Creating a family mural has been the best thing about this winter. Wintering near NYC, for us means a lot of indoor time and as winter comes around I always wonder what it will be that we apply our creativity to. As I child my mother always had a roll of butcher’s paper on hand, […]
During Maya’s last week of school before we left for Australia her teacher gave her an artist quality drawing book with instructions to draw and write in it while she was away. Maya obviously listened seriously to him as she filled every single page before returning back to school! I have to admit, this was […]
This morning Maya and I sat down and had a good talk about what she might like to be for Halloween. We have been throwing around ideas of a family theme, but the reality is Halloween comes around quickly and we do not want to spend a lot of money on buying specific outfits, and […]
Now I don’t want you all to think that while Maya is sitting and drawing that Elle is watching TV or something! Little Elle is also a keen pencil holder and can be found sitting at our dinning table drawing as much as Maya. Elle usually requests I draw her something – a fairy, a […]
It is always great to see an interpretation of oneself in a drawing – especially when done by a 4 years old. There is a preciousness and an innocents, and a delightful crudeness that makes child portraiture drawing delicious. While I was distracted making dinner the other night Maya helped herself to a piece of paper […]
Maya made this beautiful drawing on the weekend, of her and Elle holding hands under a cherry blossom tree. Very in keeping with our current flower theme! As you will see it is similar in composition to another recent drawing that I posted about. Maya has amazing concentration to be able to sit and work away […]
Maya’s drawings are taking on new shape. The time and detail she puts into her pictures has increased, making for some really lovely drawings. Not only have the images taken on more life-like representation with solid limbs, fingers, noses, eye lashes, frills, shoe laces…but the stories behind the images have become elaborate. While Maya sits […]
Today when I collected Maya from Playgroup Kristin handed me a drawing that Maya had done during class. Kristin and I exchanged a broad smiles to acknowledge this was a special one. The title on the back read ‘Maya and her Babies’. I knew then and there that this would be a drawing I would […]
One of the wonderful things about cooler days is that we spend hours inside that become creative bubbles. Maya and Elle draw a lot on any given day, but now that the colder temperatures are descending we seem to be having epic draw-a-thons. Our kitchen table is used predominantly for drawing and is strewn with […]
I have a journal that I use for designing things I want to make. I use the pages to jot notes, paste inspiration and as a place for process. It is bound hard black cover art book with many pages. Since moving to Ditmas Park Maya has claimed “The black book” as her own. Often […]
Bit by bit the pile grew. At first I had them sitting on the ground beside the table, and then the pile was in the way so I found a large flat box to put them in. Then another pile formed on the ground beside the table and I thought, this is getting out of […]
Having art supplies organised and easy to grab is an important part of making art with kids. For Christmas we gave the girls art caddies (that were being sold as cutlery totes at Macbeth Collection) full of a variety of medium. Maya’s (3yr) caddie is filled with colored pencils, coloured japanese paper tape, origami papers, […]
A couple of months ago Elle (15 months) started drawing, and my how she enjoys to draw! We now have large pile of lively, colourful, gestural markings to treasure. Our budding artist producing images unique to her personality at this precious baby time of life. Every day, often numerous times we set her up at […]