It was that time of the month today. Not in a womanly eat chocolate, cry at ads on the telly and feel like crap sense - in a Mangrove Mountain Country Markets sense! (See the 'Country Market' page on this site for more info.) It was time to BEE CREATIVE! Both of my boys were enjoying a sleepover at their good friend's house for his birthday, so I seized the moment of being 'boy free' and made my art theme for the day really girly - painting flowers.
As spring has well and truly sprung here, the flora is bursting forth in all shapes and colours, bearing fragrances, bees and the glory of nature. So this morning I did a quick skip around the farm and picked an armload of different flowers - which was fun enough on it's own - and set up the art table at the markets with a basket of paints (thanks gorgeous Glenda), a variety of brushes, paper and scattered the blooms all around. And sure enough, the girls flocked towards it.....
We painted images and interpretations of majestic gymea lilies, cheeky wattle, waterlillies, pale pink azaleas, vibrant white daisies and a few flowers that were only seen in the imaginations of the young artists. But no one painted the orchid.
And then the highlight of my day happened.
A young girl, curly dark hair, smiling eyes full of intention....walked up to the art table and said:
"Hey painting lady, what do we do?"
"Just pick a flower that you like the look of and paint it!"
As spring has well and truly sprung here, the flora is bursting forth in all shapes and colours, bearing fragrances, bees and the glory of nature. So this morning I did a quick skip around the farm and picked an armload of different flowers - which was fun enough on it's own - and set up the art table at the markets with a basket of paints (thanks gorgeous Glenda), a variety of brushes, paper and scattered the blooms all around. And sure enough, the girls flocked towards it.....
We painted images and interpretations of majestic gymea lilies, cheeky wattle, waterlillies, pale pink azaleas, vibrant white daisies and a few flowers that were only seen in the imaginations of the young artists. But no one painted the orchid.
And then the highlight of my day happened.
A young girl, curly dark hair, smiling eyes full of intention....walked up to the art table and said:
"Hey painting lady, what do we do?"
"Just pick a flower that you like the look of and paint it!"
She had literally picked up the big creamy orchid, found a brush and some colour she liked, and started applying paint to its petals, one by one!
When I first noticed what she was doing, the 'grown up' voice in my head said 'No! Thats not what I meant!', but that only lasted about a millisecond before my getting-stronger-by-the-day inner child voice said out loud:
"WOW! That looks GREAT! Can I take a photo?"
Kinda proud and kinda bemused by my enthusiasm she let me photograph her emerging artwork at varying stages of transformation. Here they are:
When I first noticed what she was doing, the 'grown up' voice in my head said 'No! Thats not what I meant!', but that only lasted about a millisecond before my getting-stronger-by-the-day inner child voice said out loud:
"WOW! That looks GREAT! Can I take a photo?"
Kinda proud and kinda bemused by my enthusiasm she let me photograph her emerging artwork at varying stages of transformation. Here they are:
This 'flower painting', more than anything else, had reminded me of a few important things....firstly, never assume that people know what you mean when you say something. Children (and adults) often take your words literally, and it is important to be really clear in giving instructions. Or not! Because sometimes, misinterpreting, or interpreting something literally, can result in an accidental creation of the greatest wonder and awesomeness!
It is GREAT to do things differently.
It is GREAT to give words your own meaning.
This painted glitter encrusted orchid is freakin' FANTASTIC!!!
Just for an hour tomorrow, imagine what might happen if you took things literally....
Or didn't look at what everyone else was doing, and 'painted an orchid'......;)
It is GREAT to do things differently.
It is GREAT to give words your own meaning.
This painted glitter encrusted orchid is freakin' FANTASTIC!!!
Just for an hour tomorrow, imagine what might happen if you took things literally....
Or didn't look at what everyone else was doing, and 'painted an orchid'......;)
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