This is a painting I did for my art class at Cosumnes River College  last spring.  For my class, I needed to make my painting look abstract.  Before I started painting this picture, I drew some shapes. The shapes did not have to be real-life in size.  The violin in this painting looks real.  I really like the wine glass and the music notes.

I like how it looks.  Do you?

~Geoffrey

This is a painting I did for my class at Cosumnes River College  last spring.  For my class, I needed to make a painting collage and make it look like a dream.  Before I started painting this picture, I found pictures from different magazines and made a collage. Then I painted using the paper collage as my guide.

I really like how it looks, and I have it hanging on the wall in my room.  I hope you all enjoy it too.

~  Geoffrey

This is a painting that I did last spring for my class at Cosumnes River College.  My homework was to do a "still life", so before I started paint, I set up everything nicely on the table.  I liked my arrangement because it looks like I am reading a book by candle-light while drinking coffee.  I had a light shine on the arrangement from the left, and then I added the shadows on the table, cup, book and bowl.  When you look at the real painting, the apple looks like a real apple.  I am very happy that I was able to paint it that way.

I did the best I could to create this picture.  I hope you enjoy it.

~Geoffrey

I started to home-school in 1997.  Before homeschooling, I went to public schools, and I tried to learn in different kinds of classrooms.  Sometimes I was in hearing classrooms with an interpreter.  My interpreters were always nice.  Sometimes I was in special Deaf classrooms where everyone signed.  The public schools were fine, but I was not learning and growing.  So we decided to home-school.  I did well in homeschooling, and I graduated in June 2006.

    There are many things I liked about homeschooling.  In home-school I had one-on-one teaching and help.  This worked for me.  My favorite subjects were Practical English, Biology, and Computer. I really liked Practical English.  Some of the fun things I liked in homeschooling were P.E. and Art.  I liked to play soccer and baseball.  When I could still walk and run, I loved to go outside and run and kick the soccer ball.  When I had to use a wheelchair, I would do P.E. exercises in my house.  I also really liked to do Art.  This was my most favorite subject in school.  I would go outside and draw things I saw in nature.  I still love to do that.  For one of my home-school art projects, I drew an eagle and a flag. I entered my drawing in the Sacramento County Fair.  My drawing won First Place and Best in Show ribbons.  When I saw my picture on display, I was so happy, and I felt all the hard work that I did was worth it.

   The subjects that I didn’t like in home-school were Math and Economics. I did not like these subjects because it is hard for me to understand math problems. But I tried to do the best I could in math, and economics.
      
     Homeschooling was good for me, and I am glad my Mom was my teacher. I did well in homeschooling, and I had fun.  It was nice to have my sister home-school with me, and to have all my other homeschooling friends.  I was busy with home-school field trips,  church youth groups, Boy Scouts, Challenger sports, Co-op classes, and many other activities.  I was never bored.

     After I graduated from home-school high school I attended Cosumnes River College.  I took lot of computer classes, and I earned my Certificate in Web Design.  I also took some art classes at CRC, and last year I took painting class. I enjoyed my painting class.  Art is still my most favorite subject, and I still like to draw and paint God's beautiful nature.

     I prayed and asked God to help me in my homeschooling and in college.  I think God gave me a love for Art and the ability to do it.  My hands do not work normally, but I can still draw and create.  I believe God is helping me to do this and to create art.  I believe with God's help, I can do anything.

~Geoffrey

Last year, I took a painting class at Cosumnes River College. For my class, I had to create a self portrait.  On my self portrait, I painted an Italian flag because my family is from Italy. I also painted the American flag on the left because I am American.  I love to draw, and I like to be creative, so I painted a book ("How to Draw") and placed it on the table in my painting.  I painted a laptop computer on the canvas because I do a lot of work on my computer.  I painted a picture of myself on the laptop screen.  I included the computer in my painting because I have a Web Design Certificate, and I have developed and maintained a few websites for different companies.  The Mickey Mouse symbol on my shirt is because I like to go to Disneyland. My dream job is to do animations for Disney. The purple cross with the I-LOVE-YOU hand sign is important to me because I'm Christian, and I use  sign language to communicate. There's wine bottle on the table on the left with purple grapes because I enjoy having a glass of wine, and it is a part of my Italian culture.

I learned some cool things when I was painting this self portrait. I looked on the internet to find out how to paint my table to make it look like wood. I used a light tan color first, and then I used dark brown and painted over the light tan color.  While the dark brown was wet, I scraped it with a dry sponge to make the wood grain lines.  I think it came out looking close to real wood grain.  Also, to help me paint straight lines with my shaky hands, I used tape to cover areas on my canvas.  It took a lot of time, but it helped make my painting look better.  I always look for ways to do things even with my disabilities.  I try to never give up.  I pray, and I persevere, and I always try my best! 

~Geoffrey

Early In the year of 2004, When I was working on earning my Eagle Scout, one of the merit badges was "Physical Fitness." It was hard for me because I had to run two miles. I went with all the other scouts to a track at a high school in Elk Grove. I lined up with all the other scouts to begin to run. My Dad was next to me because I get tired easy. I did my best - the best as I could. I ran, and my Dad ran next to me so he could help me and encourage me. It was so hard for me, and I was very tired. I keep saying to myself, "I am running for Eagle. I am running for Eagle." When my Dad and I got to the finish line, I felt happy because I had finished the race. I had passed the requirement for the "Physical Fitness" merit badge.   

     My story reminds me of the Bible verse,  Isaiah 40:28-31          

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young man stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

     Just like my Dad stood next to me and ran with me so I would not stumble and fall, God is with me all the time. God helps me to be strong even though I have a disability. God helps me to not grow tired and weary. He helps me not stumble and fall. I hope in God, and He gives me strength.

     God will strengthen people who trust Him and serve Him. If we hope and believe that God knows everything and loves us, then he will take care of us and help us to do things that we can't do by ourselves.

~Geoffrey

I grew up with a Christian family. My mom and my dad have taught me about Christ and what Christ has done in our lives.  I know that he can make me hear again someday if I pray and trust in him.  I read the Bible in the morning before I start my day.  I have Christian friends and family who know about Christ.  I accepted Christ when I was about seven years old.  Jesus helps me everyday when I pray and ask for help. 

 In the year of 2005, I had scoliosis and it was becoming worse, so I went to the hospital to have a back surgery.  I was very nervous and scared about having back surgery.  The night before my surgery Pastor Jay from First Baptist Church came to the hospital to pray for my back surgery and for the Lord to make the surgeons know what to do on my back. Early the next morning, when it was time to go to surgery, my mom asked me, “are you nervous?”  I said no I was not nervous about my surgery.  God had helped me not be nervous.    

When I was in Boy Scouts, I always asked God to help me in everything I did.  I became an Eagle Scout, but some of the things I had to do were very hard for me.  I have disabilities and some merit badges were hard for me to do.  I never gave up because I knew that if I prayed and trusted God He would always help me.  I became an Eagle Scout because God helped me.

I love Jesus and I say thank you to Him for being my Savior.

 ~Geoffrey

Welcome to my new blog.  I will be sharing stories about my life and daily encouragement.  Stay tuned for more posts!

-Geoffrey