For Christmas my daughter, Bethannie gave both my husband and I paintings. I was so excited! As many of you know my first daughter, Samantha is a very talented and skilled artist who is pursuing a career as a graphic artist. Bethannie is not in art but a very talented scientist. For a long time I have felt that art and science are very closely linked. I come from a very scientific family and have found science to be extremely creative. In fact, my Father, a nuclear physist, was one of the most creative persons I know. (I like to think I got my creativity from him.) Anyway, Beth has always been the scientist, not doing much serious art- although, man could she collage when she was in high school and her science window painting did win her science club first place during homecoming week. Now, she pours a lot of her creativity into her cooking which she is incredible at. (Where did that come from?) A few years ago, she did take a painting class from which I was given a Van Gogh painting that she copied.
This year she did her own interpretation of Margo’s (Grandma’s) Poppies. This picture has so much meaning to my family because my mother is no longer here and now the garage and poppies are gone too. I love the freeness of this oil painting which she painted entirely with knives. The colors are bright and it appears as if she enjoyed herself while doing this. I’ll hang this in my office near my “Beth Gogh”.
For my husband she painted a picture of me. It’s a beautiful portrait with some wonderful brush strokes. (I was younger then.)
This is the liyhograph Samanthat agave me as a Mother's Day gift one year.
People often talk about how to raise artistically creative children. I guess if you would ask me what I think, I wouldn’t have too many suggestions. I think it’s important that you expose your children to the arts. They should be exposed to all sorts works of art and artist. Allow them to experiement. They should see you in the process and enjoying it. I have never felt as if I wanted to push my children into art. One thing that I do know is that children have to feel SAFE to express themselves artistically. By safe I mean they shouldn’t be criticized or made to feel that their work is not good. They should be allowed to make mistakes and taught to view them as learning experiences. Some may grow up wanting to pursue their artistic talent and some may just use art as an outlet and a way to feel good or to relax. Either way is fine. Just never forget to remind them that their art for Christmas/birthdays etc. always makes a great gift.
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