Grant mention

On this blog I just wanted to make a brief mention of my recent Grant Award.

Yes, I am a recipient of the JPMorganChase Arts in our Communities Grant from The Coalition on Arts and Humanities for Staten Island (COAHSi). I am honored and excited!! This is my first grant and I intend to make the most of it!!!

Please see my other  PatriziaV  blog for more details.

A Magical Day

Last Friday I spent a really wonderful day with my girl.  Days like this I really feel like she is turning into my little side kick and hang out buddy. It was a day with no "issues" for the most part and we just enjoyed each others company and had a great little time. The Carousel at Willowbrook Park has been a very special place for us since G was a just a baby. She just LOVES it there. Her face totally lit up with joy and excitement when I surprised her with our first visit to the Carousel this season. Really the entire park is very magical. Of course the main attraction is the beautifully restored Carousel but then there is a sweet little playground to spend a bit of time at and the wonderful pond to take walks or bike rides around and of course the FEARLESS Ducks!! If you pack a picnic lunch it could makes for a few hours of serenity.

Arts and Ed. end of year festival 2009

Before "G" was born I taught as and Adjunct Art Professor, in Continuing Ed. programs and private classes to adults. I never imagined myself teaching under College level. But, after she was born those positions seemed even harder to come by than before. This year I am proud to say I have gotten myself back into teaching. Thanks to a very dear friend I was able to get a class teaching "gifted" middle school kids and I have started up my studio classes  again. Well...the Middle school thing was very unexpected but, let me tell you, one of the most rewarding teaching experiences of my life. Here are some pix from our recent end of the year art festival exhibit. I am very proud of all my students and humbled to be one of the many teachers that will come into their lives. A big thanks to Jimmy again for sending this opportunity my way!  

Tiny Dancer/ April "catch up" #3

Oh my gosh..what do you do when you wake up on a Saturday morning and after rushing to get dressed and get out of the house there is a moment of stillness and you look up and gaze upon this standing there in your kitchen!!
You just take a deep breath and hold back from becoming a silly crying crazy Mama!!
For some reason the month of April brought about a change in my girl. She has shot up and become a longer more elegant figure. Sure she is still only 3.5 years old but suddenly that real baby/toddler body is vanishing and a girl is emerging. I must say it is lovely when your child really takes to something as beautiful as dance. I can only hope she remains as taken with it as she is now. As we all know she does not take to many things very easily but she just loves her Dance and it has for sure for us been money and time well spent.  
We are now looking forward to her very first dance recital in just a few weeks. It will be a very special day no matter how well she follows the routine!

April "catch up" #2

I have really been trying to go to more community oriented events. I feel so blessed to have met such diverse and interesting people here on S.I.  I actually feel more part of a community here than I ever have while living in NYC or ever on Long Island! The people I have met assure me that we made the right choice when moving here 6 years ago. Granted it has taken a while and perhaps that is due to the fact that we spent the first many years using every spare moment to fix up our house (which still needs SO much more work).  But, I also believe it is my child that has connected me to such wonderful people and my making efforts to be part of something.

There are fun little things going on all the time here and even the smallest little festivals can prove to be very special indeed. These images are from one of  those "little festivals." This one took place on April 25th  in the park just opposite the ETG cafe in St. George. It was an afternoon of fun Music including the ever popular S.I. jug band WahooSkiffleCrazies, and wonderful dance acts like Manhattan Tribal.

A really wonderful tribal belly dance troupe.
The awesome people from ETG also put on a puppet show with large puppets made of paper mache.  The entire event happening in that little park made from a wonderfully memorable afternoon that my girl and I were lucky to spend with friends and neighbors!! 



 
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April "catch up" #1

My goodness it has been a busy month! I can hardly believe my last post was a month ago!! That is just shameful. Well you can only do what you can do...right! 

Anyway, April was non stop.  I am just going to post some fun stuff that I would love to share!

Lucy's Fantastic Dance Party!! 

Lucy's Priate Princess gifts. I must say I LOVE how these turned out!! The necklace can be worn as a pin as well.

My girl modeling Lucia's Pirate Princess Crown.