Joy taught school for many years and retired 10 years ago. What to do, what to do? She subbed for a while (what the hell was she thinking?) and then just hung around at home eating bon-bons and watching soaps. I made up that last part.
When Joy was a little girl she went to a one room school house (which was right next door to her home - talk about a long commute) called The Pickle Street School.
I don't believe I've ever heard why they called it Pickle Street because that is not the name of the street. Although . . . now that I think of it, back in the olden days, it may very well have held that moniker. I'll have to ask her.
Anyway, Joy had a brilliant idea to turn that old, empty, schoolhouse into a studio for artists.
She teaches there and has a wide variety of other people from various fields come in to do their thing as well.
A lot of work and elbow grease went into this project but the original look was left untouched. |
A nice bit of color greeted me that afternoon. |
Check out the great floors. |
The big windows let in natural light. |
Joy's self portrait along side her artist bio. |
Look - the blackboard still works. Doesn't it make you want to grab the erasers and start clapping? Wait - you didn't understand that reference? How the hell old are you anyway? |
A flyer filled with info about one of the guest instructors. |
Some wonderful pieces coming off the student paint brushes. |
Just in case you need a little help in the "color" department. |
And here she is - the one with the idea. |
I wonder if the school was moved from Pickle Street so that Joy and siblings wouldn't have to take the bus;)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that's what happened. They were such pampered little country kids.
DeleteYep, yep, and yep - wonderful artist and great studio, which makes me wish I had that sort of artistic bent!! Nice article, Ellen.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sal.
DeleteI miss going there! I need to get my act back together...maybe it will be a Fall goal. Nice post!
ReplyDelete