woodcarving... so far

sketch for what I'm working on now! ^

practice piece ^

my first steps in Armenian woodcarving:)

dancin, catchin stars

Everything about the Art School in Koghb inspires me:) The picture is from an event they held this past week. For 3 days they hosted a traditional Armenian dancing group to teach the local children(/local Americans) the dances. The ladies I've met at the school are some of the most free-spirited and talented people I've ever met.

other inspiration (cheesy delight):

"Catch Your Star"
Catch the star that holds your destiny-
the one that forever twinkles in your heart
Take advantage of precious opportunities
while they still sparkle before you
Believe that your goal is attainable
Commit yourself to it
Though barriers may stand in your way
remember... your destiny is hiding behind them
Accept that not everyone will approve of your choices
Have faith in your judgment
Take pride in your accomplishments
They are steppingstones to your dreams
Don't let your mistakes discourage you
Value your capabilities and talents
for they are what make you truly unique
The greatest gifts in life are not purchased
but acquired through hard work and determination
Find the star that twinkles in your heart
You are capable of making your dreams come true
Give your hopes everything you've got
You will catch the star
that holds your destiny.
-Shannon M. Lester

Kirovakan and Alaverdi

:) in Kirovakan

Alaverdi- a mosaic face on the hill. I think it's Hovannes Tumanyan!

It's too bad Peace Corps Volunteers can't be placed in Alaverdi (well it's good they can't because of the copper mining and arsenic dump)... but the surrounding areas are very beautiful and everyone I met was nice. I only spent a couple hours in Alaverdi waiting for a taxi to come get me because there is no public transportation from Kirovakan to Noyemberyan on Sundays. I saw the cable cars running, ate a really good meal at a restaurant for 1000 AMD (about $2.50), and watched kids playing on the large sports fields.

My bus trip was so long going from site to Kirovakan on Saturday I had to resort to playing with my camera. I thought this guy's shirt was funny to look at on the 3 1/2 hours I spent sitting behind him. On a good day, it should have been almost 2 hours. It says "Never confuse fashion with personal style expression". Sir, I agree. But which one are you trying to accomplish?

Check out the (very basic) webpage called "Give a Squat" I made for the Kindergarten's Bathroom Renovation project here: https://sites.google.com/site/giveasquat/