Isabelle has enjoyed doing art for the past couple of years. She’s taken a couple of art classes. However, despite the instruction, most of her masterpieces look like this:
or this:
I appreciate these pieces since they feel like modern art. However, there aren’t any discernable objects most of the things she creates. Ever since the ocular motor dysfunction diagnosis, I understand why she struggles. Therefore, when I picked her up at art class this afternoon, I looked at her oil pastel creation and felt tears prick my eyes. But they weren’t tears of sadness; they were tears of happiness.
“Is this a self-portrait?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” she responded.
“Is this a picture of yourself?” I asked.
“Yeah, how did you know?” she replied.
“Because it looks like you, honey!” I responded.
Sure, her eyes aren’t that big nor are her lips aren’t that red. But I could tell it was a self-portrait prior to reading note the teacher sends home with each child.
“You should be very proud of yourself,” I told my daughter. “This is a masterpiece! We should hang this in your garage gallery.”
“Okay,” she said as a small smile spread across her face. “When can we hang it up?”
“We have lots of other pieces to hang up along with this one. Would this weekend be okay?”
“Yes!” she replied with more enthusiasm.
Progress takes time. Today was a reminder that she may be taking small steps forward, but they are, indeed, forward.
Raising Literate Humans 
I love her “early art” efforts; they are so collage-y! I can understand that you were eager to see something more representational, but this gal is an artist no matter what she creates.
I agree, Barbara!
that sounds like a great teacher! and congrats to your daughter 🙂 Art has never been my strong suit, and she is going for it!
She is a fabulous art teacher!
Your slice makes me happy. Before reading your slice, I noticed her self portrait and thought it was a very wonderful piece of art. I really love all the color usage and the curly hair. Really wonderful.
Thank you!
Uninhibited kid art. There is nothing better. Do you hang everything in the garage? Sounds brilliant!
We hang a lot in the garage. It is usually things she does at art class, not coloring pages or quick drawings from school.
At the end of sixth grade, before our kids move on to the regional school, the art teacher pulls out her folder of self-portraits from Kindergarten — which she has tucked away for the intervening years — and we have this very fun celebration of handing them out, and noticing how young kids see themselves. I found the top artwork of your daughter quite lovely and intriguing. As was her portrait.
🙂
Kevin
What a fantastic idea from the art teacher!
I think all her work is amazing and I wonder what she was thinking about each piece as she made it. I am always curious, when an artist steps back and gets a distant look at their own piece, “what do you see happening? what do you think or feel when you read your own painting?”. This can be the beginning of ideas for a writer. The happiness of her last piece shines through as does your celebratory tone for Isabelle!
Great questions!
Gorgeous work from Isabelle! She looks so happy in her self-portrait, too. I love that you make a special place to hang her artwork. Every step forward is a good one! When I taught kindergarten, one of my favorite things to do was have kids draw a self portrait each month and write their name. The difference from September to June was amazing. You could really see the growth in how kids could represent what they were thinking.
I’d love to have her create one (at home) in June. 😊
Good for her — I love the early pieces too! Save every one!!! I love looking at all their work now that they are 16 and 18. Time will fly!
Clare
I can feel the truth in that statement already. (Speaking of time flying, where did the week go? I’m just getting to this now since I’ve been so busy since Tuesday!)
A celebration, indeed! One of the assessments I used to give my students was a yearly drawing of a person. It was exciting to see how they developed, and I can read that same excitement in your post. I’m glad that even with the ocular difficulties, your daughter is willing, able and encouraged to create art!
Now that’s a fabulous assessment!
And so it begins… Love this early stage of creating… You will continue to nurture it 🙂
So great! And is that the hairbow she captured? Thanks for letting us watch your kids grow, sometimes in small steps, sometimes in leaps and bounds. All precious moments to capture.
I’m not sure, Rose. I’ll have to ask her.
Great progression in Isabelle’s art work. I can feel her joy in knowing that you recognized her work as a self portrait.
Small steps forward can be of such importance! I love these works of art that she has painted especially the self portrait she created of herself.