SNAPSHOTS: Kitchen table Art Class

Art has always been important in my life. Having the opportunity to share that love with my grandpunks is very special indeed. All the boys have been engaged in drawing and doodling since they were old enough to hold a crayon.

While the older boys were involved with art classes during their co-op time, Jayden and Max were sorta left on the sidelines. Jayden had used his own hard earned money to buy a "How to Draw Horses" kit, and has made amazing progress all on his own.

One day as I was sketching, he and Max approached me about doing some drawing. So out came the paper, graphite sticks, pencils, kneaded erasers, blending tortillions, and we commenced on an impromptu lesson.

That lesson lasted 6 hours (the other guys were gone with Carrie for the day), with time out only for lunch and a movie.

We started with turning a circle into a sphere. They learned about sitting shadows, blending curves, highlights and backlight. I was amazed at how good they were, how engaged they stayed with the project.

After that day, every morning the first thing I heard from them was "Are we going to do a lesson today?" So for four days, we sketched. We did cones, and cylinders, and boxes. We looked out the window to see the same shapes in whatever was out there. We turned cones and spheres and cylinders into trees and silos and barns (it's Wisconsin farmland, remember?!) We had a blast! I haven't done so much pencil work in years, and enjoyed every second.

With Max's effort to get all his chores done each morning without squabbling, I was able to keep my promise of a reward - a trip to Hobby Lobby to put together his very own art kit. Some 4B pencils, kneaded erasers (he LOVES those things!), a package of tortillions, a sketch book, and a zipper case to keep it all in. I don't know who was more thrilled, me or Max!

We also did some painting - this project, on paper bags, ultimately turned into leaves, which were for making cards and stringing around their room.

So what do you do with these ingredients?

You do some free-form art! Drizzle the glue onto paper, making designs. Sprinkle heavily with salt. Mix the neon food coloring (5 drops per Tablespoon of water), then using eyedroppers, slowly let drops of color run along the lines of salt, blending and traveling around the design. Fascinating!!

I have found over the years, that any kid (young or old) has art in their soul. They just need a few supplies, and time to explore. With a little practice, they can produce some very satisfying creations.