s, I wore shorts and t-shirts during evening chores.  As nice as the June-like temperatures were, it is also a bit disconcerting.  All the plants went and shot up nearly a month ahead of schedule and now threats of frost and lost crops are causing a lot of sleepless nights for crop growers in the Midwest. 

Nonetheless, the mild winter and early spring have certainly been good for the cows.  I can’t remember the last time our cattle have looked so good this early in the year.  Usually, it takes a good three months of pasture and green grass for them to shed out and replace lost winter weight.  I am most excited about our young stock.  They truly are some of the best looking heifer we’ve ever raised and the source of that success is easily identifiable: my mother. 

My mom truly is quintessential farm wife.  Beyond being an excellent cook and wonderfully supportive mother who somehow raised five children who are well-adjusted, well-behaved, good-looking (okay, I’ll stop now), my mom can really do it all on the farm.  She can run everything from the combine to the weed whacker and is also our resident plumber, electrician, and mechanic.  Mom grew up on a large vegetable farm in central Wisconsin.  Being the oldest of three kids, Mom was helping my grandpa fix irrigation systems and driving tractors as soon as her feet could reach the pedals.  It’s fun to go to the implement dealership with her because more often than not, she knows more about the parts we need than the guy behind the counter. 

About two years ago, Mom made the decision to give up her job and return to being a full time farmer.  It seemed a silly thing to do with the economy being as it is, but she’s never looked back.  With the last kid leaving for college this fall, my dad needed the extra help and things have really turned around.  One of the biggest downfalls of our dairy operation has been the management of our young stock.  The first six months of life is the most critical growing period for cattle.  Not only will it determine the height and weight of the animal, but proper development of the rumen will determine how efficiently a cow will process its feed not only making the cow more productive, but healthier in general.  After returning to the farm, Mom caught up all our registrations, got us back on monthly DHIA testing, and put our cows on a mating program that matches them to the best sires according to their genetics and traits.  She also keeps my dad on schedule, despite his whining he knows he couldn’t do it without her.  Let’s just say the results have certainly been worth the investments.  For as long as I can remember, ‘if only she were taller’ was the line that ended nearly every conversation about the quality of our animals.  We’ve always had the genetics to back up a good herd, but since we’ve revamped our feeding program, our animals actually look the part.

With the showing season soon approaching, trying to narrow down our show string is a welcome problem.  On the left is Nels-Vale Fulton Besty.  She was born December 5th and goes back to an a September Storm and one of our foundation dams.  Her great-granddam, Beebee, was a bit of a pet to us kids.  I won both my heifer and showmanship class with her.  My brother showed her granddam as a spring calf his first year in 4-H.  One of the benefits of having a smaller herd is the fact that we can remember all this about every animal.  I swear, my dad can look at a cow and tell what the weather was like and what he ate for lunch the day he bought her great-great-grandma twenty years ago, but he can’t keep his own kids names and birthdays strait.