Art and The Easel

For Christmas Pmc made the boys an Easel. He could have bought one for less money probably, but he and I are pretty similar in our desire to learn to do things as well as making our gifts more meaningful. So he made it, and like all projects either of us ever embark on - it didn't turn out as perfect as we'd hoped. But it is a good, sturdy easel nevertheless and most people, especially the boys will likely not notice the little defects. And ultimately the project is special both in product as well as experience. And I think this holds true in all forms of art.

I grew up playing the violin, and always had a hard time with it. I always thought music was about perfect intonation and rhythm. These things are precise and can be accurately measured. However, though there is a clear difference between "piano" and "forte," there really is no precise decibel for either one, or anything precise about the feelings involved in words like "allegro" or "-." I wish I had understood these concepts when I still had motivation to practice. I might have understood that practicing was not about reaching the impossible perfection, but about experimenting and developing, to the best of my ability, the music placed before me. As it is, I hate practicing and rarely pick up my violin. I'm sure there are many who would say that's a shame, and I guess in some ways it is. But for me it's simply more worthwhile for me to value the experiences I had, and use the lessons I learned to help me in other things. And it does. I've applied that lesson to my tap-dancing, and I try really hard to teach the lesson to my kids in the things they endeavor. Do I wish I'd stuck with violin? No, not really. Do I wish my mom had let me quit? Maybe, but then I might have had the same problem with tap dancing. And frankly I'm glad I can now pursue tap dancing with a little more freedom. And I hope as a mom that I can recognize that even though I'm sure some of my mistakes could influence my kids for the worse, I'm still pretty sure I'm contributing in a significant way to "sturdy" kids overall, just like that easel is really pretty sturdy! And whatever happens, I know I'm better for the experience!

I'm not exactly sure how this post changes from it's intended purpose. But alas, back to the Easel. Pmc timed things just right because Cpc's interest in writing/drawing has skyrocketed in the last few months. He has never liked crayons much, he prefers pens and markers. But he loves paint too. We always thought maybe this was a sensory thing, maybe he's uncomfortable with the kind of pressure he has to use with crayons - markers are much easier. And maybe that's still true although he seems to have overcome it to some extent. I also wondered why he never seemed to like coloring much - but alas it was merely due to the fact that he is too creative for those coloring books. You give him a blank piece of paper and that kid can color. Oh and you give him some ideas of things to draw and he will embelish to his heart's content. He has also taken to writing his name and has become so good at it that it's started to be obnoxious. I'm proud of him. But I really am tired of the HUNDREDS of pieces of paper around the house with his name written in the top corner on both sides and the rest of the paper blank. I finally found a solution yesterday though - that is now his painting paper, it's the one thing he'll use it for.


He writes his name best when he writes it small. And in that first picture EVERY SINGLE ONE of those papers has his name written on both sides. And that is the product of ONE day! Seriously I love this kid of mine!