LStoneman Art

08/20/2023

Finally finished this landscape for my friend in Magnolia, TX.

07/26/2023

Just finished this 12X12 for my friend from The Netherlands.

11/30/2022

This starts my 22nd year of teaching middle school. Yesterday was quite possibly one of the most impactful days I have ever had.

I tried a new activity called “The Baggage Activity”. I asked the kids what it meant to have baggage and they mostly said it was hurtful stuff you carry around on your shoulders.

I asked them to write down on a piece of paper what was bothering them, what was heavy on their heart, what was hurting them, etc. No names were to be on a paper. They wadded the paper up, and threw it across the room.

They picked up a piece of paper and took turns reading out loud what their classmate wrote. After a student read a paper, I asked who wrote that, and if they cared to share.

I’m here to tell you, I have never been so moved to tears as what these kids opened up and about and shared with the class.

Things like su***de, parents in prison, drugs in their family, being left by their parents, death, cancer, losing pets (one said their gerbil died cause it was fat, we giggled😁) and on and on.
The kids who read the papers would cry because what they were reading was tough. The person who shared (if they chose to tell us it was them) would cry sometimes too. It was an emotionally draining day, but I firmly believe my kids will judge a little less, love a little more, and forgive a little faster.

This bag hangs by my door to remind them that we all have baggage. We will leave it at the door. As they left I told them, they are not alone, they are loved, and we have each other’s back.
I am honored to be their teacher.

Credit: Karen Wunderlich Loewe

11/27/2022

11/26/2022

Today I painted a new residents nails at work and as we were going over colors, she mentioned she wanted clear. The only thought that came to my mind was "CLEAR?! That's no fun." I asked her why she wanted clear and she said, "My hands are ugly, I don't want to draw attention to them." I then carefully responded with, "Your hands tell the story of your life. They tell the story of love, of care and adventure. These hands have touched and held things that most people can only wish to one day." And with that, she went with the color pink for her nails.

Sometimes what we are so insecure with, others find beauty in. 💖

Credit: Brandalyn Mae Porter

11/25/2022

A Chicago teen kept breaking into the X-Sport Fitness Center and using its equipment. Management warned him they were going to turn him. But he kept finding ways to get into the place. Police were finally called in to deal with it.
Officer Mario Valenti learned that the 15-year-old previously had a membership to the facility, but his mother could no longer afford to pay for it. And all he wanted to do was play basketball there. But instead of charging the youngster with breaking and entering, the officer handed over $150 of his own money to buy the boy a membership that would last about 4 months.
When the owner of the fitness center contacted his corporate office about what was happening, officials there were so touched by the officer’s kindness, that they extended the youngster’s membership for two years.
Says Officer Valenti: “At the end of the day, it’s not about gratitude. Most of us took this job to help people, not to hurt them. The job can be negative. For the most part, the job is dealing with good people having a very bad day, so you’re not seeing the best side of people…. I’d rather have him playing ball than being on the street and possibly getting into trouble.”

Photo courtesy: Mike Isaacs / Pioneer Press

11/22/2022

"Looks like a dad giving his baby a normal bath. But it’s a state trooper who’d pulled over a mother who was an addict. The baby was in the car covered in urine, vomit, f***s. While waiting for CPS, the cop tried to soothe the crying baby, so he gave him a warm bath. Baby was placed with a relative."