It’s about time!

For those of you who have been faithful to check my blog, I thank you.  It has been way too long since I posted something other than rehxzearsal recordings!!!  It has been a wonderful time in the Nagy household.  Our newest family member was born on January 18.  She was one of 12 Golden Retriever puppies born.  We knew from the start that she would fit in!  Annabel came to join us on March 21.  She and Lance have become great companions and are inseparable.  They even share a kennel!!

She started out MUCH smaller, but has grown, QUICKLY!

The spring is always a crazy time for our family with PMEA choral festivals, concerts, etc.  2010 was no exception.  Kyrah did extremely well at festivals this year.  She qualified for PMEA All-State Chorus!  All of the festivals from Districts on through Regionals and States were exceptional.  Great conductors and great music!

Kyrah, myself, Brynne and Wendy at Regional Chorus in Somerset.

 

Mariah Seymour, Kyrah Nagy and Josh Duman were Central Cambria’s representatives to All-State Chorus this year!

In May, Paul Seymour and I organized a benefit concert to raise money for a new grand piano for the school district.  This concert, “Music on a Grand Scale” involved 700+ students!  It was a tremendous evening and the kids were awesome!

The elementary students!

700 Students....what were we thinking?

On went the spring semester, including prom, songfest, spring concerts, etc.

Three of my favorite people are graduating this year, Mariah Seymour, Josh Duman and AJ Pagano. Happy for them, sad for me.

This past weekend, I participated in a wonderful painting seminar at Paul and Cathy’s shop.  We were learning  Mosaic Florals.  We had a great time!

The first step in “Mosaic Floral” painting is the white underpainting. I think it looks good just like this!

Cathy enjoys a moment with others in the seminar.

Paul, hard at work!

Two of the smaller pieces that will be part of a "dresser set."

Another great surprise was getting to meet my long distance facebook friend, Georgia Dawbon.  Georgia is also a decorative painter from Barrie, Ontario, Canada.  She was in town to visit Paul and Cathy, and Paul Georgia and I were able to meet for dinner.  It is always great to meet people that I feel like I have known for years!!

Georgia Dawbon and I at Clark Powell's

Paul and Peggy Stiles, enjoying a break from painting.

When I complete the dresser set, I will post pictures on here.  As always thanks for viewing!!!! 

Snow, snow and … more snow!

February 5, 2010 – The snow started at about 1:00 p.m.  Nothing major, just some steady light snow.  Around sunset, 5:00 p.m. Mother Nature kicked it up a notch!  By 9:00 p.m. we had about 6 inches of snow on the ground.  When I went to bed at 11:00, you couldn’t see the house across the street!  Saturday morning arrived cold, but sunny…with no less than 28 inches of white gold!  The snowfall rate had been 2 to 3 inches per hour overnight!

My wife's car is behind that snow pile!

Brynne and I are almost done shoveling!

A clear sidewalk......for the moment!

This story is to be continued with another storm on February 10, 2010.  Thanks, as always, for reading!

David L. Brunner visits Cambria Elementary

My wife has been involved in quite a year at Hollidaysburg Area High School where she is director of choral activities. The high school is currently undergoing renovations.  She is getting a brand new room in an addition.  The room is complete, but she is not allowed to use it yet.  The band is in there while the new bandroom is being built.  She is teaching out of the drama room/orchestra room, and in the hallway. 

This is where things get interesting.  She agreed several years ago to host PMEA District 6 Chorus.  Basically, 178 visiting students come to your school from Wednesday evening through Saturday.  Finding houses for them to stay in, feeding them and providing them with an excellent musical experience are the host director’s jobs.  Needless to say, it is an overwhelming task under the best of situations.  She has done an amazing job, and the students are very appreciative. 

Wendy hired Dr. David Brunner from Central Florida University to conduct the choir.  Dr. Brunner is a world-renowned choral composer.  His works have been performed on every continent (save for Antarctica).  Wendy had him come a day early to work with her own choirs and offered to have him come to work with my elementary chorus here at Cambria Elementary.  So, the students and I prepared one of David Brunner’s compositions for him to hear, and then critique and improve.  What a great experience for 4th and 5th graders!  He was awesome with the kids.  Below are some photos of him working with my students.

Above, David has a photo op with half of my chorus!

Above, the students asked David to play piano for them.

David explains a difficult passage of music.

David with the other half of my students.

David and I.  What a great experience!

Thanks for reading!

Rosemaling, Erie, and family…

I am recovering from a bout of bronchitis and sinusitus.  I am grateful to good health care, and good home care.

While at home this week, I was able to finish my latest painting project, a study of Aust Agder Rosemaling.  It is a beautiful style of  painting that originated in Norway.  I am thrilled with the result!

Rosemaling Lefsa Board

 

A close up of the center elements.

Events leading up to my illness were fast and furious.  I am chairperson of a committee to re-elect one of our current school board members.  We are doing this through a write-in campaign, too boot!  The first picture is of Eric Rummel, and a brood of kids from the Central Cambria School District.  We are using this photo in our newspaper ad this week.

Eric and the brood!

We have been blessed in our lives to have the most wonderful family.  This past weekend, we travelled to Erie, PA to celebrate the 2nd birthday of Grace Alohi Pua Okalani Wakinekona.  The day was beautiful, and it was great to spend time with family!

Front Row: Wesley and Grace/Second Row: Kristina and Carrie/Back Row: Brynne, Sara and Kyrah

After the birthday party, we drove out on to Presque Isle….a favorite spot of Wendy’s and mine.  It was cold, but we got a few good photos!

My favorite girls at Lake Erie.

The sun was very deceiving...it was cold!

In addition, Central Cambria’s production of “The Wizard of Oz” has entered the staging process.  Kyrah has been cast as the Wicked Witch.  She is trying out her Miss Gultch face.

Kyrah staging in Act I

So as you can see, the life of the Nagy’s goes at full speed!  God is good in all that he provides.  Thank you so much for reading and have a great day!

Proof that there will be a cure…

The weekend started with the journey to Dubois, where we were joined by Roger and Loretta, at the home of Wendy’s sister Cora Lee and her husband, Ray.  Cora Lee made chow mein and all kinds of other good stuff!  We were also surprised to be joined by Rob, Kristina and Wesley!  We enjoyed each other’s company, and spent the rest of the evening chatting and solving the world’s greatest issues!  Roger and Loretta headed out for their hotel in Brookville.  We all headed to bed.

Kyrah, Wesley and Kristina

We got up at 5:00 am to make the trek to Cook Forest, for the MS bike ride.  It had been years since I had been there, and I forgot the beauty of the place.  We arrived to find Roger and Loretta already there.  They had given us Tshirts and we began posing for pictures.

Kyrah, Brynne and I sport our Tshirts!

 

Roger, Loretta and I before the event.

After the start of the event, we drove 16.5 miles down the most gorgeous drive I have ever been on!  Roads right along the Clarion River brought us to Belltown, where we were to meet up with Tom Phillips.  There we were to help man a refreshment/pit stop for the participants.  We all perfected our PB&J artistry, having made some 500+ sandwiches!  Working at the station, we made new friends, heard great stories of courage, and had a great time.

We all took turns making sandwiches and taking breaks.  Kyrah and I went for a short walk, and snapped some of the following shots.

A small stream prepares to enter the Clarion River.

 

God's glorious creation was around us, everywhere!

Brynne enjoying the scenery.

Kyrah and Wendy cooking up some mean PB&J!!

Brynne ,and new friend Alex, master the art of P,B & J!

Heavy rain was forecast to move in.  We felt an occasional drizzle, but for the most part, we remained dry.  After a while we had the bikers stopping on their return voyage, speaking of a killer hill that they had to climb.  My prayers were suddenly with Roger and Loretta as they hadn’t returned yet.  We waited with great anticipation to see them come down the road! 

The return after the hill....mile 43.5 into the race. I think they look great!

 After Roger and Loretta passed through our station the second time, we said our goodbyes to Tom and Jennifer at the station, and then returned back to the finish line to await their arrival.  They made great time on the last leg of their journey and completed the 60 mile trip in 5 hours and 40 minutes! 

 

Humbled…

I praise God today for the many blessings in my life.  My family attends the Ebensburg United Methodist Church, where we are led by our pastor, Roger Johnson and his wife, Loretta.  Roger was explaining one during a message that Loretta had just passed a milestone birthday.  He and Loretta always pick a “project” for their milestone birthday.  Roger informed us that Loretta and he would be participating in Cook’s Forest River Ride, a 60 mile bike ride with the purpose of raising money to find a cure for multiple sclerosis.  He said that Loretta chose to do this in my honor.

We hear people tell us to do things in service to others.  I am humbled to know that I am cared for in such a way.  God’s love for me has truly been shown through Roger and Loretta in so many ways in my life.  May God continue to bless them as they continue to bless others by serving God!

1 Corinthians 12:5
There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

Disney and Rosemaling?

As I stated in my last post, we have begun our fall classes at Seymour’s Creative Legact Art Studio.  We are studying Aust Agder Rosemaling.  I was thinking of how my painting journey began shortly before our family went to Disney in 2007.  Imagine my surprise when we went to Epcot and saw the exhibit for Norway.  The first thing we saw was a Stave church replica.  Paul was talking about these last week in class, and it dawned on me that I thought I had a picture of the one from Epcot. 

Stave church at Epcot

We walked into a shop, and what I saw just about blew my mind!  Check these out!

This was the door into the shop!

This was the front counter.

A cabinet in the back of the store.

Another store counter!

A cabinet behind the station where artists from Norway were Rosemaling! Notice the patterns, paints and blank surfaces!

Corner display unit (translation please?) Notice the ceiling!

The entire ceiling was done in Rosemaling!

Close up of the corner cabinet.

One last cabinet....

We were surprised to learn that everyone working in this Norwegian gift shop was actually from Norway!  The artists were trained in Norway, by Norwegian masters.  Disney hired the Norwegian Rosemaling masters to design and paint the shop!  Truly unbelievable!  So tonight, when I am in class, pulling my scrolls, I will fondly remember the Disney/Rosemaling connection.  Who knew?

Back at it!

Well, our new season of painting classes began last night at Paul and Cathy’s shop.  I had missed those people so much!  What made it even better was that Chris and Toni,  who had to take a break last Spring, were able to join us again!  Paul and broke out our French accents, and we were off and rolling.  Deanna brought in some pieces that she had designed and painted…..WOW!  It is amazing to see how far we have all come in our journey.

We are beginning the year by painting a Lufsa board with the Aust Agder style of Rosemaling designed by David Jansen.  What an absolutely stunning piece, using only eight colors!  We spent most of the evening doing prep work, and catching up with each other.  This is our fourth year as a class together, and our bond is quite strong!  Pulling those first scrolls was so energizing, and I can’t wait to finish this piece!!  Have a great day and thanks for reading!

Chippendale Table….finished!

Well, the table is done.  I have to admit that I am very pleased with the result!  Paul will have to critique to give final approval.  If someone had told me that I would be able to paint like this 3 years ago, I would have laughed in their face.  Many thanks to David Jansen who designed the table, and to Paul Seymour, my mentor and friend for teaching the seminar.

The finished table!

A close up of one of the corner elements.

Chippendale Painting (not dancing!)

This past weekend, I had the privelege of participating in a painting seminar at Seymour’s Creative Legacy Art Studio.  The design was a David Jansen masterpiece employing the Chippendale rose painting technique.  Everyone in the class had a great time, and painted such beautiful pieces.  The pictures I have are of the tables “in progress.”  I would like to introduce some of Paul’s students.

This is Betty Straw. She is Cathy's mom and my table partner during our regular weekly classes. She is a great lady, and knocked these roses out of the park.

 

This is Deanna! She is an excellent painter and usually pretty quiet.

Joanne has been painting for three years, and is such a dear sweet woman!

Debbie Gaston is in the yellow phase of Chippendale!

Karen has a great sense of humor and loves to paint and laugh (often at the same time.)

Gina Tusing has lived all over Europe, and has a true artist's eye. She is a talented musician as well!

Nancy is an inspiration to everyone she meets! She is a cancer survivor, and has raised two wonderful sons. Her painting always gives us something to aspire to.

Melodye altered the design, choosing to apply the technique to a door crown. Great design, great painting!!!!!

Now, that isn’t everyone in the class.  There was Estella, who loves Paul’s French accent, and my table partner Peggy, who made me laugh so hard the entire seminar!!  There was also Judy, Peggy’s mom, and Nadine, who tells me to “shut up” when I start my French accent.  There was also a second Debbie, who is a fellow teacher.

The seminar was so much more than about painting.  There was zucchini bread, laughing, coffee, brownies, coffee, more laughing, more coffee, and of course, wonderful French accents!  As you can see, Paul and Cathy fill a need in so many peoples’ lives.  We are blessed by them and this business called decorative painting!!!

Thanks, as always, for reading!