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Thursday, December 20, 2012

Some Good Tidings



Most of you know that I've been teaching at EncaustiCamp for the past few years and that I'll be there again in July, this summer. Well, I got a wonderful e-mail this morning from one of my former students there. Her name is Debbie Supplitt and she is a middle school teacher. Which leads me to mention that EncaustiCamp is now accredited for continuing education. We've always attracted a number of qualified teachers and expect that will continue or increase now.

So I'll let Debbie tell the story in her own words. Here is the e-mail exactly as I received it. The photographs are all hers with a little cropping from me here and there.


 HI Judy,
Well, I just completed my third Master's degree, and wrote my entire thesis on:  Fused: A Study of Cultural Encaustic Art, History, and Educational Strategies for Middle School Art Students.  The study basically was introducing middle school students, grades seventh and eighth, to encaustics.  Sooooo, I secured funding to purchase the setup for an entire encaustics lab to support 28 students for three periods a day for nine days.  85 people, including me, doing encaustics.  Plus, the heat pallets, heat guns, (no torches that's a no-no in the schools) brushes, tins and medium were supported with a PTA grant and District funding of over $3,000.

The super cool thing about this project that the encaustics lab becomes mobile and travels from site to site allowing each middle school art teacher to introduce encasutic art to their students.  A total of over 1,400 middle school students could know all about encaustics before the end of the year, or next.  
We had a teacher inservice where we introduced basic encaustic skills.  They were a bit overwhelmed, so I think we need a few more sessions of fun to develop the skill base.


Okay so the one of the ubber cool things about this is that when I was in your class during EncaustiCamp One, you whip out the Fayum mummy protraits.  First thing I blurt out was...."These aren't Egyptians"  your response was "Yes they are".  Wowzers, how can this be?  So I started to research the Fayums, root source, blah blah blah and low and behold, remembering my conquest routes  of the ancient Greeks and Alexander, and of course who could forget that tall dark handsome Mark Anthony who screwed his way towards the conquest of Rome by a seduction of one beautiful Queen Cleopatra. Which was as we know it the Fall of the Egyptian Empire...awwww....now I connected the dots....flash light bulb goes on.  Thus the birth of my Thesis Study. All because of you, so Thank-you for once again, your inspiration.


Ubber cool thing #2...so I send Trish a few visuals of the product that the students created (attached) and she donates her extra kits and medium to our program....holy smokes.  We are in medium for the rest of the year.  So generous, so very cool. 
So this is a humungo Thank-you from the bottom of my heart...without you my Masters degree from Boston University would have taken a different path.
Creatively Yours,
Debbie Supplitt M.A.Art Ed./M.Ed. (impressive initials after my name....whatever!)



Gosh this made me happy today. Who could have guessed the ripples would ripple out in such a way. 

Art. It's my spiritual path.

And thank you for all those lights as I drive through the dark, rainy streets this time of year. It has always represented hope to me; that the light is always there in the darkness and that if we can just be patient renewal will come. Season's Greetings. Love your neighbor. xo

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an incredible story! So inspiring...
Wishing you an amazing year 2013!
Laly

Ruth Armitage said...

I love it! May your ripples spread ever wider in the coming year, like fudge in the ice cream!

Colleen Monette said...

Amazing energy and inspiration from both you, Judy, and Debbie! I am not surprised you inspired her, and the other way around as well!

Jacky said...

Touching the world in such a beautiful, positive way ....thanks for sharing this with us all Judy.

I do hope one day you can get out to Australia, or maybe I'll get across to the USA and do a workshop with you.

Sending Peace and Love to you at Christmas, Good Health and Happiness for the New Year.

Jacky xox

trish said...

oh wow Judy and Debbie this is SO great to read and see it this whole story form :)))) THank you again Debbie and Judy, yeah, you're just <3

dorylyn said...

To be able to share what was given to you, what a wonderful, wonderful story!

Lynn Cohen said...

Amazingly wonderful that kids were intoduced to encaustics and your student got an MA in the process! Another feather in your cap! Bravo!

Kathy said...

What an amazing story! A huge affirmation for sharing our talents and our ourselves because you never know what might ripple out. What a beautiful Christmas gift you have received - to know you have touched her in this way and, in turn, touched so many young people.

Gigi said...

Wow! How absolutely wonderful. Ripples, indeed!

smiles, Sharon said...

I think this will be one of your favorite highlights of the season. So wonderful for her to write and share with you gaining her vision from you; and for you to share it. Just as you see the street lights blinking....they represent a string of goodness flowing through the country....and art is good. Being kind is good. Being patient is good. Being generous is good. And Judy you are just plum GOOD! smiles sharon

Seth said...

What an inspiring story Judy. We often have an impact on other people that we never know about. How wonderful of Debbie to share with you the impact you have had on so many others!

Jeane Myers said...

never a doubt that your generous nurturing spirit and full heart would/could impact in this way. kudos Judy!! Hope you have the very best holiday season and an amazing 2013! xo

Ro Bruhn said...

Beautiful story Judy, it's so rewarding when you get such positive feed back. Have a lovely, safe festive season and an even more creative 2013. Ro. xo

Clare Wassermann said...

Phwah what a lovely Christmas present that message is!

lyle baxter said...

what a wonderful christmas gift for you! I cant imagine how proud you are of your student and her thesis! thats the best gift this year! hooray for you both! and good health, happiness and peace in the coming year!

Amanda said...

That is particularly awesome.

Jacqueline Howett said...

Your art and words are an inspiration! Thanks for sharing. Have a blessed 2013!

Meri said...

Judy, I don't check in as often as I could, but just wanted to say that I love this post -- what could be more inspiring than a teacher sharing her passion and infusing others with the sacredness of that sharing.

Bonnie Arthur said...

Your thesis sounds great! And it was good that you already finish writing it. Writing MA thesis and phd dissertations can really be hard, but once you completed it and getting your degree, you can really say that all of it was worth it. Anyway, I do hope everything went well with your project.