Musings, Spring 2017

My eldest grandchild Forest hears bits and pieces of news from the radio, television, friends and school.  Most of it is bad. We try and turn off the news when he is with us but some things filter in.  In family gatherings, we are grateful for many things –for our family, for living in Canada, for the peace, prosperity and beauty that our country has to offer. He is aware of climate change and wants to make a difference. He has asked about war and about what happens to the children and their families..  He has asked about drought and how do people live when there is no water. He has a thousand questions.  I am truthful. He wants to help. 

I like painting with him.  I love his enthusiasm.  I feel I am fortunate to be able to teach him about art.  I try to guide but not interfere with what he wants to do.  He has a small stool that fits up against my art table in my studio.  With my art show coming up, I suggested that he put some of his paintings for sale with any proceeds going to ‘Save the Children’. It would be a way he could help other children.  He is excited about the project and has thrown himself into it when he visits me. All his work is on stretched canvas, painted with acrylic paint, varnished properly, signed and carefully framed.  He has picked his own evocative titles for his work and the title will be taped on the back of the frame.

Some of his titles are ‘The Throne Chair’, ‘Sunrise on Jupiter’, ‘I like Starfish’, ‘Tangled in the Weeds’ and ‘Fireworks’.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”  - Pablo Picasso

Adulthood has a funny way of crushing our childhood innocence. As kids, we drew and painted with abandon. No concern about what other people thought. But somewhere along the way we all become more self-conscious.

If we summon a bit of our youthful imaginations and wonder at the world, we just might get closer to creating the work we always dreamed of.

For Forest, this world would be one without war, without hunger where people lived in peace and cared about each other and the planet they lived on.