Tree 2: Green and more green!

Have only spent around two hours working on my picture today..I've had to prepare and run my art class at ST James. Today I took 11 children to the residential home to draw some of the residents there. I was really worried that I'd judged to situation wrongly and that it would be a total flop. I needn't have worried. My little pupils got to work with such concentration. Spending around 30 mins sketching, it was lovely to see them interact; the old and the young. One man who had the most sad looking face was drawn by a lad called Daryl. He drew the man's frown accurately, but was unhappy at having to show him sad..so he asked me for a rubber (eraser if you're reading this in USA!) but I don't allow them to be used..so he drew a smile over the frown...the result was he felt very poor and he was going to throw it away. Back at school he was insistent that it was rubbish and he was visibly embarrassed by it. His mum came to pick him up. I showed her the picture. I told her that her son had unwittingly achieved what many artists have strived to do. That is to break the rules, and make new ones. He had managed to show this gentleman both happy and sad...she thought he was wonderful.

The Head, another teacher and I went over the pictures..some were absolutely fantastic..there is nothing more poignant than a six year olds drawing of a 75 year old..I wanted to cry but didn't..I felt such a deep sorrow and joy in these drawings. There is true honest and deep emotion in the things we sometimes create. The simple nature of a pencil sketch can move (this man at least) you to tears.

To think that I was seriously contemplating giving all this up. I think I said that I would rather die than lose this forever...it there fore means that the comments I have recieved over the past few weeks ( and non more so than my anonymous friend two days ago) have helped me to believe in myself again. When you sit hour after hour in your room creating something so personal and involved..you lose sight of why you do it..the only feeling is a need to work. So thankyou ..you have helped more than you will know!