teach them young

I had a few moments to spare ( rare thing nowadays) and I thought about the things that used to make me happy before the baby takeover. I miss my art time. I also wondered to myself "Self, could you do this while baby is around?" and my answer to myself was "I think I could". So I tried it. I grabbed a little ol' canvas I happen to have laying around ( it is 30x20 and I have huge random empty canvases around the house just begging to be painted so I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner) and I brought it into a room not entirely filled with boxes. Hals room. She also has the best lighting in there and room for Aidan to sit in his bouncy seat which is conveniently angled upward so I pointed him toward the project to watch. I set up my acrylics ( no fumes for babe and they dry faster than my beloved oils) and the monster canvas and had an idea almost instantly! Inspiration hasn't been that fantastic and clear in a very long time. I thank the hormones. Postpartum painting session lasted about an hour as I laid the base colors and let them set while mixed bold blues and greens and deep, sharp crimson to create the sunset like background and simple crisp foliage in the foreground. Aidan gazed up the whole while with wide eyes attracted to the big spread of colors. I almost cried watching him as he stared amazed and interested. My boy likes art!!!

It took two sessions, both about an hour long (uninterrupted by any crying surprisingly) to finish the large piece. Each time I packed up to let a layer dry and take the boy for a milk break or diaper change, he wasn't thrilled to be removed. And he did not sleep while I worked. He watched. So thrilled by this I am not sure I am expressing it fully. Those of you who know me well understand how much it means to me to see him appreciate color and be patient while I create something. And I hope that this means he can continue to watch and appreciate and learn by observing, just like I did with my Dad. This will shape his love for art and then I can watch and observe and appreciate when he starts to create things by himself.

Of course I want him to have the basics. Be honest, and humble and kind and have manners and street smarts and people skills, yada yada. But I also want him to value things like art and music. I want that brain to suck it all in as early as possible. Jump start the creative thinking.


Oh, and Hal showed up on the weekend and saw the painting sitting in her room. To which she said "holy moly that is huge!" followed by a really sweet conversation with her dad about art skills and different styles of painting when he was tucking her in for the night. Her wanting to learn how to paint like me is heart warming and I am honored that she thinks so highly of me ( she asked why I am not famous, to which Kelly mumbled that I wasn't dead yet. I almost had cola come out my nose trying not to LOL).


And the added bonus, I think I found some "ME" time. I can stop and start and do it whenever. Might just be perfect. Like baby art lessons/postpartum therapy.