Pure Parents

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Leonie, > I am not an artist, by any means, but I would love to read your posts about > painting!  I come from a family of graphic artists and portrait artists > [none famous!] and grew up smelling oils and covered with craypas.  I would > also love to talk with you about encouraging our kids’ artistic leanings, > but I don’t even think that I know the right questions to ask.  Alexander > loves to scribble [he's nearly 4] and mess with finger paints, but he has > yet to do much with shapes and colors that is more than random.  Probably > because he doesn’t see us doing it [I embroider though]. > I hope you find your artist[s] to talk with. > – Aula

Fantastic, that would be great.  You say you are no artist but with that kind of background I’m sure you’ll find it easily just under the surface.  The problem being that this newsgroup is not the right forum to discuss adult painting preferences and the likes, and I don’t want to annoy others.  Watch this space though (or maybe a more private one), you may hear from me. This is however a good forum for discussing encouraging children’s artistic abilities, so here goes.  I believe that most if not all children can enjoy art thoroughly if given the chance, and that is the key thing.  They have to be given the opportunity to be able to paint or draw every now and then.  Not every child is a budding Picasso but I’m sure that every child would enjoy getting their fingers messy and creating something that will make them proud of themselves if given half the chance. From this will come confidence with their drawing and painting and if they are really that way inclined, they will start to love this aspect of life.  It’s just like every other experience out there.  As parents our job is to guide them into as many learning doors as possible.  They will decide if they want to stay for a few minutes or overnight but when *they* make the final decision, then comes the true love of things in life. Even though my mother is very talented in art, I was discouraged from studying it at school as my parents couldn’t see any future in it.  I’m glad to say that I stuck to my guns and chose from my heart.  Those school years were quite vital to me. As you said Aula, it does help if the child sees mum or dad doing the drawing with them.  I quite enjoy getting on the floor with Maia and her crayons, colouring in her colouring book and we have a good time together.  We started this when she was one year old and with the companionship of mum or dad she developed her own love of drawing. The other great thing about all this is that it is such a cheap activity to do.  Crayons are fairly priced and last for ages, same goes for pencils, paints, and felt pens as well.  Colouring books are slightly more expensive for how long they last but if you shop around you can usually find a good deal.  My favourite trick is to visit a lot of kids sites which have colouring pages on them.  I just print out a whole load of these pages and then staple them together for a cool home-made colouring book. Children’s creativity needn’t stop there either.  It really depends on the parents.  The other day I found Maia in Casta’s room with all of the wipes scattered all over the floor and Maia using the wipe box as a bed for her "Po" doll, with a few wipes as blankets.  I think this was the third time she’s done this.  So I got a piece of cardboard and cut and folded it into a tiny dolls bed.  Then we sat down and painted it up together and when it was dry we used some old cloth nappies as blankets.  Now Po has a bed of her own and because Maia helped to make it she thinks it’s the best thing out since sliced bread.  And I am no longer picking up wipes from the floor.  ;-) Okay, I may stop there, you can probably tell that I love this subject a lot.  Hope this is interesting in the least, — Leonie Lawson Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response:

Leonie, I am not an artist, by any means, but I would love to read your posts about painting!  I come from a family of graphic artists and portrait artists [none famous!] and grew up smelling oils and covered with craypas.  I would also love to talk with you about encouraging our kids’ artistic leanings, but I don’t even think that I know the right questions to ask.  Alexander loves to scribble [he's nearly 4] and mess with finger paints, but he has yet to do much with shapes and colors that is more than random.  Probably because he doesn’t see us doing it [I embroider though]. I hope you find your artist[s] to talk with. – Aula

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> What did you used to do for a job?  Tell me more.  My ideal job is to > make a living off my paintings but I need a good studio and more time > for that to become a reality, but that’s my dream.  I did have a friend > who used to paint a lot then worked as a graphic designer and this job > stopped her from doing art in her spare time, her art was overkilled. > She’s hoping to get back into it later in life when she has a different > job. > At the moment I paint about once every four months which is really > depressing.  I just have no time for any more.  I have had Maia painting > since she was about 1 1/2 though, she loves it and has already produced > some gorgeous masterpieces.  We also encourage her drawing which I am > pleased to say is very advanced for a two year old – she can draw people > and shapes and her favourite is drawing her family.  I may start Casta > later on though as she is still a strong advocate of the "eat everything > around" camp and I’m not too keen on her digesting paint. > If you don’t mind, I would love to hear more about what you paint and > what style/s you use.  I can’t seem to find a good newsgroup for this > and I feel very starved of art-talk.  I have just discovered this > amazing painter by the name of Maria Helena Vieira da Silva.  Very, very > inspiring.  Anyway, this is the wrong newsgroup for this topic but > thanks for your thoughts and I hope you find more time for your art as > well. > — > Leonie Lawson > Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) > dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response:

> oh cool.  Thanks for sharing.  I think Alexander lived in the kitchen > cupboards until he was nearly 3, and he still climbs in there from time to > time.  Enjoy your jumping froglets…..  :-) > – Aula

Oh gosh darn it, turns out that we’re not going to be able to make the performing frog afterall.  I am so upset!  ;-) Actually, poor old Maia woke up this morning very unwell so it will be me performing the Mummy Nurse show for a few days instead.  And I was so looking forward to the frog tomorrow … — Leonie Lawson Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->It’s going to work out really well as I’ll get some time to >myself while Casta naps (a rarity) and time with Casta too.  Hopefully I >can finally resume painting again, another wahoo! > Do it do it do it! Please resume your painting. Do as I say and not as I do! I > stopped doing art for myself largely because I’d kind of wrecked the fun by > doing it for a living. Then Michael came along and the only thing I’ve painted > in years was a foot stool for my son. I painted Thomas the Tank Engine > (hallowed be thy name) on it. I enjoyed painting again and look forward to > resuming it when my boy is old enough for me to teach him how. It didn’t occur > to me that when he starts going to preschool a couple of days a week that I’ll > actually have some time. Good luck, get those brushes out right now!! I think > it will be great for your kids to see you paint and do something for yourself > that gives you a sense of accomplishment. > -Bird

What did you used to do for a job?  Tell me more.  My ideal job is to make a living off my paintings but I need a good studio and more time for that to become a reality, but that’s my dream.  I did have a friend who used to paint a lot then worked as a graphic designer and this job stopped her from doing art in her spare time, her art was overkilled. She’s hoping to get back into it later in life when she has a different job. At the moment I paint about once every four months which is really depressing.  I just have no time for any more.  I have had Maia painting since she was about 1 1/2 though, she loves it and has already produced some gorgeous masterpieces.  We also encourage her drawing which I am pleased to say is very advanced for a two year old – she can draw people and shapes and her favourite is drawing her family.  I may start Casta later on though as she is still a strong advocate of the "eat everything around" camp and I’m not too keen on her digesting paint. If you don’t mind, I would love to hear more about what you paint and what style/s you use.  I can’t seem to find a good newsgroup for this and I feel very starved of art-talk.  I have just discovered this amazing painter by the name of Maria Helena Vieira da Silva.  Very, very inspiring.  Anyway, this is the wrong newsgroup for this topic but thanks for your thoughts and I hope you find more time for your art as well. — Leonie Lawson Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response:

>It’s going to work out really well as I’ll get some time to >myself while Casta naps (a rarity) and time with Casta too.  Hopefully I >can finally resume painting again, another wahoo!

Do it do it do it! Please resume your painting. Do as I say and not as I do! I stopped doing art for myself largely because I’d kind of wrecked the fun by doing it for a living. Then Michael came along and the only thing I’ve painted in years was a foot stool for my son. I painted Thomas the Tank Engine (hallowed be thy name) on it. I enjoyed painting again and look forward to resuming it when my boy is old enough for me to teach him how. It didn’t occur to me that when he starts going to preschool a couple of days a week that I’ll actually have some time. Good luck, get those brushes out right now!! I think it will be great for your kids to see you paint and do something for yourself that gives you a sense of accomplishment. -Bird

Response:

oh cool.  Thanks for sharing.  I think Alexander lived in the kitchen cupboards until he was nearly 3, and he still climbs in there from time to time.  Enjoy your jumping froglets…..  :-) – Aula

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Okay, I just have to tell about our little family at the moment – Casta > is walking.  Wahoo!! > She has actually been doing it for about 2 weeks now but I’ve been > really busy.  It’s so cool and she seems to have forgotten some of the > naughty things she used to do such as pull the cd’s and books off the > shelves.  Yay!  Can’t get her interest off the kitchen cupboards though > … > Our other big news is that we started Maia at daycare on Monday.  She > goes Monday and Friday afternoons for four hours each day and so far > loves it.  It’s going to work out really well as I’ll get some time to > myself while Casta naps (a rarity) and time with Casta too.  Hopefully I > can finally resume painting again, another wahoo! > So suddenly Maia has the fullest social calender of all of us as I also > take both girls to jumping beans (baby gym) and we go to a coffee group > too.  You know you’re a parent when .. your two year old goes out more > than you do! > I just felt like sharing that, it feels like both girls have moved up a > level in the growing up stakes and it’s just really exciting for us. > Then this Friday I enter another new world, the world of kiddie shows. > The daycare is hosting Hippity Hoppity Froglet and I get to take both > girls down to watch.  I’m not sure about this aspect of parenting yet, > I’ll reserve judgement until after I see the frog perform!  But I’d > better get used to it – Kieron has already appointed me the parent who > gets to go and see the kids shows with them.  Little does he know that > I’m a closet rugrat! > Take care, > — > Leonie Lawson > Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) > dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response:

Okay, I just have to tell about our little family at the moment – Casta is walking.  Wahoo!! She has actually been doing it for about 2 weeks now but I’ve been really busy.  It’s so cool and she seems to have forgotten some of the naughty things she used to do such as pull the cd’s and books off the shelves.  Yay!  Can’t get her interest off the kitchen cupboards though … Our other big news is that we started Maia at daycare on Monday.  She goes Monday and Friday afternoons for four hours each day and so far loves it.  It’s going to work out really well as I’ll get some time to myself while Casta naps (a rarity) and time with Casta too.  Hopefully I can finally resume painting again, another wahoo! So suddenly Maia has the fullest social calender of all of us as I also take both girls to jumping beans (baby gym) and we go to a coffee group too.  You know you’re a parent when .. your two year old goes out more than you do! I just felt like sharing that, it feels like both girls have moved up a level in the growing up stakes and it’s just really exciting for us. Then this Friday I enter another new world, the world of kiddie shows. The daycare is hosting Hippity Hoppity Froglet and I get to take both girls down to watch.  I’m not sure about this aspect of parenting yet, I’ll reserve judgement until after I see the frog perform!  But I’d better get used to it – Kieron has already appointed me the parent who gets to go and see the kids shows with them.  Little does he know that I’m a closet rugrat! Take care, — Leonie Lawson Co-Creator of Maia Shea (19/11/96) and Casta Grace (9/8/98) dum vivimus, vivamus (while we live, let us live)

Response: