Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Women in the rain


My friend Janice, a wonderful ceramic artist who has taught at a progressive elementary school for thirty years, is retiring this week. Last night at 6PM, four of us gathered at our grassy tree-circled spot in Central Park to celebrate and toast her. Our children were in the same class as Janice's daughter. She was their art teacher through eighth grade, and during those years we became chosen family. Last evening, the sky was glowering and rain threatened, and eventually fell, but we gathered with our folding chairs anyway, sitting under the thick canopy of a Norway maple and holding umbrellas above our heads during the heaviest downpour. One of our number is still very covid cautious, and doesn't yet feel safe gathering indoors, hence our choice to gather in the park. We felt very adventurous and decidedly bohemian, sipping wine, noshing on French bread and soft cheeses, grapes and apples and peaches kissed by rain, and the most amazing quinoa, red cabbage, and corn salad one of us made (not me). Janice even brought flowers that she placed artfully in a Bustelo coffee can, capping off the mood. Heartfelt congratulations, dear Janice, on all your years of making a living while also obeying the imperative to make art. Now you can find that one-woman studio you've always dreamed of opening, and create your exquisite sculptures and ceramic pieces all day long.



13 comments:

  1. Sounds like a wonderful opportunity to catch up with friends. I used to picnic with friends in Central Park every now and then -- you're making me nostalgic!

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  2. May your friend Janice have many years ahead of her making art. Covid cases are on the up again so it's sensible to be careful.

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  3. Sounds like a wonderful celebration of Janice's retirement. So happy for her, and I'm looking forward to seeing her art work.

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  4. Splendid celebration for Janice! Thank you for the link showing the sculpture of hers that you bought and posted about before I was reading your blog. I agree with your words about her wonderful clay figures, "spiritual yet visceral."

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  5. What a beautiful way to celebrate a friend. May Janice find great joy and renewal in this next phase of her life.

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  6. Your picnic in the park, even in the rain, sounds so wonderful. Having close friends forever is just the best.

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  7. Brilliant. I am trying to inveigh my book club to do something like this. But if it rains, I am sure they will run. Your group is intrepid, no question.

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  8. Congratulations to Janice on her retirement and thank you to her for her many years of sharing art with her students!

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  9. A picnic in the park with long time friends to celebrate a retirement milestone sounds delightful. A few rain drops never hurt anyone...

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  10. Picnic in the park, sounds like the name of a movie. Congratulations to your friend on her retirement. I hope she opens her own studio.

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  11. I retired from teaching last year. I loved teaching but I'm loving this new phase too. However, I've experienced some challenges too. Your friend might benefit from Dr. Riley Moynes' research on this. He identified 4 retirement phases: 1) vacation, 2) Loss (routine, identify, purpose, power...), 3) Trial & Error, 4) Reinvent & Rewire.

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  12. What a memorable retirement celebration! Congratulations to your friend.

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