writingaboutpaintings

Pablo Picasso’s most iconic quote was when he proclaimed that ‘Every child is an artist and the problem is how to remain one when we grow up’. What he said has resonated with me on another level recently, when I was given an opportunity to try something new in my life. I reconnected with my Mathematics teacher where his kids and I would do some art jamming together every weekend at a gorgeous cafe he opened.

My new hero, writer Austin Kleon who famously wrote the book ‘Steal Like an Artist’ declared that the easiest way to kill your passion is to make it your full time job could not have said it better. I have to say that ever since I got into art teaching , I never really saw art as play anymore. Gone was the seven year old me who kept a jotter book full of drawings . This jotter book was precious and I would spend hours filling the pages up with random doodles. Ever since I definitively chose art as a career option , I only saw it as work and never the form of escapism that it was in the earlier years of my life! So, yes I was mentoring these kids on how to create works of art but it was actually part of my re-learning or un-learning. They were teaching me instead on how to go back to basics. After all, one should always go back to the basics when in doubt right?

Mess is part of the process.

I used to have a notebook that accurately described me. On the front cover was printed ‘ I am not messy. I know where all my things are.’ I have been criticised by many for how untidy my workstation is. If you ever wanted to know the real Grace, just pop by my workstation. As an adult who constantly has to think about the logistics of keeping the classroom as mess-free as possible when planning a lesson, mess is something I avoid like the plague despite my innate disorganised nature

However, I have recently learnt despite the fact that organised studio practices and routines are essential to creating art efficiently, mess is also an integral criteria in the process of creation .Kids are messy by nature. they have no qualms taking a handful of ice-cream and wiping it on their crisp white t-shirt. That quality to be all rock and roll when it comes to living life is such an important aspect of play. One needs to be tactile when exploring the limitations of a medium. It has been said that messier people are more creative (guilty!) as they do not focus on minute details and arrive at the big picture. Let’s just say that the perfect situation is to have some sort of organised mess where I know where all my things are despite my mess kind of situation. Let it be a mutual exchange. The adult can teach the child how to locate what they need within reach. The child can school the adult on how to be messy. We both need each other.

It is not about the end product , it’s about the fun of creating.

When I was in Kindergarten, I was given a box of crayons to colour a rabbit. I chose a shade of lavender and began to fill in the outline of the cute bunny. My teacher walked by my desk and told me my rabbit should not be purple because ‘rabbits are white.’ Did I care that bunnies are white? No. Did I care if she was going to fail me because my bunny was unrealistic? No way. Did I think that she was right? Nah.

I teach a bunch of teenagers who see art as ‘work’ just as I do , due to the fact that they are taking the subject for their National Exams. They always worry about being right or wrong and require constant validation to be able to make the grade. Kids instead never worry about the outcome. They worry more about the process. They create until they get bored , and never have to check if they are doing it correctly. If only I can get my bunch of teenagers to go back a couple of years in time when creating their art.

Give up, get distracted or just run around when feeling like maximum capacity is reached.

Ever spent hours on working productively on a piece of art only to realise at some point you reached the peak and everything goes downhill? I always tell my students to know when to stop. Overworking will only result in disastrous results. Kids seem to know that by nature. When they are done , they are done. They make it clear as day. They throw a tantrum , scream or run around once their maximum capacity has been reached. Know when to stop , distract self with another activity or just take a break.

Know your forte.

The elder boy I was art jamming with loved painting , while the younger child preferred dry mediums . They both decided on their medium of choice pretty resolutely and devoted their art to be explored in these mediums. Michelangelo Il Maestro Italiano himself knew that he was an amazing sculptor and devoted his oeuvre to such pursuits. He knew what he was good at, and committed himself to improving his mastery in marble one chip at a time with his chisel in his hands.

Just wing it when being confronted with a new medium.

Even though Michelangelo was a master sculptor , he gave other mediums a chance. Although he wasn’t known for his paintings as much as his peer Raphael was, he did not limit himself and was open-minded enough to try it out. The frescoes of the Sistine Chapel is a great testament in his bravery in venturing other artistic territory. This week, I tried to introduce new mediums to the children and I got some resistance because they already found their preferred mediums of choice. When I brought a box of oil pastels today , one of the boys said he doesn’t like it. I told him to try anyway and draw something for me for ten minutes , and if he doesn’t like it, we can move on and do something else. He started to doodle an impressive bunch of stuff that included a whole narrative. It is true what they say. You never try you never know.

Sticking to what one does best.

These two young gentleman knew very clearly what they want to draw. They have suggested Dragon Ball characters , the galaxy, rockets , wolves among other things. This conviction seems to have mysteriously disappeared when children reach teenage hood due to the curse insecurity that typically comes as a symptom of puberty. Ask a thirteen-year-old what they would like to draw, it would be as if you were asking the most difficult riddle in the world. Don’t believe me? Try it.

Seeing the possibilities in other non-conventional mediums.

Today , while we were painting paper plates , the younger child of eight years old was washing the brush in the water. He began to swirl the colours until a pretty confection of tones began to materialise. He said aloud ‘this can be art too.’ Two words- mind blown. This eight-year-old is able to see art in the everyday. Can you?