Art at home

 Today Troy Fleece, the photographer from the Leader Post came to get a snap of me and the YAAG, all the time keeping safe distances. I had to put on something presentable for the day. Otherwise, I've been just sitting in front of my computer working on work or Sock-Vile, or taking breaks to paint (such as this 20 year old underwater camera that still has film in it from Dianne.

Also saw the first robin of the year on the fence today.

Toilet paper at Walmart

We don't go to Walmart much but when rumours spread of them having toilet paper, I needed to know if it were true. Because of hoarders, every store in the city has been out of toilet paper for the past couple of weeks. We are down to our last few days, which has me agitated. The signs in the store indicate that there is a limit of 3 of the same item that can be returned to the store at any time. I'm surprised they would let anything be returned. They should just tell the hoarders that they are stuck with what they have and should suffer the shame. 

More painting

I have started working on Sock-Vile again. The sessions haven't been open in over 3 years but I think there is a lot going on and I expect to make progress. I also painted a bit. William is trying to finish off his collection of images for printmaking. I'd like him to get back to the Ralph Steadman-inspired splatter drawings he was going to dive into for his drawing class (but the last self portrait assignment was cancelled). He's not happy with this but I think there is promise.

more socializing

I spent a while this morning helping mom setting up her Zoom and chatting using it. Lori drove past and we had a front yard confab. Exchanged some email with Sharon. Later in the afternoon Jeff N was at his brother's next door and we chatted over the fence. Mike phoned from Saskatoon to catch up. It sure is exhausting be socially distant. 

Social distance

Mooky rode by on her bike and we had a socially distant social encounter in the front yard. Says she's got the house to herself now. Taking a first bike ride of the season. Weather was nice. I did a painting of one of Dianne's cameras. Margaret has been reading my complete Buffy seasons 8-12 comic collection. 

Fresh rolls

The last time I was in the Chinese grocery I notice that they had wraps for fresh rolls. Today I went on line and figured out how to make them. Pretty easy actually. We used some of the chicken I roasted yesterday and some basic Margaret bought locally. I don't know the Milu sauce but I made a runny version of my peanut sauce instead. 

Home carpentry

I broke this stool leg but was able to reassemble and fix it with carpenter's glue. Looks like other legs have broken in the past. 

Dianne Ouellette, MFA

Congratulations to Dianne Ouellette on the successful defense of her MFA thesis. Today she is working at home and lent me some cameras to paint. We did some very serious and careful social distancing. Looking forward to these five cameras. 

Isolation in back yard

 It was really nice out today. I sanded and began to gesso the masonite panels I bought to paint on (25). Margaret lit a fire and the three of us roasted marshmallows, but because the yard is a swamp, there was not enough room to have anyone over. Talked to John over the fence, but no closer.

Home all day

I stayed home this Thursday, Friday, and again today. I went to the drugstore and art supply store (which served you at their doorway) yesterday. Covid numbers in Regina over 50. Today I connected with friends for an online game. Miss the face to face at these times but an online game is better than no game.

Free time, for now

 Baked biscotti for the first time since before Christmas. Nice to have a bit of free time, but am getting worried about everything. Also did another painting, this one came from Kevin. Confirmed Covid-19 cases in Saskatchewan up over 30 today.

Back to painting

First time painting in 9 days. Covid quarantine and rapid end of classes rattled my world and I've not had any time to do this last camera of the bag I borrowed from Richard (except the Betacam which I'm going to do a series of). William has completed one course and each of his other three have one or two things but everything is well spread out. 

Spinning Peter Gunn

Cooking to the vinyl. This really swings, real coolsville. 

more metal

Last week I missed my long service awards due to teaching. My pin arrived today and I added it, plus the pin Joanne gave me, to my office jacket. Getting heavy.
At home, played some cribbage with Margaret. Unusual hand was dealt.

Pandemic

With all of the pandemic discussions and Covid-19 (just 4 days ago the first Saskatchewan case was announced. This week the university is closing and I need to wrap my classes without the final four weeks), so we couldn't resist playing a game of Pandemic. We've not won this game in a long time but, perhaps because Allan was over, we succeeded. That's how fiction and games work.  

saving toilet paper

If I cut myself shaving, I'll need to block the cuts with bits of toilet paper. To save on this valuable resource, I've had to make sacrifices.
We cannot let the hoarders win. 

Weekend before the apocalypse

Before the university completely shuts down, William spent the day in the print shot. He set his alarm for 8 am and made his way there. I was at the university in the afternoon to find notes, do some grading, and start getting my ideas together for online teaching.
On the way home I stopped for bananas. How am I going to keep my potassium levels up?

Pi Day

Almost forgot about Pi/Pie day today. Much of my day and William's day was spent trying to figure out how to deal with the remainder of the semester. Fortunately Margaret had a really good peach/pear pie in the freezer. 

Erik Sirke and coronavirus

Erik is in town for a few days. We had supper and then went for Dandy's. Back to the house for coffee, I discovered that the university will be cancelling all face to face classes for the remainder of the semester. Makes my head split thinking about it. Perhaps that is because my doctor told me earlier today that the slip on the ice from earlier this week gave me whiplash. Friday the 13th.

Sandra Staples-Jetko's first curation

Sandra curated a screening of 8 films by Saskatchewan women that was held this week at the MacKenzie. She had 5 of the filmmakers attending including Janine Windolph and Elaine Pain. Solid audience. Congrats to all.
Much talk of events being closed because of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Two people asked about the university.

Member's show at AGR

Good looking work at the member's show at the AGR. Show just opened. Big reception will be this weekend. 

teaching storyboards

The only storyboards messier than the ones I draw for my projects are the ones I draw to demonstrate how messy they are to my students. 

Visiting dad

Claude Saul

Mom made a batch of soup and William and I dropped in to see her and dad today. Dad is feeling pretty good. 

head smashed in composting dump

Was taking compost out today. Threw old rubber boots on as they have been my go-to footwear fro the water filled back yard this week. However, that same water was now frozen into a skating rink and was covered with fresh snow. My legs flew out and I crashed down squarely on my back and the back of my head. Hugest hit to my head in years. 

Chrystene Ells play

Chrystene has been working on this play with her university class for the past few months. It was quite charming and nicely designed. There were four quadrants divided by curtains that would rotate from the ceiling and repeat so that different seats would watch the events in different orders. 

Living Skies last day

Student festival ended today. The gala awards was nice. I forgot my phone so I'll need to download some images later. The afternoon screening was great. Joanne gave me a cool glow in the dark pin. I presented the animation award. 

Festival science fiction workshop

Attended a workshop held with the student film festival today. It was with a Saskatoon filmmaker Levi Mierau who has been creating a web series "Crowsworld" about Tesla time traveling. What really shines is the effects and the props. Very ambitious. 

Slate and Film Festival openings

 Ward Schell's exhibition opened at the Slate Gallery this evening. We were late from coming back from the university so just stopped in for a few minutes, then ate, then went back to the university for the opening screening of the student's Living Skies Film Festival. Great work everywhere tonight.

missed painting

I had a meeting today which conflicted with the last day of painting. Some interesting art from the president's collection was up in the room we met in. I got some painting in the late afternoon, hanging with Margaret and watching the fresh snow.

Overbooked Tuesday

 We had to make some decisions about what to attend this evening as there were 4 things that were very important to us and other periferal events. We began after my Bolex shoot in Film 200 and went to the opening of the graduate exhibition of Jennifer Shelly-Keturakis's MFA project "Functional Limitations". Wonderful work.

 Conveniently occuring down the hall in the University Theatre we attended the Minifie lecture with new writer Jana Pruden. Very interesting.

We missed a Romanian film, director in attendance, at the RPL (sorry Christina) and the Quick and Dirty talk, which we almost always attend. 

New version hung in hallway

Huge difference in William's colour chalk drawing since last week.
I came to university with William to help hang this and to meet with Mike and Maricarmen. 

William's artwork continues

Before going to Kevin's this evening, I took this photo of William's chalk drawing in progress. He put about 20 more hours work into it this weekend.