The Next Best Thing.....

Next to new crayons, new school shoes made September a time to look forward to! I was always excited about the new drawing and writing supplies, but had many friends who couldn't wait to shop for that new pair of school shoes AND the "store-at-school GYM shoes."

Summer sandals - quick sketch.   Pen and ink on 500 series Strathmore mixed media paper with FW acrylic ink wash and Faber Castell Indian Ink in brush pen form shading.  Click on image to enlarge. 

While I was a member of a pen and ink class at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts, we were encourage to sketch daily.  One of the examples was of an artist who created small images of the shoes on people's feet as he explored his city.  I originally thought the creator of these images was Alphonzo Dunn, but I cannot find any internet references to these types of images created by him.  I will continue to look through my notes, sketchbooks, and online, so that I can give the correct citation to the originator of this idea.  In the meantime, I will be sharing a variety of shoe images to continue my tribute to those in the world of education, who have made the pilgrimage "back to school...."

During my K - 12 life, we were not allowed to wear sandals to school.  "Tie shoes" were the required attire and in the early days of loafers (the shoe,) countless classmates were sent home for improper school attire - and I attended to public school......  rumor has it that private schools, where uniforms were required, were even more strict.

Of course the dress code was enforced for clothing, as well.   Knee-length dresses and skirts for all females, and non-jean trousers for males; socks on all.  No "James Dean" style T-shirts, or sleeveless ....anything.  A well disguised pair of culottes was always discovered, and even cotton duck trousers fell into the jeans category.  Several times a week, if not daily, someone was walking home to change clothes, and return to school.

I noticed today that ASCD has an article about enforcing dress codes.....isn't it interesting how philosophies and practices rotate on a cyclical trajectory? Well, overarching philosophy - not actual code......