Homage to Room 191 Series

The Homage to Room 191 series was created following my heart torn decision to retire in June 2020 after teaching for 28 years.  It was then that I serendipitously embarked on creating my own personal body of work while embracing the next stage in my life.  At times, the still lifes in my room consisted of an eclectic mix of white objects that I had collected through the years and had just recently added PVC pipes and torn paper to.  The simplicity of the white mundane and discarded objects along with the beautifully elegant white on white aesthetic always intrigued me.  I would love to look at this still life once it was set up in my classroom and my students would be fascinated with it as well.  The sign “Do Not Touch the Still Life” is reminiscent of the many signs I would post all over my art room to ensure that the still lifes were not disturbed by the many students who entered my art room on a daily basis.  The crumbled hall pass indicates the last time and date that I physically taught in my room along with my students. This series is dedicated to my former students as a homage to the many heartfelt conversations we held, the trust they always had in me when they would be challenged to “darken your darks and lighten your lights” and the specialness that we all felt in Room 191.