The Artist Within

Monday and Tuesday of this week I took care of a little boy, very spontaneously, as emergency childcare.

At one point, I came into the room and saw this:

Which reminded me very much of this:

The Boy Who Loved to Draw.

(If you haven't read the book, you really need to. It is great. Quaker boy discovers incredible talent at a very young age (a talent which questions his family's' beliefs), learns to make paint out of dirt from friendly Indians and begins making paintbrushes from his cat's fur until the poor thing is splotched and nearly naked.

I am hoping to have this be our next family read aloud:

Benjamin West and His Cat Grimalkin

So I have taken to calling her Benjamin West.

Corynn has been on a drawing kick for ages now, but ever since Monday it has been kicked into full-throttle. The girl wants to be an artist, I tell ya. And she IS, she IS!

After the above portrait was made, she proceeded to draw portraits of the whole family. SMOOCH included (yellow sheet).



I realize you can't really see the actual drawings well from the above photo...the point is that they are EVERYWHERE. If you want a close-up, here is one of Matt.


(for the record, that magnet is SO true. I love him from the top of his heart-shaped head to his right-sided tear ducts. I tease (on here), but please know, I am very impressed that she even DREW tear ducts.)

The next day, she drew about a half dozen more pieces of art. I will spare you most, but here are a few favorites:

Despite the size of the photos, the actual drawing was very small. The people were about two inches high and the cat was smaller than my thumbnail, so she really had to have a steady hand when drawing this one.


I saw her sitting outside on the front step for a while there and didn't know what she was doing. I figured she was enjoying the warm sunshine. Instead, I find out, she was studying the rooster.


I love how she diagrammed the "important" stuff like FOOD. She tells me she also wanted people to know that chickens don't have almondy shaped eyes like people, but that they are just CIRCLES.


My personal favorite was the spurs, though. I must admit.

All of the above drawings were made within a two day period. So you see my dilemma? Which is why I am saving some in photograph form, for posterity (and so we don't get buried alive in papers....) Just to forewarn you: Grandparents and friends...be prepared to be inundated with artwork! ;-)

And one last one, done a month or so ago: The Flood

That's Noah and one of his sons on the right, another son on his left and his wife, holding a basket of food.

Noah and the Ark is not a cutesy story but the most horrendous punishment and tragedy of all time, the import of which is lacking in most of the childrens' versions. I always try and make sure the children understand how dire a situation it really was, and how tragic.

We have devoted our Bible time recently to Dinosaurs, Extinction and the Flood through this book:

After looking at Corynn's drawing, it seems to me there are some real elements of understanding scratched on there. There is death portrayed (sad, drowning women in bottom) and volcanoes erupting (left hand side) and fire (upper left) but still the picture of redemption (the dove).

Seems my 6 year old did a better job portraying the event than half the childrens' books on the subject.




I have been meaning to start this book with the children for AGES (we have an older copy) but never have gotten around to it (read: made it a priority). I have heard great reviews about it. It seems, given this surge of interest, now is the best time yet to begin...

Another great artistry book that I have borrowed several times from the library and WILL get for our OWN library some day is this:

It is really fabulous and would be a great resource to have at home.

We have never really done the whole Easter Basket thing, but I think I might have to surprise Corynn with a newly crisp sketchbook, just because. An artist can't be using LINED paper, ya know. :-)

Now-anyone have any art suggestions for me? I'd appreciate any links, suggestions, recommendations, good books, etc. you have to offer on the subject! Leave 'em in the comments section (please) for everyone to see.

Inquiring minds want to know! ;-)