Dear Children,
I know you like art, so I wrote a poem especially for you. Thinking about the questions in this poem may help make you better artists:
The idea is the tree you see may look very different, depending on how you look at it … So in thinking about how a bird or a squirrel may see the tree, you start to see it differently yourself – and then you can draw or paint it differently. The more you think in this way – say by imagining how wind or rain might see a tree – the more you will begin to sense things that others haven’t thought about, and as your artistic imagination grows, you will be more and more able to show some of your new ways of seeing to others, through your art.
Once you understand this method, you can practice it on other subjects: for instance, how might different people see your dog? Some may see a fun pet, but others may be scared of its teeth or its bark – and these different people will actually see your dog differently from each other. Especially if they should later dream about your dog – imagine drawing or painting how your dog may look in different peoples’ dreams or nightmares! That might inspire some very creative art.
Stephen Rowe currently serves as the Angola Regional Artists’ Guild publicity chairman and writes two additional blogs:
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An Art Missionary is anyone with a burning desire to foster interest and participation in the arts. I am an Art Missionary, and there is a good chance you are as well. Different Art Missionaries will have different priorities, favor different artistic modes, different audiences, etc. In this post, I want to share my particular desire to stimulate children’s and adolescents’ interest in practicing art.
Why? Because it really disturbs me how oppressed children are today, by the relentless commercialization of every aspect of childhood. Commercial saturation is so intense, information bombardment so high, continuous internet/texting/etc … it must be terribly hard for today’s kids to get to know their true center. These youngsters desperately need a more genuine, authentic way of experiencing the world, and art practice is an avenue toward that personal center. Children who do not live from their center will miss the greatest joys in childhood, and will live adult lives slave to artificial desires and aspirations while their souls suffocate in the ‘noise’ of our day. Hence I am an Art Missionary.
But that's just me. Other Art Missionaries will have their own special, more equanimous motivations - perhaps just the pure and simple desire to share a joy in and love of all art forms with all living people!
No matter your philosophy or place in society, if you are or want to be an Art Missionary, please stay with me here just a little while longer …
Imagination is the root of art, so I want to share a letter I wrote this past March to my grandchildren, with the objective of cultivating poetic and artistic imagination. While the method will suit adults just as well [I practice this myself], the presentation is especially designed for children. If this resonates with you, please pass it on to a child in your life:
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Dear Children,
I know you like art, so I wrote a poem especially for you. Thinking about the questions in this poem may help make you better artists:
See yon tree –
How looks it to thee?
Yet how must it seem to a bird?
Or a squirrel?
Or a deer?
Or a worm?
Or a bug?
And how to the wind and the rain?
The idea is the tree you see may look very different, depending on how you look at it … So in thinking about how a bird or a squirrel may see the tree, you start to see it differently yourself – and then you can draw or paint it differently. The more you think in this way – say by imagining how wind or rain might see a tree – the more you will begin to sense things that others haven’t thought about, and as your artistic imagination grows, you will be more and more able to show some of your new ways of seeing to others, through your art.
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Stephen and grandson under Chicago Art Institute's traditional Christmas-wreathed lion some years ago |
Once you understand this method, you can practice it on other subjects: for instance, how might different people see your dog? Some may see a fun pet, but others may be scared of its teeth or its bark – and these different people will actually see your dog differently from each other. Especially if they should later dream about your dog – imagine drawing or painting how your dog may look in different peoples’ dreams or nightmares! That might inspire some very creative art.
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That's it - just a simple exercise that really can stimulate imagination if whole-mindedly engaged by a child or an adult. One of my grandchildren really loves and practices the idea – I hope other children might as well.
Until the next post, know that the Angola area lakes region is an Art Region, and its towns are Art Towns!
If you would like direct email notification of new Art Beat posts, simply send an email with the words “requesting Art Beat notification” in the subject line to StephenRowe.OriGraphics@yahoo.com
Stephen Rowe currently serves as the Angola Regional Artists’ Guild publicity chairman and writes two additional blogs:
Stephen welcomes correspondence of all sort per StephenRowe.OriGraphics@yahoo.com
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