Tilling and Watering

We’ve been blessed to be able to have some small art classes this summer.

It’s gotten pretty intense with drawing fundamentals, like perspective and then more pressure came with watercolor 101. But it was also what the kids were looking forward to the most: Beginning to paint!

Things were pretty serious with topics like brush care, making brushstrokes, and wash techniques, but the kids conquered it all.

They were able to end the class with a monochrome painting in which they applied the principles of a wash, wet on wet, and wet on dry.

The classes were pretty intense, especially for the younger students. But once we finally let them work on the guided monchrome painting and apply the principles of watercolor learned thus far, the smiles came out and one could almost sense the ‘Wow this is cool, and I can’t wait to do more’ enthusiasm in their facial expression.

I reflected over how intense the last two classes felt to me (maybe they’re more intense for me because I have been outside the classroom since Easter). In my mullings, and looking at these photos, it occurred to me that the hard work is right, and fitting.

It’s kinda like irrigating a field: there’s a lot of planning , digging and proper placement of things before the water can even begin to flow through the fields properly.

Once the everything has been laid out properly, the water begins to flow, and slowly, the prepared ground buds forth with new life, and hopefully, a fruitful crop.

The students are our fields, the teachers are the ones who help plan and dig and enable the proper irrigation, creating channels through which the waters of creativity can flow through the students, and bring forth, with proper cooperation, beautiful fruit.