Before I get into the fun of Play Days, just a reminder: the next Arty Party Day is August 13th. Note: Arty Party attendees are treated to amazing discounts on my art during the art show. You will not be able to purchase it for these prices through any other platform…not here on my website, not on Fine Art America, not even on Daily Paintworks. So it’s very worth it to make time to attend the evening art show!
Play Day Fun
This week has been fun and enriching! Earlier in the summer the idea to have some of my friends’ children over to play in the art and music stuff at my studio occurred to me. I teach children on a regular basis (check out the Lessons page here, ) but it just sounded like it would be a blessing to them and to me to have each child here for a casual art and/or music session for a couple of hours.
Of course, when the time came, the hermit in me was a little reluctant. But I had set a goal to do this in July and the end of July was quickly approaching. I communicated with parents and made the appointments.
Our time together was not really planned. Each child came on their own because I am at my best when teaching/interacting one-on-one–is it a hold-over from my homeschooling days? I don’t know. But once they arrived, I just gave them a bit of tour so they would know what was available, and then asked them what they’d like to do.
K, age 8, came first. Her choice was to play in the music at first. She loved changing the sounds on my keyboard for quite awhile. Then we sang a song with the guitar, had a snack, and then it was time to paint. She was captivated (as am I!) with my iridescent gold gouache, but at one point she “messed up”. She began to tear out the page to throw it away but I reacted with shock!
“Oh, lets see what we can make out of it! That’s what God does for us, you know. We mess things up, but He takes our mess and makes glory out of it.”
In the end, she made a wonderful painting with a fantastic story behind it.
Then I had my little friend C, age 8, come for a play day. I got too busy having fun with him and didn’t take any photos, so his mom sent this one with permission to post it:
He was very clear that he loved to build things, so I took him into the studio and got out the “real” clay (not play dough, not paper clay, the real stoneware clay!). He learned very quickly and created a snake bowl as well as a pinch bowl. He was reluctant to leave them with me to be fired and glazed, but he finally consented. Then we sang songs with the ukulele and guitar, played with the dogs, and did some painting.
I have a new student who is very young. ‘I’ is 6 and is coming to me for fine arts enrichment. The goal is to find out which way she most enjoys expressing herself–through music or through art–and to expose her to many possibilities. This week we explored clay. I got out the air dry clay and tried to show her how to make certain things like a snake and a bird. At first I thought she wasn’t paying attention because her hands were busy exploring and her brain was busy communicating the whole time. But in the end it turned out she had been paying close attention, because right before it was time to clean up, she created two of the animals I had demonstrated on her own!
Finally, today I had an older student come for some drawing time. She has been a music student of mine for many years, progressing in both voice and piano, but we have a common interest in art, too, and last semester she had mentioned that one thing she wanted to get better at was drawing the figure. We agreed that sometime in July we would spend a day together learning to draw the figure, because it’s something I don’t have in my skill sets yet, either.
So we found an appropriate course on SkillShare and sat down at my dining table, fortified with snacks and drinks and dug in. We were both very proud of our efforts!
Don’t Get Stiff…Keep Moving!
I really enjoyed having all the children come. I think being around children helps you keep your brain young and your imagination working. As adults, we tend to get stiff in the imagination just like our joints get stiff. Kids can really help us with that if we let them and follow their lead.
Life Updates
Next week I travel with my art buddy Kathy to Port Aransas to join a small partnership gallery there where I can hang some of my art.
I’m so grateful to be living here with my parents during this time in their lives. My Mom is well on with her final journey, and I find some days are a little overwhelming emotionally. I love being able to be here with her and Dad and to help cook and run errands and be a listening ear. It’s quite an honor.
I’m making more pottery and have more paintings I will be showcasing during the Arty Party on August 13th, so make sure your friends and family are registered for the Magic News (just input your email in that annoying little pop-in slider). All the links and reminders will be available there as the time approaches.
That’s it for this week! You are an amazing gift from God to me. Please keep on looking for the music, listening for the colors, and awakening the wonder and worship in your heart.
Godspeed,
