Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Spring Break

Woodstock Field in Spring, 2008, Oil on Panel, 2008

I am being both a bad mom AND a bad artist this week. The kids are home for spring break and we made no plans to go anywhere or do anything because of the work going on in the house as well as the fact that I have a show (several actually, including group shows) coming up and I couldn't imagine taking even a few days off.

We probably should have gone somewhere though because I am doing both things badly. I spend all day telling the kids I have to get some work done, so I can't really plan anything with them, on the other hand I am so distracted by their activities in the house that I have hardly gotten anything accomplished in the studio.

I am trying though. I took two of my kids and one of their friends to see "Superheroes" on Saturday (DO NOT see it-it is the worst movie ever, stupid and insulting and disgusting-the kids loved it, of course, they laughed while I cringed-at least it was only 85 minutes long) and everyone pitched in to help clean the house on Sunday. Good times. Heh. I have taken them on my errands, we visited the library and art association and I have also let them watch a bit of tv. Today I did five underpaintings and tomorrow I really must finish up a few paintings that are nearly done.

I will have to get to that though, before my son's birthday sleepover begins and the house is filled with loud and smelly teenagers. Yes, folks, exactly 13 years ago today, at this minute, I was big as a house, two weeks overdue, and after a week of stop and go labor I was patiently walking around trying to get the contractions to come back. My son is not impressed by this story-he is just excited about being a teenager and getting gifts and hanging out with his friends, but I thought most of you would appreciate how momentous today is for me. Oh, yeah and Doug too. He did hang out with me during all of the labor. Heh.

Oh, guess I am being more of a mom today after all.

7 comments:

Melody said...

Oh Tracy....your in the thick of it now.....teenagers...interesting times ahead.

Tracy Helgeson said...

Melody, Oh don't I know it! The real problem is that I am WAY too immature to be handling teens:) I might still actually be one...

Anonymous said...

Hi tracy, love the new posted painting. Great colors and shadowing. I keep looking and wishing one of these days I just need to get one. I hope your new studio works out. Its always nice to get a new place to work. It often inspires one to do more.
Utah lurker(jerome)

Tracy Helgeson said...

Hi Jerome, my Utah Lurker, And thanks for the compliment. I am looking forward to the new studio, but I will have to move in gradually I think, or I am likely to really get all messed up:)

Giselle C. Gautreau said...

Love this painting. Nice balance between complex and simplicity.
It seems like we're running parallel lives here Tracy. My 1st grader was on Spring Break last week, and I was so busy with our house renovations that I realized that it wasn't much fun for the kids. I did take them to the beach on Friday, so that was something. Fun was had by all.

Natalya Khorover Aikens said...

ah spring break is next week for us.. and no plans have been made.. hopefully the weather will be nice enough to go to the playground every other day. exciting...

gary rith said...

you don't need to go anywhere: it is gorgeous out there!!!!