Patrick's Art

This morning we found out that Patrick was accepted to Idyllwild Arts Academy in the mountains of San Jacinto, California.  Wow!  Here is a description from their website:

• The Idyllwild Arts Academy is the country’s premier and internationally-acclaimed residential arts high school (September through May) which provides pre-professional training in the arts and a comprehensive college preparatory curriculum to a diverse student body of gifted young artists. Idyllwild Arts Academy's 300 students hail from more than 25 countries and pursue artistic excellence in:  Music, Theatre, Dance, Visual Art, Creative Writing, Moving Pictures, InterArts / Fashion Design. Graduates of Idyllwild Arts Academy currently excel in every professional field of the arts including Broadway theatre, primetime television, motion pictures, graphic design, photography and more.

Here is the link:  http://www.idyllwildarts.org
Patrick's dad found the school for him.  An amazing school.  Only 300 students from 25 countries.
The school really liked Patrick's portfolio.  Here is a sample of his submissions and his descriptions from his portfolio submission. (All words are his).

Confessions on a Dance Floor is about  a girl who parties and goes to glamorous night clubs to escape herself and loose her own sadness in loud music and alcohol but when she sits down it all goes black and all the darkness creeps back into her.

Confessions on a Dance Floor

When One Thing Ends Another Thing Begins 

(Without a Scream) is a self portrait of sorts. When I moved to Okinawa I felt beat up from my life in North Carolina. Long story (and I really mean long) I was given a chance to start over, not every one gets that. So this painting is a sort of funeral card for that life. 

When One Thing Ends Another Thing Begins
(Without a Scream)

Pink Vicodin is a kind of a manifesto about the fashion spreads. How pretty, thin women sell us all our fashion needs in these pretty photographs that show us these same thin, pretty women wearing expensive dresses.  They, for some reason, all look dead or like drugged mannequins. They seem disconnected to whatever fabulous location there in.   

Pink Vicodin

The Show Must Go on was inspired by the song by queen of the same name. Freddie Mercury had an awful disease and even as he became ravaged by it he still came out and put on a show. “…Inside my heart it breaking and my makeup may be flaking but my smile still stays on…”

The Show Must Go On

Stripped is a pencil sketch of my friend, who has had a lot of hard times, I took out the hair to keep with this androgynous look I try to go for. I thought this would be a good piece just because. I was inspired by her look and aura. 

Stripped

Plastic Makes Perfect, I am fascinated with people who get a lot of Plastic surgery like Amanda Lepore. Its just an interesting visual

Plastic Makes Perfect

Lauren Gets Her Lips Done

Born Villain is a self portrait of me, I have a great life, a lot of friends but there are times when I feel down, for whatever reason, this is a reflection of those blue moon mood swings.

Born Villian

I Can’t Sleep Until I Devour You  was inspired by a good yet highly disturbing movie called "Grimm Love" about cannibal killer Oliver Hagen and Fashion spreads in Vogue magazine. The over all story to this piece is  how we love something so much we want to make it apart of us be with it forever like the idea of marriage(these piece conveys more of the the psychotic undertones of love.) 

I Can't Sleep Until I Devour You 

Hooker on a Church Street Corner is about a girl who is looking for salvation, but rather than through the traditional sense of theology she looks for salvation in the last place she’ll ever want to look. Because if she throws her life into chaos it will feel normal. 

Hooker on a Church Street Corner

Snow White is part of a triptych about a girl with features similar to the fairy tale, with red lips and pale skin. She self induces temporary comas with heroin because her prince left the castle.  She feels so dead inside that the needle is the kiss she needs to bring her to life.

Snow White in Chanel Lipstick

We are very proud of Patrick.  I can't say that I am not Mom-nervous, I am.  Patrick will go to the school when we get to the states in June. 

He is very excited. 

Coffee Casa with Friends - May 20

Today we met at Coffee Casa.  I had never been there.  I need to bring Bill asap!  So cute.  Lots of coffee milkshake things that I love.  Nice, diverse menu too.
Sabrina was able to join us this time and brought her sister, Tashnia too!  She has been visiting for a few weeks now.

From left to right:  Sabrina, Sarah, Kristin, Michelle, Tashnia

The food was so good!  Pancakes and french toast all day!  Covered in my favorite--whip cream.  I love whip cream on anything.  Sarah got a banana-chocolate-coffee shake thing with whip cream and choclate syrup.  So good!

OK, how do I describe Sabrina?  You think sweet, quiet, and innocent but she is really mischevious (sp?) with a crazy, high-pitched, yet infectious, laugh that fills every single restaurant that we go to.  Seriously, everyone can hear her laugh and talk.  Now, picture that times 2.  That is lunch with Sabrina and Tashnia.  Hilarious.
BTW, check out the coffees!  And check out Michelle and Kristen cracking up in the background.  That is a typical day with my friends.    Just smiles and laughter.

From left:  Sabrina and Tashnia

Sabrina ordered pancakes  Typical Japanese touch, heart shaped.  Cute right?  

Tashnia got french toast.  See?  Whip cream everywhere!

Bad hair day for me so I sat in back.  

OK, but I had to sneak in...

and again...

Kristin is leaving for the states for a month in just two days.  Michelle is PCSing out of Oki for good next month so they won't see each other again (not for ever, just for awhile).  It is hard to believe that we will going our separate ways soon.  I am so grateful for the time I had with just amazing people.

Another great day.  I am truly blessed.

Caroline's Awards Ceremonies - May 14

OK, so it is the award season at the schools.  A real yawn, I mean thrill, for the parents.  Today we had the Japanese Awards and the AVID Program awards.
The Japanese Award ceremony was in the afternoon.  Caroline is just finishing Japanese II.
Here, some kids are giving their "testimonials" about the class.  Really cute.

Here is our beloved (seriously, we love him) Principal, Mr. Grade.  Yes, that is his real name.  He usually cries at the Japanese Award ceremony because he loves Ms. Teruya so much.  She works so hard for the kids.  She is from Okinawa so she also passes on a lot of Okinawan culture to the kids.

Each class came up and wrote a message to Ms. Teruya, in Hiragana and Kanji.

Then we had a poem to the parents. 

Here is Caroline getting ready to get her certificate.  To attend the award ceremony, you had to have at least a "B."  Caroline has made all As since she started two years ago.  We are very proud.

Ah, Middle School cafeterias...

Caroline was in the back row, if you squint and the lighting is right, you can see her by the flag.

The parents brought food for a great celebration afterwards.  It was worth it.  Lumpia, Yakisoba, yakitori so good.  I brought pigs in a blanket...They got eaten, good enough for the kids.

Bill found one of his marines.  He just helped her get into Office Candidate school.

Caroline accepting her certificate.  You can just see Ms. Teruya behind the podium.  She cries every year.  This time she did not make through the first 4 sentences.

Caroline and her friends.

From left to right:  Ana, Sammie, Megan, Katricia, Caroline, Mikayla

That night we had the AVID Program awards ceremony.  Jared was a tutor in the AVID program.  He would have really liked being here.  Mr. Niro is the 8th grade AVID teacher.  Jared worked with his classes.  Mr. Niro chose Caroline to give the last speech of the student testimonials.  Here he is getting the kids ready to start.

Caroline's friend Stacy hides her face when she sees me coming because I take so many pictures.  I am sure she was nervous because she was giving the first speech.  

I am bragging but Caroline nailed it!  You could hear her perfectly from the back of the gym.  She gave great eye contact.

Watch Caroline's speech!:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FFEgrGPDe0&feature=youtu.be

Caroline accepts her 3rd year Avid certificate.

From left to right:  Leann, Sarah, Ami, Caroline

Caroline and Mr. Niro

They are getting tired of the pictures...So I kept taking them.

Jared is really missed.  His co-worker, Ms. Arfsten made a "Flat Jared" to take around to all of the remaining AVID events.  It is hilarious.  She gave him that crazy mohawk thing that his wears now.  His gold watch, she even found the shoes he wears in a magazine and put them on Flat Jared.  
Apparently he is going to the AVID beach day too.

The students really miss Jared.  When the AVID tutors were recognized, they mentioned that Mr. Perez had gone back to college.  Then all of the kids went, "Aww, we really miss him."  You could hear it even in the back.
Here is Ms. Arfsten, Mr. Niro and his wife, Mrs. Niro.  She is the Guidance Counselor at the school.  We LOVE her.  She has been a gift to our family.  She is the one who got Jared the job at the school.

Bill finally got to meet Mr. and Mrs. Niro.  He went up and introduced himself to Mr. Niro and Mr. Niro's whole face changed as he said, "Your son...I really miss him."  Then the Principal, Mr Grade (YES, that is his real name) came up and they chatted about how great Jared has been.  Bill was so proud.
Some of the students took their own pictures with Flat Jared and posted the pictures on their Facebook page.

Caroline with Mr. and Mrs. Niro.  The formal shot...

Then the real one...By the way, Mrs. Niro is from Jacksonville, NC.  She went to White Oak HS like Jared.  Unbelievable right?

We love the Niros and Lester Middle School!  We are so grateful for every minute.