Leaving for Home farewell 33rd Street.

We are both now home, back in Southsea after a wonderful welcome home from Emily. What a momentous occassion the l sight of an exquisite woman carrying a rose and running towards me ! I have always envied the grand moments of emotion at airports, it was overwhelmingly beautiful to be hugged by our daughter and cry , laugh and kiss all at the same time. We are a little chilly and realising we now need to wear woollies and remember what a grey sky is.
We have had an amazing adventure for three months with still more to come! Mike moved us to a new abode, ready to occupy in August, my bike was stolen from the first floor balcony at 33rd before departure, plus my wedding ring lost at the beach, not too traumatic for three months, fairly good going for us in terms of disasters, meanwhile I went to Glasgow for three days as a critical friend to the Illustration Department. This is always an honour and a treat and an opportunity to see and buy fabulous work.

Birthdays came and went and came again ! more celebrations at St Ursula , my lovely twin sister threw a party and we drank champagne in to the early hours of the morning, welcome home ! So we are here for a short while to catch up with friends and family , to let Mike go back to a proper job! for me to paint and draw and become an artist again, to just be .........
We will not miss the colour of the walls in 33rd East, the angled sitting room, the angled bedroom, the washing machine that pumped detergent out of the door , the shower with three showers put in by a giant, nor the cupboards that needed a stepladder to open! We are looking forward to life by the park and a garden to step out in to however small ! Thank you everyone that has followed this awfully great adventure which is perpetually changing, we feel lucky to be able to say that.
Here's to Summer, fabulous fun and laughter and more Savannah in September ! ...........

Mike's birthday

Well, what do you give to the man who has everything, I had some great replies from my plea on face book and in the end
he should have had a magnet chick ! I wish I had bought it, but Mike modelled it in the shop, He was another year older on Sunday 22nd May and was not interested in celebrating ! I dressed up in clim film with a big bow round my neck, delivered a silver platter with lid from an old railway dining car serving up new underpants and a cook book he quite liked it ! ...............

Savannah highlights ......

The Scad Fashion Show was supposed to be the highlight of the year,we were very excited and I had luckily been given a ticket by my new friend in Fashion Dean Sidaway from London who had kindly offered to take me. The tickets it turned out cost $50.00 and Mike and a friend Julie Lieberman went as a couple ! but ended up paying $100.00 for the worst seats in the house, no proper view, a fan next to them and a spotlight to interfere with the proceedings . To crown it all the gentleman shoe designer Manolo Blahnik had come to collect a life time award spoke for twenty seconds and forgot he was in Savannah ! I felt cheated and most of all for the students and parents who had travelled great distances in the USA for a fifty minute extravaganza that sadly did not live up to its expectation. I remember many a speech at graduation at the University of Portsmouth where artists and designers, the great and lovely Chancellor, the actress, Sheila Hancock took time to encourage and inspire the next generation of talent.

However what was a better night was the SCAD performing arts excellent production of The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical Hair at their theatre, in downtown Savannah. Mike was in his absolute element and tapped along to every song. The theatre was full and we even got up at the end and danced on the stage with the hunky man in the photo!

Two Weeks to go ............

There is a definite change in the wind rumbling through Morris Hall where I teach,

Students and staff alike have got that end of termitis ! final assignments looming, end of year grades to submit and the energy by all to keep on going is just about sustainable.  When only half of my class turned up, I mentioned  the spanish moss had tumbled through the open window across the empty seats, the ability to keep up they say is almost impossible,  I think we call it time management . One of my students mournfully admitted that homesickness had just become too much and overwhelmed her, she was struggling ..... I have sympathy.
It is a very strict building in Illustration we have a wonderful security guard called Mrs Daniells who everyone has the upmost respect for, including "Mr Mair " Mike Cross who has not the heart to explain his real name. She sits in the entrance hall to keep an eye on the proceedings and everyones I.D. No student can enter without it . Woe betide you if you come without shoes as my student found to his cost, he was forced to be inventive to get to class on time. On the note of timekeeping there is a very precise code for attendance, which many UK Universities could benefit from, later than 15 minutes you are marked absent, four absences and you fail. Its harsh and can be too harsh in certain circumstances , but it works ............

 

I am teaching a Masters class and have found the process intriguing , we have been pushing the idea of working to projects set from outside the class, one for a hospital ward and another for Working Class Studio which is a product development venture of Savannah College of Art and Design. The aim is to cultivate and promote the work of talented SCAD students alumni and faculty artists. This innovative concept for an educational institution marries function with fine art to deliver  a well curated and ever expanding mix of goodies in retail stores internationally.

SCAD also has their own shop, which has been a great source for presents. Have a peek at  www.workingclassstudio.com  

Silliness can still abound and the one thing that can keep you going is laughter, there is still plenty of that to fill the classroom . I am learning about cuddle buddies you take up with , to keep you warm in winter, to save on heating ,  plus a few other choice mates too flavour some to mention......

The things we do.................

Its not just a girl thing getting your nails done! Mike Cross can't bear to be left out and was lured in by the lovely women in the Nail Bar, he was treated for all his hard work to a deluxe  pedicure with hot wax feet bags, mud packs on the thighs followed by a polish up with two large pebbles !

Another Mothers Day May 8th

Another day to celebrate being a mother we were invited to brunch by Ed and Lisa

her mother was visiting from Port Rica and put us all to shame with her energy and joie de vivre.

Scrummy waffles and mimosas to boot what a delightful way to start a Sunday ! They say that we are never further  away than six people we know in the world, Ed Briant the Illustrator here in Savannah  and I have found this to be the case once chatting about old friends in London. He is off to pastures new in Maine and an exciting new life with his new wife to be Lisa Jahn Clough the book illustrator. 

As we sat sipping our drinks we felt as though we were back  in Mexico,  their house had a magical almost Frida Khalo feel to the studios , I felt extremely  envious of Ed's wallspace and couch to lie down on when the painting got too much.   

the royal wedding two unexpected guests....

 

 What excitement !  We have had two visitors appear  here in Appartment B, before getting their beauty sleep for the royal wedding  .... how kind!  We have taken our duties seriously, worn the masks kindly presented to me by my colleagues at Portsmouth , just in case I missed out ! and bunting supplied by my dear niece Flora. What fun we had running backwards and forwards to get in shot. The photo I love the best is "Prince William" le Croix  rampaging  through the flowers what a hoot  ! Sante !