1I don’t know what nerdy aspect of me people think of first

Art, Bugs, DIY, Gardening, Gaming (Computer or Table Top), or the fact that I’m a “freak in the sheets” (spreadsheets that is)… But I’ve realized just how hard I nerded out on art in high school. Every one of my electives the last 2 years of school were art related. B&W Photography, 2D, Drawing, Ceramics, Jewelry Making, I was even the teacher’s aid for the department my senior year.

My favorite subject to photograph with black and white 35mm film is architecture and nature, I’m no good at developing film. I own a pretty high end 35mm Nikon (forgive me, I don’t have it nearby so I can’t list the specs or model)… but I don’t think there is a reliable local source for film or developing it, not to mention the fact that I wouldn’t have anyplace to expose and develop my own photos. Digital, while convenient, lacks a certain character that the B&W photography, that I adore so much, has. I have so few of my photos from back then.

I was never really productive in ceramics class, but it was fun. I made some mini vases or bowls, even threw a little clay on the pottery wheel. That one was interesting. I couldn’t manage balancing out the clay as I was bringing it up and it collapsed. When I looked at it I was so amused that I had it fired anyhow. From the side it looks phallic, but when you look into the opening of the vase, it looks like an ear canal.

In jewelry making we worked a lot with metal, learned how to effectively use a jeweler’s saw, a drill press, a polisher, and MAP gas canisters. The MAP gas was for the glass bead making.

I enjoyed the beadmaking portion so much that I ended up getting all of the things to make more for my child’s birthday during COVID 19 years later.

Drawing was something else that I continued after graduation. But it wasn’t until my child was born that I started exercising that muscle again. These days its mostly atrophied, but I get some inspiration sometimes… mostly tattoo designs.