We have been using watercolours again at work, and I have had a pot of lovely purple chrysanthemums on the table as inspiration, and while none of the children are painting the shapes of the flowers, lots of them have chosen to use or mix the colours they see, and are calling their paintings flowers. Today I put oval shaped pieces of paper on the table and we were all happily experimenting. At one point, a bit bored of the flowers, I painted a face with big eyelashed eyes and red lips. I put a shape at the top which is the brain, with 'Think!' written in it because Helena had started her face by painting the brain! Helena started to add to my picture-painting the nose, the cheeks, some orange eyeshadow. Then she got another oval and painted two skinny legs, then stuck these to the bottom. I love how she turned out and think she would make a good poster to remind the children to think! 
Danny Gregory is an inspiration. I just finished reading 'The Creative Licence' which I rushed through in a few days and want to read again a bit more slowly. It is a book which makes me just want to get on and draw! I have this weird impression of myself that I do draw-and I do-but it is sporadic. Since starting the book I have done one drawing a day at least-some small, some bigger, some awful(!) and a couple I actually quite like. But-the product is not the point in Gregory's world-the process is-and he has so many ideas just to get the process started. In the book there are a few great passages relating to focus. Here are a couple.
"Focus. Spend less time on success and more on art. The more you work, the better your art, the more likely things are going to happen."
"Keeping a journal is a way to focus your life, to extract what is meaningful about each day."
Thanks Leenie for putting me onto this book!
A couple of fun things below!
Back to the Future by Irina Werning-great photos of people as they were then and as they are now, but looking as they did then.
Women with books posts by Sofia Barao of etre soi...be who you want to be. A series of posts sharing paintings by a variety of artists of women with books.
8 comments:
Glad you liked the book. Thanks for pointing me toward Mr. Gregory. I'm reading Creative License along with about 3 other books and getting distracted in every direction.
I love how kids set up their own designs and ideas in art. Yes, draw a brain and then THINK!
I so appreciated the little birdie in the grasses card. THANKS!
Wonderful fun!
The Creative License sounds like a good companion. May your drawings something happen in the future.
What fabulous links - the people posed as they were in the old photos were very entertaining and I loved all those paintings of women with books!
Thanks for this boost Sarah!Sort of in a slump here and you are so inspiring.
Love the "brains" - may as well start with the best bit.
So much fun!
Have a sweet day!
I must study that book!
A super inspiring olden days book about writing is
"If you want to write" by Brenda Ueland.
Really makes you want to get going immediately!
Happy weekend.
ooo book sounds good - you'd recommend it then?
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