So awesome - grateful day

I wrote most of this post last Thursday on my phone after class.  I forgot to sync my phone and pc, so it didn't show up here until today (and I didn't really want to finish it on my phone - I wanted to read and edit on a full screen!): 

Today we started on our character studies in figure modeling.

I chose a gnome (like there's anything else to choose) and when class started, we began to morph our "Amy" busts into a character of our choosing.

I have to say this project may be the first piece I am amazingly proud of in the last 4 years. Granted what I've been through physically in the last 2 years, I am beyond grateful to be able to take this class.

I am amazed at the things we can overcome when we try to maintain a positive attitude and keep trying. 

Even a year ago, I was in too much pain to think about sculpting. I have found that  I really enjoy it. And I think that gratitude I feel contributes to how I feel about sculpting.

I've posted pictures of the progression starting with Amy at the start of class to my gnome at the end of class. These will be considered for Spring Show. I have two weeks of homework assignments and one more class period to refine this. I hope to at least be considered for the Spring Show. I would love to have at least one piece in the show before I graduate. 

This is where I was when class started at 12:30 p.m. We take a half hour break for lunch and we took about half an hour that day to check out an amazing new installation at the gallery across the hall that is a collaboration between the architecture grad department and fashion department.  I also had gotten a ways into the gnome and had to tear it down because the scale wasn't working.  

This is where I was at 5:15 when it was time to wrap up. I have to say I teared up a bit with tears of JOY when I was writing this on the bus because I am so excited and so grateful to be able to do this.  I am grateful that I have been able to find a way to get beyond the pain (and grateful for someone as wonderful as Justin who has stuck with all the changes and weird things I've had to try to get here).