Exciting News!!

I’ve got some exciting news!! I’m so eager to share with you all. :)

This Fall, I’ll give my FIRST-EVER presentation at the upcoming FAEA meeting! I’m incredibly grateful and nervous about this opportunity. It’s still surreal to me to get this opportunity as a college student.

Some of you have been with me since my first blog and may remember my blog on my first-ever conference two years ago. It was an amazing uplift. I mentioned that it was a milestone for me, as for the first time, I felt professionally independent. I loved it so much that I went again last Fall without any hesitation.

The second time was such a refreshing experience. After struggling with countless assignments, it was so sweet to “get away” for this art conference. Sometimes, at least for me, I feel so defeated that I lose the zest to keep going. Events like this are a great shock therapy to reignite my passion for art.

There are so many lectures and workshops to glean from, including two from my mentor professor. I enjoyed them so much! The conference also offered free access to several museums. My favorite has always been the Dali Museum (If you can, do stop at Café Gala for the mushroom bisque)!

Last time, the most memorable for me was Ben Steele's exhibition... it truly made me smile and laugh! ^^ Do you recognize these artworks? :D

I felt art was in the air in St. Petersburg; it was so fun to check out the local art galleries. We were lucky to get a snippet of original Dr. Suess drawings. I couldn't believe it when I found out he also did big paintings!! Did you?

Also, thanks to the art gallery for kindly allowing me to take pictures! ^^

Of course, I’ll never forget food. The conference provided great hors d'oeuvres or canapés, but they disappeared far too fast!

There were also great eating spots! From café bakeries to Vegan sushi, there were many options to satisfy my taste. My mom and I went to House of Vegano the year before, and I loved it so much that we went back again. We got the jackfruit butter again, which tastes exactly like fish! ^^ As promised, I tried the tomato tuna. Yum Yum! Can’t wait to try the eggplant sushi next. (I apologize for the low-quality photographs, as the lighting wasn’t good at dinner time.)

We also tried a Ceviche resturant...literally named Ceviche, haha! And yes, I can't forget the ice cream! We got apple ice cream and basil & strawberry! AND YES! You read that right! Unusual but so delicious! It was beautiful. Especially the strawberry ice cream, the basil really adds a sweetness you don't expect.

Of course, being a college student, I had to catch up on homework at night…

Yet, there is no regret about going to the conference. This conference is such a great opportunity for me to connect with others and build friendships. Everyone at this conference is truly passionate about bringing art to the next generation. I think that’s what makes Florida Art Education Association meetings so memorable. I mentioned in my previous blog that I was so excited and learned so much from meeting people of all stages of their career and life: “Most conference participants were a lot further down the road than me. Some have been teaching for over twenty years, yet others are looking for their first job. Some retirees still came to renew their joy and meet their old friends.”

However, I’m not sure if it’s just me; I notice that there’s a gap between the old and the young nowadays. As a girl who is super close to my mom and loves my professors as if they were family, I’ve learned so much wisdom from being under their wings. There is so much I love about the older generation, but I notice that not everyone shares my sentiments. Hence, I’m excited to present at this Fall conference on building a bridge between the young and the old. I believe wholeheartedly that we all need each other, and together, we can be better artists.

I shall share more about my presentation after the upcoming conference. Come to join me, if not, Till Next Time,

Isabelle

PS: I'm updating you in NYC! More excitement in my next blog. If you don’t want to miss the updates, subscribe here! :)

"The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old." Proverbs 20:29