Herstory: Shirley Curiel

Shirley, now in her studio full-time.

Her eyes often sparkled like warm sunshine on a cold winter's day, as we stood in the hallway of Prairie Hills Middle School smiling, laughing at ourselves, at our experiences, at the things that middle kids say and do.  She was the "Art" teacher, and I was the "Reading and Writing" teacher. Our few minutes of hall duty became a life saver for each of us.  Her classroom had windows that highlighted the sunshine and seasons, the colors of fresh air, and imaginative pieces of artwork; my room had orange carpet, thin walls, but immediate access to the library and a wide world of surprises.  

Shirley helped me with ideas for expression of thought through art.  Words sometimes don't tell the whole picture, or perhaps we don't know how to share those feelings, but pictures and art free us to express a thought or feeling unseen in words.  When I needed a way for my students to express a book or a piece of writing Shirley had my answers.  I've been blessed with teacher friends over the years who were creative and able to coach me on how I could use art in all teaching endeavors. 

Shirley was first introduced to art when she attended private school at John Brown University.  She said, "This allowed me to hang-out around places where art was being created and exhibited on campus." Marriage brought her to Hutchinson, Ks where she and her husband raised their three children, and after the death of her sister-in-law they raised her two teenage daughters.  "With five kids, no washing machine or dryer, driving a car that I bought for $300 I enrolled in McPherson College and graduated with a degree in History, a teaching certificate and many hours of Art."  

Shirley's well lite studio where colors come to life.

Her first teaching job as an Art teacher landed her in the basement at Central Jr. High in Hutchinson where she a small classroom with pipes carrying heat for the entire four story building, regular student desks not tables, no sink, one bookcase and one old wooden chest of drawers for storage.  The kiln for firing the clay work was on the 4th floor, no elevator.  "I had to carry all the heavy clay projects up three flights of stairs and then run up to adjust the temperature from low to medium, from medium to high, and then the custodian would shout 'don't forget to turn it off after school.'  She laughed as she described the conditions in the basement,  "While the upper floors suffered from insufficient heat, we opened our windows to keep from stewing.  Because we were in the basement, the windows opened to concrete window wells about half the depth of the windows, and dirt from the ground blew in on the heads of the nearest students.  I was so happy to have a job that I felt none of this was an overwhelming problem.  I spent ten years in that room, before moving to Prairie Hills, where I enjoyed a room double the size, four sinks, a private glassed in office, large storage room, enclosed kiln, and individual storage for each student."  No wonder I eagerly looked forward to a few minutes with Shirley every day.   

One of her popular pillow paintings.

Buhler country road landscape

Even though she's painted all of her life, she did not start painting for herself until she retired in 2000.  As she told me, "I could not do two things at once.  It took all of my time and attention to do my teaching job." Before we moved away, I bought one of her Kansas landscapes. It hangs in my writing room to brighten the day, but it can also be seen from the hallway, so people's eyes are drawn toward her landscape where sunshine adds highlights to nature's colors. I'm most grateful to my friend, Shirley Curiel, for being a part of my life, and for still adding sunshine to it everyday through her paintings.   

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

A few days ago, I attended OWFI, a writer's conference, and  wore one of my colorful outfits from "Adrian's Boutique" in Buhler, Ks.  During the very workshop a lady sitting next to me complimented me on my outfit and asked where I bought it.  I smiled and replied, "In a small town in Kansas at a darling boutique..." but before I

Sandy, Letty, Vicki with Vera Bradley in the background!

could finish the statement she interrupted and laughed.  "You bought it at Adrian's didn't you?"  Goosebumps jumped down my arms in delight when I heard her response.   Pointing to the lady next to me she said, "We're both from Wichita, and we drive to Buhler several times a year to shop."

For a few minutes my mind left the conference and thought of all the familiar places we left behind, where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came.

Anne Armstrong, owner of Roy's BBQ

On these cool spring days I would have enjoyed eating Roy's BBQ with the delicious garlic/vinegar coleslaw.  Several years ago I tried bribing Mike  for the recipe to the coleslaw; it didn't work so I just kept eating
there, slurping up the slaw and BBQ.  Now I miss the sweet and tart flavors, smoky aromas, and friendly chatter of the crowded tables, but most of all I miss hearing Anne's welcoming voice and cheerful smile, "Hello, Jack and Letty" or "You folks come back."

Drew & Jenny Bryant, owners of
Jackson's Meat Market 

As a teacher, I often find myself bragging on my kids; my kids I raised and my kids who lived in other homes but spent a year of their lives with me in the classroom or library.  I beam with pride every time I walk into Jackson's Meat Market, and hear Andrew Bryant's voice say, "Hello, Letty."  His lovely wife Jenny could only call me Mrs. Watt the first year they opened, but now we're just like friends sharing stories, only they are there, and I am here.  I highly recommend "Ray's Baloney" if you want a slice of tasty all beef bologna.  I am thankful that there really is more than one place in the world where everybody knows my name.

Cheers! dear friends, cheers!

<http://www.adriansonline.com/>

<http://www.roysbbq.com/>

<http://www.jacksonmeat.com/>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYcX534JqG4&feature=kp
 The song and lyrics to "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" are really quite interesting.

http://www.owfi.org/