I’m very proud of Blue this morning. I got a lovely surprise when I woke up – this very talented young artist’s latest work.
This gifted young refugee artist, a senior in Sue Silverstein’s art class at Bishop Maginn High School, has taken her art to a new and very different level in this Christmas work.
Blue’s Christmas image will be featured in the January Empire State Plaza art show in Albany and then framed and hung in the Bishop Maginn lobby.
“The important thing about this painting is that it’s very different from anything she’s done before” Maria said when I showed it to her, “It’s just beautiful. It has a completely different feeling than her other paintings. The way she handled the paint is just gorgeous. She really understands the medium.”
It was so very kind of Sue to send me this painting, I offered to sell it (we sold a lot of her paintings over the summer) but the school has other plans for it.
“So much good has come through you (The Army Of Good),” wrote Sue.
“This. week I was able to give kids coats and gloves and hats and boots and blankets and sleeping bags! They will be warm! Many have helped in this effort but it began with you! Don’t ever not know how much you are doing every day!”
Thanks to you all for the good you’ve done.
I’ll be back at Bishop Maginn on Wednesday, teaching my art class. I need to get over to the school and check on the stage set being built for the Christmas show, “Happy Hollandaise,” the first show produced at the school in decades.
And I’m teaching my Writing Workshop. I think we may bring Zinnia to let the students get a look at her.
Congratulations Blue, I’m happy you are also in my Writing Workshop. You are the real deal and we are proud of you.
Well, so much for the promise that you made to Zinnia’s breeder that you’d wait until at least December before overwhelming her with off-farm stimuli . . .
Joanne, Zinnia and us are doing fine, I’m curious to know why you think this is your business, or why you think this happy and loving dog is overwhelmed? People like you used to annoy me, but lately, I’m just curious as to why you think you know more about my life and dog than I do? It is the social media disease spreading through the country, or do you possess magical powers?
I don’t think I know more about your dog than you do. However, you’ve posted that you intend to follow your breeder’s advice that the puppy not be exposed to new places before “early to mid-December.” It’s barely been a week, and you seem incapable of sticking to that goal.
Joanne, I wish you would answer my question, I’m asking it respectfully. Why do you think this is your business?
Why, if you think I know more about my dog than you do, are you raising questions about who I introduce my puppy to? I didn’t notice you in the room when the breeder and I talked about Zinnia’s care, so why do you pretend to know what promises were made? (Actually no promises were sought or made.)
Lenore asked me not to introduce Lenore to large groups of people for two weeks, and I haven’t done that. My friends will get to meet her if they wish, and I have no problems with that, neither does my vet or Zinnia. Puppies do not need to be quarantined, just handled thoughtfully.
What “promise are you referring to?” I’ve never mentioned promises in my writing, or to you. Do you agree that having raised puppies a score of times in my life, and written a dozen books about dogs, successfully and without injury, I might know how to take care of them?
Do you presume to have the right to tell me what to do with my dogs without knowing me, my wife, my farm or my dogs? This is a fascinating question for me, I am genuinely and sincerely interested in what kind of thought process applies to people like yourself, as you seem to be a willing part of the new American pestilence – people judging others and telling them what to do without knowing them or even asking them or meeting the face to face. I don’t recall asking for your input on my puppy care and I am not much interested in it. I don’t recall explaining my “goals” to you or asking for your advice about them.
Why do you think this is the right thing for you to do? How do you justify it? Were you chosen as God of puppies?
I’be very interested to hear your answers, perhaps I am missing something. You seem to have completely evaded the question I first asked you – why is this your business? Let me be frank with you and assure you that if I decide to bring Zinnia somewhere in the next weeks, I will do it, and if the breeder has any questions or issues – we talk often and I provide daily updates on Zinnia, I will discuss it with her, not you. And if you don’t like it, go read somebody else. I am happy to discuss this with you, but I do not feel I owe you any explanations or apologies for anything I do with Zinnia.
I will manage to raise Zinnia without your input or wisdom, since I don’t know you and you seem to have no idea what you are taking about and little regard for truth. I look forward to hearing from you. If you can explain yourself, I’ll be happy to be wrong.
Absolutely painted with so much talent!! Could these be printed into Christmas cards?!!?
Awesome. I would buy those!
That painting, even if it a photo of the real thing, strikes me in the heart. I do not think I will ever get it out of my mind. It is spectacular and beautiful. Will Blue paint anymore of the Madonna and child?
What a lovely, lovely Christmas painting! Blue is enormously talented.
Ouch, Joanne Murphy! Honestly, your comments are sadly laughable. Please realize the beauty of what was posted /Blue’s lovely work, the improved and changed lives of these children and their families at Bishop Magnin and rest assured that Mr. Katz and Mrs. Katz are experienced and loving and responsible animal people who have this sweet Zinnia bringing more joy and smiles to all . Happy Holidays!