Ocean memories

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Ocean painting by Jo Myers-Walker

Ocean painting by Jo Myers(-Walker)
(Photo courtesy of Josh Crain)

This photo arrived attached to an email from a young man who had bought the painting at an estate sale, looked me up from the signature and asked if there is a story to go with it.

As I told him, this painting is from the 1970’s, when I was living at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, with a Marine husband and two little girls. Having grown up in Iowa, I was intrigued with the ocean and its transparent blue-green water, and would snorkel out past the reef.

It was a nice surprise to hear back from one of my creations in its travels!

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Drawing to structure a story

Posted on July 21, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Greetings from Radijojo

Greetings from Radijojo

The KHOI Youth Radio Project has established partnerships with Ames Public Library, and with Radijojo World Children’s Radio Network based in Berlin (link is to Google-translated page). The picture at right includes some drawings the children in Berlin sent to welcome the Iowa children (U.S. fans of Shaun the Sheep will note that he is a truly international star!).

On July 14 KHOI and Ames Public Library teamed up to offer a workshop for kids to “Tell Your Story on the Radio.” Some participants drew pictures sequencing the events in a story (storyboarding, pictured below), and some did the writing. For those interested in working with the computer or microphone, we showed them how to record and edit the stories.

Storyboarding is used to outline stories not only for talking on the radio, but also for book writing, movies, and video. We’re using the same technique with KHOI’s Porch Stories – it helps people organize their thoughts.

Since we don’t speak German, we’re returning the favor to the children in Germany by sending them our storyboard drawings.

Drawing storyboards

Drawing storyboards

Completed storyboards

Completed storyboards

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Summer 2012 newsletter

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Click the link below to view or download:
In this edition:
  • Bank for sale / repurposing Jo
  • Attention snowbirds
  • Tablecloth made of memories
  • Bodies in the vault
  • Upside-down drawing
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Garden Art Fair 2012

Posted on July 14, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Painted fabric wall hangings by Jo Myers-Walker

Painted fabric wall hangings

The weather was wonderful for last Sunday’s Garden Art Fair at Reiman Gardens. Sara Merritt and I shared a booth – you can visit Sara’s website at saramerritt.com.

Pictured: I’m repurposing long coats I painted and dyed 25 years ago. I have stretched the painted fabric over wooden stretchers for wall hangings, and had these two at the Garden Art Fair. Lots of fun to have them back!

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Drawing tools

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Drawing tools

Drawing tools exercise

The first lesson we did in Drawing and Composition class was to draw the tools we’d be using! I’ll show you some more of our exercises (including upside-down drawing) in an upcoming newsletter. The class will have a display of their artwork at The Left Bank Studio when the course is done.

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Welcome, readers!

Posted on July 3, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Cover of St. Anthony Messenger, July 2012

Cover of St. Anthony Messenger,
July 2012

Welcome, readers of St. Anthony Messenger!

And thank you, Sue Stanton (in-depth interview and writing) and Ngaire West Johnson (photographs, mainly in the print edition) for summing up who I am, in words and pictures. Change is part of my lifestyle, so that’s not easy!

If you don’t get St. Anthony Messenger in the mail, you can read the articles online – they often include personal profiles of people you might be interested in.

Updated from the future to add:  The most recent several years are online, but this particular article is no longer available on their website.

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Farmers’ Market report (June 23)

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Piano repurposed as a work table

Piano repurposed as a work table, used to display artwork at The Left Bank Studio

Farmers’ Market last Saturday was a little rainy but full of surprises and wonderful conversations. Quite a few people turned out and it was exciting to make a lot of new connections for KHOI Community Radio, and for people interested in the “bank” building. I was showing some of my painting on fabric – pillows, bags, and a wall hanging (the one featured in this photo). I always have bird prints, watercolor cards, and some originals for sale. The next time I’ll have a booth at Farmers’ Market is July 14 – I hope you’ll plan to stop by then!

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Working together for youth radio

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Jo, Wolfgang, and Ursula at NFCB conference

Jo, Wolfgang, and Ursula at the NFCB conference (photo courtesy of Wolfgang Fischer)

Part of last week I was in Houston at the 37th Annual Community Radio Conference organized by the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. I’ve been working with the Youth Radio Project at KHOI, which has partnered with Radijojo World Children’s Radio Network (based in Germany; link is to Google-translated page) so that KHOI children can talk to other children all over the world. I was pleased to meet Wolfgang Fischer of Radijojo, shown here at the conference with me and Ursula Ruedenberg of KHOI. I also attended workshops on programming, fundraising, and speaking on-air, and met other folks doing youth radio throughout the U.S.

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All the World’s now at an outdoor stage

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
BookMarks sculpture at Riverside Theatre Festival Stage

BookMarks sculpture at Riverside Theatre Festival Stage

The BookMarks statue “All the World’s a Stage” has moved again, to a theater, appropriately!

It’s now backstage at the Riverside Theatre Festival Stage in Iowa City’s Lower City Park, where Riverside Theatre in the Park offers outdoor performances of Shakespeare plays in June and July. I’m told this will be a permanent home for the sculpture.

The plaque (shown below) states that it was donated by Gregory P. and Barbara Morse Black, in memory of Betty Campbell Morse. The statues were auctioned to benefit Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, Iowa City Public Library, Coralville Public Library, and North Liberty Public Library.

This BookMark came up missing some of its parts (the added-on slumped acrylic) after its previous public installations. The flute-playing nymph has been removed from the top of the book, and two of the figures are missing hands they were using to gesture. I’d love to repair those in the future.

Plaque on All the World's a Stage sculpture

Plaque on All the World’s a Stage sculpture

Detail of All the World's a Stage

Detail of All the World’s a Stage, pre-display
(including hands)

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Finished product

Posted on June 12, 2012 by Jo Myers-Walker
Decorated repurposed chair

Decorated repurposed chair

Here’s one of the finished birthday-party-project chairs – this one says, “Home is where you make it.”

Not only chair legs but some people legs (and hands) were painted!

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