You think you know me? Maybe you have no idea!

Steven & Troia, 2011

i've always been very forthright about myself, having long accepted my flaws as well has my more endearing qualities. but i'm always surprised by how little long-time friends, or even family, seem to know about me. so i thought i'd create a little game. i'm going to list 10 things you may or may not know about me. you think you know me? maybe you have no idea! read on and find out!

1. my parents are christian missionaries (or as i've coined them, "jesus freaks"), but have had a multitude of careers in my lifetime. my favorites would be the owners of  tae kwon do dojo and aerobic studios.

2. i became obsessed with wonder woman when i discovered her through my dad's old comic book collection and when i saw reruns of the tv show starring, lynda carter. the amazing amazon embodied strength, beauty, charm, wit, intelligence, humor, and compassion -- even for enemies -- something i've carried through all my life.

3. comic books brought me all over the world. it's true! based on the comic books i read from the '70s and '80s, i would draw my own comics and started taking art classes, then later going to art school, inspiring me to study abroad.

4. my mother had a brain aneurism when i was two years old. i was sitting behind her in the car when her brain just -- switched off. i still remember the thud her head made against the passenger seat window. i also remember seeing her again after surgery weeks later, a beautiful woman with no hair, but i was afraid to approach her outstretched arms.

5. i have a minor in nutrition. my reasoning for the degree was i wanted a backup if i ever got bored with the whole 'art thing'.

6. a former professor and dear friend took me under her wing and appointed me her intern/apprentice while she taught at the paris college of art. i learned so much about the world in those 3 months, traveling to other parts of europe on long weekends and holidays. i was devastated when my professor, a transgender woman, hysterical storyteller, fashionista, talented artist, and raging alcoholic, took her own life. there was a gaping hole in my soul for a long time.

7. my dog and two cats are among my most favorite people in the world. yes, you read that correctly.

8. i resisted becoming a teacher for a long time because my parents always said i would make a great teacher. so, of course, i couldn't be a teacher! but after life as a starving artist got old, i went back to school and became certified to teach visual art. turns out i love teaching!

9. my first degree is in studio art, focus on drawing and painting. that means i also studied ceramics, sculpting, art history, and printmaking for four years plus years. art education came later and became my real passion.

10. i was hit by a tour bus on a cross walk and thrown 10 feet, but survived with only a few scraps, bruises, and internal bleeding -- no gaping wounds or broken bones!

Update: I'm a survivor, 1 year later

Art by Ross Andru & Mike Esposito, 1967.

a year ago this month i endured a serious accident and miraculous recovery! i wrote about the experience here,

I'm a survivor

days later i had a wonderful birthday with friends, made all the more special after realizing i had a second chance at life. unfortunately, the following afternoon i was rushed to the er again! apparently my spleen had been discreetly bleeding and poisoning my other organs and it would be nearly 2 months before i was able to return to the things i enjoy like walking the dog, jogging, or teaching. in all i was hidden away from the world for an entire 12 weeks.

my life has returned to its standard craziness, though i still endure headaches and severe back pain from time to time. i'm told these symptoms of the accident may never completely go away. i've learned to cope and to listen to my body better. if it tells me i need to stay in for the night, i will. if the body feels like it needs a break, then i'll skip a workout. in the end, i think this accident was a way for the universe telling me to slow down, appreciate what it is i have in my life. and i maintain to do just that.

love to all of my wonderful friends and supporters. you make every moment of life worthwhile. the love and encouragement pushes me to do my best at home, in the classroom, or in the studio. thank you!

 a special shout out to mrs. mary lou morse, joseph holladay, and barbara binkowski who have done more for me than one could ever imagine. x

Recognizing a "pioneer of television"

Lynda Carter, The New Adventures of Wonder Woman, 1974

i grew up reading my father's collection of '60s and '70s comic books before starting my own collection in the '80s. i knew wonder woman through those books and reruns of the popular TV show that originally aired nearly a decade before i was born. 'wonder woman' came on early saturday mornings before the usual cartoons. i would sneak down to the family room before anyone else was up and absorbed myself in the thrilling adventures of the amazon princess. lynda carter's role, along with the strong women in my family, inspired me beyond measure and helped mold a young impressionable boy for the good. i'm pleased that ms. carter is being recognized as a "pioneer of television". i take the lessons i learned about acceptance, equality, love, peace, and yes, sisterhood, and transfer them to my daily life, especially with my role as a teacher. 

Read more here, Pioneers of Television.

To read how i met my icon, read, My Moment of a Lifetime.

A proud teacher

"untitled", 3'x4', acrylic on canvas, 2012 - student collaboration

i enjoy being an art teacher for many reasons. often times i feel like the fun uncle imparting important life lessons to help in the development of younger generations, but allowed to send them home after a brief visit. other times it's the sheer excitement of seeing a 12 or 13 year old bursting with imagination and excitement over an assignment. while some posts overlap both blogs, that's not always the case. check out what goes on in my studio classroom at, Art Class With Mr. Wilber.

Happy birthday to my best best friend!

catching some rays after a long jog.

 my best best friend, troia, the amazing amazon mutt, turns ninety-one today. this wonderful collie/labrador retriever has been with me all thirteen years of her life and shared my triumphs and struggles, always with big loving brown eyes and a wagging tail.  troia has been my pride and joy and continues to amaze me each and every day with her youthful enthusiasm and calm patience. i love her more than anyone!

car ride!

a favorite summer activity with aunt sis!

 

sometimes the amazon mutt get a little tired of all the hugs.

Latest work in progress

"Welcoming Imagination", 3'x4', oil on bulletin board, 2012

my latest work in progress is a commercial piece, a welcome sign. it's been a process to work on my art with so much teaching, but this is slowly coming together. i only have a few days to get it right. the deadline is fast approaching!

Moving in --

my fiance and i moved into a new apartment in boston with our two cats and labrador retriever/collie. what an ordeal! only a few blocks from our old place, it somehow took longer and more money than the last move nearly three years ago. we still have a few things to transport from point a to b, but at least the majority of boxes and all of the furniture has been moved. we're already enjoying the larger living space, bigger kitchen, and high ceilings!