Photo by Melody Weintraub
Dear Art Room,
Looks like it’s going to be a pretty quiet, clean summer for you. Just go ahead and bask in the shine of those thoroughly waxed floors as you put on an even coat of paint. The days will pass quickly. I must say you look a little funny without all that visual stimuli you usually have up, but maybe it will be calming for you…or boring. You might miss the music from the hot pink boom box that’s usually played during class and I know you’ll miss the chatter and laughter of those who usually occupy your space.
Oh, by the way, while I was packing and cleaning you up for the summer, I found a few things you might have been missing. I guess it pays to dust on top of the high cabinets. I found three pencils, four white plastic erasers, two blending stumps and a nail file. You’d think they would have been comfy in the nice sketch bag I ordered for each student, but I guess it’s as good of a place as any to quickly stash a few items before heading to Math. I also found a note, “Hi, Mrs. Weintraub,” in the change basket. Was that from you? No? Well, whoever wrote it knew I’d find it. And probably knew I needed a smile.
Baby Socks for Stools by Melody Weintraub
Okay, so I hope you won’t mind a few changes for next year. You’re getting some new cabinets from some generous people. So we can free up some of your counter space. You’re welcome. Also, I don’t want you to get too used to how shiny clean your pottery wheels look, there will be a nice little mask of mud on them soon enough. Also, you can stop looking at your reflection on those table tops. Mod Podge and Acrylic Paint will find their way there once again. Oh, I have a question, whose brilliant idea was it, yours or mine, to color sort the markers and throw out those empty boxes? I had to put the markers back in sets and all I had were Ziploc bags! Thanks a lot. Oh, in case you’re missing them, I took all the baby socks off of the stools and I brought them home to wash. They were pretty nasty from all that scooting around on the floor.
One more thing, thanks for letting me linger a little while after I’d packed my Jeep and finished up today. I didn’t really need to sit there and answer email.. I just wanted to hang out and dream up new ideas for you and me to bring to students next year. We are a team. In a lot of ways, you’re my home away from home. Hope it’s that way for all of those silly middle school artists as well. We need to make them feel really glad about coming to school every day. It’s a high calling. A privileged position. The best job in the world.
So, enjoy your little break while it lasts, creativity can get pretty messy sometimes and things are going to be really rockin’ come August!
Love,
@tnartteacher
Art Room by Melody Weintraub