Super Hero

Every Super Hero has a secret identify. It’s time to reveal the truth about Pony.



Pony Wombat started out not as the third grade hero of the chapter book Pony Wombat and the Second Ark, but as a bass player in an 80’s band called the Wombats.


(Buried in Blue 1987. Pony, third from the left in white shirt)

The Wombats was a three-piece band whose members originated from an earlier blues band called Buried in Blue. In Ramones style, each member took on the last name wombat. There was Kevin Wombat, Tommy Wombat and Ian (aka) Pony Wombat.



The band recorded a demo and made good touring clubs in Westchester NY as well as NYC. Venues such as The Crazy Horse, and the now closed Fore N’ Aft were regulars on the list. In March of 1989 the band played their most prominent gig at CBGB’s and OMFUG. However, the Bangles, who were also touring that week, played the Beacon Theater robbing the Wombats blind of patrons who would have otherwise gone to CBGB’s.



In 1991 the members of the band went their separate ways. The original guitarists from Buried in Blue regrouped and are currently playing clubs in the Westchester area. Roger, drummer for both BIB and the Wombats owns Loria Awards in Yonkers NY. He is currently working on a drum project. And Pony, well he became a third grade hero.


(Pony Wombat 1988)

Ian Sands will be reading excepts from Pony Wombat and the Second Ark on Story Night at Chick-fill-a in RTP,NC on March 20th 2007.

Listen to a Wombat song:

The Wombats - Gesibel's Angel.mp3

1988 recording on a Wombat original.

Use To Be A Wombat.mp3

Solo project by Pony. All the lyrics were taken from old Wombats songs and reassembled to create this unique tune.

What Angels Came To Say.mp3

Studio version of a Christmas song recorded by the band Karen Ray. Written by former Wombat member, Pony.

NAEA13 - Fort Worth TX

I'm back from my trip to the National Art Educator Association's 2013 Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Look, they hung up "Art Matters" banners all around town because they knew we were coming. Mayor Betsy Price even gave a formal proclamation.

Anyhow, since so many people have asked me, "How was Texas?" I thought I should write a short post highlighting just a few of the events.

The photo above is from one of the general sessions. Most everyone attends these sessions that are held in the ballroom. Not sure if you can count them all but there are probably some 4,000 art teacher present. So I guess there were a lot of subs back home. I was sitting on the floor when I took this photo cause there weren't any seats left.

Besides the general sessions that everyone attends, there are break out sessions going on all day long. I attended many of these sessions. The photo above is of Olivia Gude who is one of my art teacher heros. Doesn't it look like she is pointing at me? I think she was pointing at me :)

This is a session with Jessica Balsley. If you don't recognize the name you might recognize the blog. She is the founder of the Art of Education blog. it's the one we received our blog award from. She even mentioned our blog during her presentation.

So this is where it gets kind of corny. I am friends with a lot of art teachers on Twitter. Some, like  Jessica Balsley, I had not even met in person till this week. Still, we help each other out, share lesson ideas and information online all the time. We call it our PLN (personal learning network). 

Just for fun, we all decided to buy super hero shirts to wear from Ink Pixi to the conference. One of the teachers, Stacy Lord, made the image of us as lego people. On Saturday morning we all met in person for coffee. It was a chance for a first time photo opp. I'm the 3rd lego from the right.

Part of the convention includes a huge room full of venders who sell art supplies and the like. One of those venders is Davis Publications. Not only does Davis publish a lot of art ed text books, they also publish the art ed magazine, SchoolArts.

Davis is so nice that they gave away this month's issue of SchoolArts. In this month's issue of SchoolArts is an article about a project we did right here at Apex High School. Hannah (seen above) was nice enough to let me take a photo of her holding up the magazine turned to the article.

Not only did I attend the conference but I was a presenter. Seen above, I'm presenting about one fo the Computer Art projects titled the Barbie Project. To the left of the photo is my con-presenter Robb Sandagata.

Craig Roland and I (who I claim responsible for really helping start our PLN) looking super!


There was way more.. too much to post. I will tell you that I got a lot of great ideas!! For example, after compiling all the information, I have a new approach to teaching that will really empower the student to make choices with his or her art. I plan to roll out in Art Two next year.

Stay tuned!!

Ian Sands