Make a joyful noise, I say. Write, sing, play an instrument or two or three, draw, paint, cook, sew, knit. Create. Laugh. Love. It's all the stuff of life. The molecules that form life's heart are full of chaotic noise and dropped stitches and a green crayon cat whose whiskers are so long they flow off the sides of the page. As a society, we are very good at letting children know, as they stand vulnerable on the cusp of adulthood, that if they don't show conventional talent in an area, they should desist or open themselves up to ridicule. You might just as well tell them to eat only foods that please their palates, those that offer instant gratification, at the expense of others that they need to nourish them.
My children and I belong to a homeschool choir. There are no very confident singers amongst the adults (all women), but my goodness we can make a beautiful noise when we all join our faltering voices together and sing from our hearts.
All this is my way of telling you that number 24 on my list of 52 habits is "Draw with Ni once a week." Both of my children are passionate artists. Wawa seemed born to it. Ni has grown into it a little more with every passing year. I, of course, am far too busy with important adult things like laundry and cutting up cardboard with a utility knife so that it will fit nicely in the recycling bin, except once a week, when I aim to draw with my children. Not because I am good at it, but because it is good for me.
Having admired traditional and modern Aboriginal artworks and artifacts at Bunjilaka at the Melbourne Museum, we searched online and found images of a diverse range of works identifying as Aboriginal art. We discussed what we saw; the colours, techniques that might have been used, what we liked about our favourites and what inspiration we might draw from them. The idea was not to emulate what we saw, but to see what response the works elicited in us.
Ni tried pointillism for this dibby (truck) that she drew for Wawa.
She developed her technique for this beautiful tree.
Wawa, influenced by her favourite artist (Ni) used the same technique for this drawing, along with some artfully rendered squiggles.
Mine is a rather flat-looking, but likeable echidna.
Doot politely declined to participate. :)
Beautiful artwork, I love it. When Jonah was little I used to draw with him a lot, only I would draw what ever he was drawing. If he did squiggles, so did I. I wanted him not to compare and copy my style of drawing or be frustrated he did not draw like an adult. He draws everyday still and is so confident about what he draws. It does not matter what you draw with your children, they just like the shared unity of it. I draw a lot of abstract with Mana and we like to draw around each others patterns and squiggles..... I love the shared way you have interpreted different styles...lovely.
ReplyDeleteRex- That's a truly wonderful idea to emulate the little one's style. Ni used to struggle with comparison between our work. I always emphasised that time and experience were the key, but she only really took it on board when my mother found a few things I'd made/drawn for her when I was around Ni's age. You could see an epiphany in her eyes.
DeleteI understand this. Funny, never really thought about it before. My oldest boy gives up easy. If he doesn't get it perfect, then it means that he isn't to do it by penalty of shame and anguish. I'm kinda like that, but less as I age. Music failed the first time (I wanted to make him continue, but my wife wanted opposite). TaeKwodo failed, but now we're doing Karate and he loves it. Might have just been a matter of timing. I'll try music again with him. Thanks for your wisdom!
ReplyDeleteMichael- Ni is similar. It's tricky, isn't it? You want them to give it a proper try, but enjoyment is pretty vital to success. Often it's a matter of timing or fit for her. If you can find a local teacher who uses the program, Simply Music (piano) has been brilliant for Ni. There is less emphasis on theory and more on playing. He'll come home from his first lesson playing something that sounds good. Here's a link to some Canadian teachers that teach the program: http://www.simplymusic.com/SelectState?country=Canada
DeleteLearn from someone who made ALL the mistakes. I never had time. "Go do something" was a favorite line of mine because I was BUSY! Doing what, I don't remember now. But I would have had MEMORIES and those drawings truly would be beautiful if carefully matted, framed, and hung upon a wall. Truly. And don't downgrade your abilities. EVER. You have the talent.
ReplyDeleteDana- It's so true. I get so caught up in housework and all the things I NEED to do, I start to think of anything else as "wasted" time. I'm really making an effort not to keep falling into that trap.
DeleteThose are beautiful, and I love how you've displayed them. I tend to be much like your Doot, standing back and politely declining things because I don't feel I'm good at them. Now that you mention it, this is not likely the best example for Annabelle. I love that you're sitting down with Ni and Wawa to draw, that you sing together. I have long known that there's much I can learn from you, but this is a great, concrete example. Thank you!
ReplyDeletethese are awesome!!!!! love sharing mama and kid artwork. it is so true, what you said about life's heart, and the way beauty comes out even when voices falter. you sound good. :)
ReplyDeleteLove family drawing. Your echidna is awesome.
ReplyDelete