Sep25

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rabbit

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rabbit

THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Rabbit, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2011.

Rosie was born to Mama and Papa Rabbit. Rosie had soft, hazel-colored fur and long ears. She could hear everything with them.

Rosie came from a large family. She loved to play in the grassy meadow with her siblings and cousins.

One day, they discovered a large vegetable garden tended by a woman and a child, PoPo and Jai. The rabbits dug a hole under the gate that surrounded the garden, burrowing until they reached vegetables

PoPo and Jai spotted them and chased after them. The others got away but Rosie’s ears got stuck under the gate. PoPo caught Rosie but Jai persuaded her to let him keep Rosie as a pet.

Jai filled a bed of hay in a wooden hutch in the barn and gave her lettuce to eat. Curious neighbors came to see Rosie the next day to meet her and see if the tales about rabbits were really true.

Rosie enjoyed her new friends but missed her family.

One night, Rosie’s parents came to rescue her. Papa unlocked the gate but Jai heard the commotion. He and his dog ran after Rosie, startling a tiger sleeping in the bushes.

The dog ran away when he saw the tiger chasing Jai into the woods. Rosie raced through the tunnel that led to her house and out into the forest.

Just as the tiger was about to pounce on Jai, Rosie popped out of a hole and pulled the tiger by the tail. She grabbed Jai and they ran until they found a large log to hide behind.

The tiger looked and looked for them until it spotted a pair of ears sticking up behind a log. It grabbed the ears with its claws but the ears didn’t belong to a rabbit. The ears belonged to a dragon!

The dragon didn’t like its ears being pulled and chased after the tiger with his fire-breathing tongue for mile and miles!

Rosie and Jai and their families breathed easier. From then on, Jai and Rosie became best friends.

Shadow Puppets:

Rosie, the rabbit

Jai, a boy

dog

Mamma Rabbit

Pappa Rabbit

PoPo, a woman

tiger

dragon

Act out the Year of the Rabbit for your friends and family. What animals other than a dragon and a tiger can Rosie and Jai run away from?

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

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Sep23

Point Park and Downtown Pittsburgh – Summer 2016

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Point Park and Downtown Pittsburgh – Summer 2016
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Sep18

Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Horse

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Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Horse

THE YEAR OF THE HORSE

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Horse, Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2014.

Hannah, a foal, comes from a family of accomplished horses. Her mother is a show horse. Her father is a race horse. Uncle Fu is a draft horse who pulls large heavy loads and Auntie Yee is an old mare who plays with children.

Everyone wanted to see Hannah when she was born.  Tom and Lao Shi, his teacher, were painting nearby the stables and strolled over to see the new foal.

From then on, Tom and Hannah became friends.

One day, Lao Shi received a message from the Governor asking her to paint a picture for him. She realized that she was too old to travel to the capital with it.

No other animal in the village was able to take it for her. Tom got the idea that he and Hannah would deliver the painting.

Little did they foresee the adventures that lay ahead of the on the road to the capital! And they had no idea the surprise the painting held until they delivered it to the Governor!

Shadow Puppets:

Hannah, a foal

Hannah’s mother

Hannah’s father

Uncle Fu

Auntie Yee

Lao Shi, an artist and teacher

Tom, a boy and Lao Shi’s pupil

Governor

Act out The Year of the Horse. What other adventures can Hannah and Tom experience on their way to the Governor’s mansion?

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

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Sep10

Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Dragon

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Tales from the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Dragon
Characters from the Year of the Dragon

Characters from the Year of the Dragon

YEAR OF THE DRAGON

Chin, Oliver. The Year of the Dragon, Tales of the Chinese Zodiac. San Francisco, CA: Immedium, 2012

In a mountainous cave, two dragons tended their first egg. Slowly, it began to crack until a baby dragon emerged. The parents named him Dominic and introduced him to the Emperor and the Empress and their court.

“Remember,” they told him, “dragons are special.”

Dragons could do things others couldn’t: play ping-pong, pick oranges and roast marshmallows.

One day, Bo invited Dominic to his swimming party. Across the river, a team of villagers were practicing for the big boat race. No one wanted to teach Dom, Bo and their friends how to row but the kind Emperor lent them his spare canoe.

The friends tipped it over on their first try. Everyone along the river watched and laughed at them.  Undaunted, Dom had an idea.

Dom turned himself into a dragon boat and the friends practiced diligently.

Finally, the day of the festival arrived. Dom and his friends were ready for the race. Dom made himself straighter than an arrow, making them faster than all the other boats except the Imperial boat. One last push and Dom and his friends surged through the Dragon Gate.

The race was close. Who won? The judges decided that Dom and his friends won by a nose!

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

Shadow Puppets:

Emperor

Empress

Dominic the dragon

Bo, a boy

friends

judges

Act out The Year of the Dragon. What other races can Dom, Bo and their friends compete and win? Do they prove that dragons are really special?

 

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Sep6

Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rooster

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Tales of the Chinese Zodiac: The Year of the Rooster
Characters from the Year of the Rooster

Characters from the Year of the Rooster

THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

Kimmel, Eric A. The Rooster’s Antlers, A Story of the Chinese Zodiac. NY: Holiday House, 1999.

A long time ago, the Jade Emperor decided to measure time and name each of the 12 years of the Chinese Zodiac after an animal.

He would choose only the wisest, bravest, swiftest and most beautiful animals.

All the animals hoped they would be picked especially Rooster with his bright red comb, multi-colored feathers and coral antlers.

Dragon, however, wasn’t sure if he would be picked because of his baldness. Centipede cut a deal with dragon. He offered to get Rooster’s antlers so Dragon would be picked but Dragon had to promise to give him many legs and powerful jaws. Dragon agreed, grateful that he wouldn’t have to defend Centipede like he used to do.

Centipede gave Rooster a sob story about Dragon’s baldness and asked to borrow Rooster’s antlers. When Dragon finished with them, he would return them. Dragon, Centipede assured Rooster, just wanted the Emperor chose him as one of the 12 animals of the zodiac.

When Centipede brought the antlers to Dragon, Dragon strutted and in front of his mirror. He also carried out his promise to Centipede and gave him lots of legs and powerful jaws.

Jade Emperor summoned all the animals together and announced his choices to represent the Twelve Earthly Branches.  The Emperor placed the Dragon 5th on his list and placed the Rooster 10th. Rooster was crushed.

Rooster demanded his antlers back but Dragon refused, laughing at him. Next, Rooster got into a fight with Centipede. Centipede thought his new jaws and legs would defeat Rooster but he was no match for Rooster’s beak and ability to fly. Centipede crawled under a rock in fear that Rooster would hurt him.

From that day on, roosters have hated centipedes and pounce on them and eat them. Rooster continued to pine for his coral antlers, sitting on a fence, flapping his wings and crowing loudly, “Ku-ker-keru! Dragon, give me back my antlers!”

Shadow Theatre

Shadow Theater made of recycled materials

Shadow Puppets:

The Jade Emperor

Dragon

Rooster

Centipede

Act out The Year of the Rooster. What would happen if Dragon had returned the antlers to Rooster? The tale would have ended differently! Act out a different version of the story.

 

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Aug29

Make a Shadow Puppet Theater and Shadow Puppets

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Make a Shadow Puppet Theater and Shadow Puppets
SHADOW THEATRE

SHADOW THEATER

MATERIALS FOR THE THEATER:

(1) Large cereal box 13 ½” x 7 ½”

Scissors

Box cutters

Masking tape or packaging tape

White glue or double-stick tape

Colored papers, i.e. construction paper, scrap booking papers, or material like craft foam or felt

Tracing paper or translucent papers

Small lamp

PROJECT:

  1. Measure the large cereal box and cut out the back. Tape down the sides of the box.
  2. Cut out a window in the front leaving 2” width wise and 1” lengthwise.  Discard   cardboard scraps or save them to use for another time.
  3. Select papers or felt or craft foam to cover the front and sides of the stage. Be colorful. The top, bottom, sides and the front of the stage do not have to match. Contrast colors and/or patterns.
  4. Measure the sides, top and bottom of the stage. Measure the front of the stage around the cut out window.  An easy way to measure the front is to turn it over, lay it on a sheet of paper and trace around the outside of the box and around the cut out. Cut the papers and glue them down.
  5. Measure the width and length of the window. Select either tracing paper or translucent paper and measure and cut it a slightly bigger than the window. Glue behind the stage so the ends of the paper won’t show.
  6. Test the lamp: does it work? The lamp will illuminate the puppets from behind.
  7. Add more embellishments such as columns or curtains.
  8. The Shadow Puppet Theater is (almost) ready to go!

BASIC APPROACH TO THE PROJECT OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS: MAKE SHADOW PUPPETS BASED ON STORIES OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC

The next step is to read the synopsis of the zodiac tale and make the shadow puppets. There are twelve stories, twelve animals and other characters that illustrate the stories of the Chinese Zodiac.

When looking for information on how to draw animals and people, select free downloads on the web. I have listed a handful of sites (below) but there are more. Be sure that the clip art is free!!

www.dragoart.com

www.wikihow.com

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/

MATERIALS:

White glue

Popsicle sticks

Dark paper

Scissors

Free clip art websites

PROJECT:

  1. Using free downloadable clip art, look up easy to follow instruction for tracing and cutting out the animals.
  2. Glue to a Popsicle stick and recreate the stories for friends and family. Charge a small fee and open the plays to the neighborhood.
  3. As a challenge, rewrite the endings to the stories or add or drop minor characters to make the stories unique!
  4. Act out the stories for friends and family!

 

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Jul3

Sketchbook Project 2016

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Sketchbook Project 2016

THE SKETCHBOOK PROJECT 2016: NUMEROLOGY

The Sketchbook Project “is the world’s largest library of artists’ books…” The public can view the completed sketchbooks at the Brooklyn Art Library located in the Willamsburg section of Brooklyn, NY. The sketchbooks also travel North America and even the world via the Mobile Library. For more information, go to httsp://www.sketchbookproject.com.

I participated in the Sketchbook Project in 2012 and 2013 and now in 2016.

This year’s theme is Numerology and the visual power of numbers and letters and their relationship to each other.

Pythagoras and Numerology

Numerology studies the meanings of names and numbers and their relationship to each other and has its roots in  the cultures of ancient Greece, China, Rome and Egypt and the Hebrew Kabbalah.

Pythagoras was a Greek mathematician and mystic from the 6th century B.C.E. He is one of the fathers of numerology and regarded as the father of geometry.

He based his system of names and numbers on his belief that nature is composed of numerical relationships. Numbers are a source of form and energy and numbers 1 through 9 represent the nine stages of the cycle of life.

Pythagoras and his followers believed that divine law could be calculated through mathematics.

Pythagoras, however, associated numbers with many ideas not just divine law. For example, he explored musical harmony through mathematics and called his concept “The Music of the Spheres.” Pythagoras believed that everything vibrates to its own special harmony; the higher the vibration, the more (or positive) force it has but the lower the rate of vibration, the less (or negative) force it has.

Of course there is lots of room for interpretation and agreement or disagreement but use these designs for inspiration and as a springboard to your own creativity.

Bibliography:

Lagerquist, Kay. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Numerology. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 1999.

Hay, Louise L. Colors and Numbers, Your Personal Guide to Positive Vibrations in Daily Life. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2010.

Millman, Don. The Life You Were Born to Live. Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer/New World Library, 1993.

Vogel, Christopher.The Writer’s Journey; Mythic Structures for Story tellers and Screenwriters. Studio City, CA: M. Wiese Productions 1998.

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Jun27

Pythagoras and Karmic Numbers: #33

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Pythagoras and Karmic Numbers: #33
Master Number 33

Master Number 33

Seventh Karmic number: 33 (Read below.)

MORE ON NUMEROLOGY is the Science of Numbers (and its relationship to names). Numbers symbolize the meaning of our lives and its challenges and potentials.There are sets of numbers that are unique to you which Lagerquist and Lenard call your “cosmic code.” (Lagerquist and Lenard, 1999, p.10) The most important numbers are the core numbers which include your life path number, destiny number, soul number, personality number and maturity number.

The primary numbers as developed by the 6th century B.C.E.Greek mystic and mathematician, Pythagoras, are the numbers 1 through 9. However, there are other number combinations that impact our understanding of ourselves including Master Numbers and Karmic Numbers.

Karmic Numbers:

The Karmic numbers are: 10, 13, 14, 16, and 19.

Karma:

What is Karma? Karma (good and bad) is often explained as our thoughts and actions of the past which show up in the present. It is possible to repeat these patterns of thought and action over many life times.

Karmic Lessons:

What are karmic numbers? They are numbers missing from your birth name that represent experiences you didn’t have or didn’t master in your past life. They are numbers that represent life lessons that haven’t been learned…yet.

Each karmic number identifies a specific action or thought that you must learn in this lifetime or the pattern will repeat itself in the next life and the next life until you do.

Karmic Debt:

In our past lives, some of us were selfish, greedy, lazy cruel to others, abusive, or irresponsible.  Our present life gives us the chance to repent and redress our past negative actions.

Karmic numbers explain these negative behaviors.To counter these past actions, it is important that we learn new behaviors and thoughts in this life because we didn’t learn them in our past life. Negative patterns continuously repeat themselves until they are reversed into positive behaviors.

The karmic debt numbers are: 13, 14, 16, and 19. They represent specific thought or actions that we must learn in the present life so that we may redress past grievances.

If karmic numbers are found in your birthday, life path, destiny or soul numbers it is likely that negative behaviors affected your past life or lives and that you are here in this lifetime to make amends for those behaviors. (The bibliography below explains the five core numbers: destiny, life path, soul, maturity and personality numbers.)

Number 33:

The Karmic #33 is about gifted people who express their love,empathy and compassion for humanity by seeking ways to right injustices and suffering. So strong is this need that they also seek to balance their emotions with their spiritual lives. The number 33 is the number of the Master Healer.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lagerquist, Kay. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Numerology. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 1999.

Hay, Louise L. Colors and Numbers, Your Personal Guide to Positive Vibrations in Daily Life. to balance , CA: Hay House, 2010.

Millman, Don. The Life You Were Born to Live. Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer/New World Library, 1993.

Vogel, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey; Mythic Structures for Story tellers and Screenwriters. Studio City, CA: M. Wiese Productions 1998.

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Jun26

Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Parade 2016

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Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup Parade 2016

JUNE 15, 2016 PITTSBURGH PA

Posted below are my photos from the historic Penguins’ Stanley Cup Parade in downtown Pittsburgh. We arrived early (about 9:30 a.m.) and stood in front of the City-County Building. The parade didn’t start until 11:30. This tends to get tiring (especially if you don’t bring a chair which is a drag to bring in the first place) so you talk to strangers and photograph things that have nothing to do with the parade. The crowd grew and grew and grew.

Even though we had front row “seats,” 400,000 people tend to get in your way. It makes it hard to get the pictures you want to get like when Crosby got out of his vehicle, walked up to Malkin’s a few yards ahead and handed him the Stanley Cup. Then Crosby went back to his car and got out the Conn Smyth trophy. Everyone started yelling, “MVP! MVP!” (For the uninitiated, the Conn Smyth goes to the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs.)

Then we tried to get close to the stage which was impossible largely because half of the 400,00 were already there and everyone else had the same idea.

At least, we got some photos of one of the giant TV screens set up for the public and heard the speakers including the Punjabi DJ from Toronto call out “Boninoboninobonino!!”

It doesn’t take a lot to get  a crowd going:)

The parade ended about 1:30 and it was great to be a part of  it.

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Jun19

Pythagoras and Karmic Numbers: #22

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Pythagoras and Karmic Numbers: #22
Master Number 22

Master Number 22

Sixth Karmic number: 22 (Read below.)

MORE ON NUMEROLOGY is the Science of Numbers (and its relationship to names). Numbers symbolize the meaning of our lives and its challenges and potentials.There are sets of numbers that are unique to you which Lagerquist and Lenard call your “cosmic code.” (Lagerquist and Lenard, 1999, p.10) The most important numbers are the core numbers which include your life path number, destiny number, soul number, personality number and maturity number.

The primary numbers as developed by the 6th century B.C.E.Greek mystic and mathematician, Pythagoras, are the numbers 1 through 9. However, there are other number combinations that impact our understanding of ourselves including Master Numbers and Karmic Numbers.

Karmic Numbers:

The Karmic numbers are: 10, 13, 14, 16, and 19.

Karma:

What is Karma? Karma (good and bad) is often explained as our thoughts and actions of the past which show up in the present. It is possible to repeat these patterns of thought and action over many life times.

Karmic Lessons:

What are karmic numbers? They are numbers missing from your birth name that represent experiences you didn’t have or didn’t master in your past life. They are numbers that represent life lessons that haven’t been learned…yet.

Each karmic number identifies a specific action or thought that you must learn in this lifetime or the pattern will repeat itself in the next life and the next life until you do.

Karmic Debt:

In our past lives, some of us were selfish, greedy, lazy cruel to others, abusive, or irresponsible.  Our present life gives us the chance to repent and redress our past negative actions.

Karmic numbers explain these negative behaviors.To counter these past actions, it is important that we learn new behaviors and thoughts in this life because we didn’t learn them in our past life. Negative patterns continuously repeat themselves until they are reversed into positive behaviors.

The karmic debt numbers are: 13, 14, 16, and 19. They represent specific thought or actions that we must learn in the present life so that we may redress past grievances.

If karmic numbers are found in your birthday, life path, destiny or soul numbers it is likely that negative behaviors affected your past life or lives and that you are here in this lifetime to make amends for those behaviors. (The bibliography below explains the five core numbers: destiny, life path, soul, maturity and personality numbers.)

Number 22: The Karmic #22 is about gifted people with intuition, sensitivity, harmony,  practicality and discipline. Called the number of the Master Builder, the number 33 stresses their organizing talent especially when building big projects or achieving big goals. They are not afraid of hard work.

Bibliography:

Lagerquist, Kay. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Numerology. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 1999.

Hay, Louise L. Colors and Numbers, Your Personal Guide to Positive Vibrations in Daily Life. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, 2010.

Millman, Don. The Life You Were Born to Live. Tiburon, CA: H. J. Kramer/New World Library, 1993.

Vogel, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey; Mythic Structures for Story tellers and Screenwriters. Studio City, CA: M. Wiese Productions 1998.

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