The Creative One
For the last 14 or so years, whenever Valentines Day rolled around, I would scrounge around the house for a box that one of my daughters could use to hold their class Valentine card swap, cut a slot in it and let them paint it. It was always a simple box out of plain cardboard or sometimes we covered it in white printer paper and scotch tape so it could be decorated more easily.
So imagine my surprise when I came home from working a charity event and saw this green dinosaur sitting on our kitchen table drying from it's paint job. My youngest made this for her final year of the Valentine card swap (next year will be middle school where it is no longer practiced as a class) without any prompting from me.
Inside the mouth, is another hole leading down the "throat" for her classmates Valentines to go. I was very proud of her effort though not terribly surprised. She has always had a penchant for art. Even before she went to school as a Kindergartner, she was drawing people with actually proportions and not just as stick figures. I often go looking for her after not hearing a peep for several hours and will find her in her bedroom drawing, animating on her tablet, painting or some other craft.
As someone who always loved creating art when I was younger, but never seem to find the time these days, it is nice to see this creativity blossom.
Yes. That is wonderful! She has not been forced into creativity - it has just emerged from her rather magically - like a sign of who she is and what she might become. This is something to be nurtured.
ReplyDeleteWe definitely have been nurturing it. Whenever she asks for art supplies, she gets them.
DeleteCreativity in childhood probably develops creative thinking that might find an unexpected home in the world of work.
DeleteThe last year... That has to tug at you heart the tiniest bit...
ReplyDeleteWith one graduating high school and one graduating elementary school, in more ways than one.
DeleteThat is wonderfully creative, Ed.
ReplyDeleteOdd how so many of us, I included, stop "doing" art at some point. It is on the list.
Perhaps, if there we more plentiful ways to make a living with art, that fact would be different.
DeleteThat's a really cute valentine box! I always loved making them when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteI don't have specific memories of making them as a kid but I'm pretty sure I did. Mine was probably a Quaker oats box with a slit cut in the lid and no decorations what so ever.
DeleteHow clever! Your younger daughter is like my older one.
ReplyDeleteFunny how they can be so different.
DeleteLove it! Although you AI pictures are neat, your daughter's creation is really nifty!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too. It caught my eye immediately as blog worthy.
DeleteA chip off the old block.
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to dive into my artistic side to see what remains after all these years.
DeleteNeat how she just took over the assignment... it's bittersweet for the parents, however.
ReplyDeleteYes, another milestone forever passed by.
DeleteBoth my kids spent hours in these activities. My son was lost in his little world. My daughter has produced a few things after high school.
DeleteMy youngest can disappear inside her mind for hours on end doing things like this.
DeleteThat is really clever. Good for her!
ReplyDeleteI thought so too!
DeleteLove it. She did a wonderful job and it looks fabulous. My kids never did this in our schools and I wonder if it is a Midwest thing. My sister's kids did it and they live in Illinois.
ReplyDeleteI guess I just assumed all kids did this. I wonder why they do that in the Midwest and not the Northwest? Perhaps due to lower elevations and increased oxygen content?
DeleteThat is adorable. It reminds me of my granddaughter and her love of creating beauty or fun also. Your daughter is very creative and imaginative. I'm glad you're encouraging her endeavors. I know we didn't do this at our Illinois school.
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