April 22, 2013

Artists

     Have I mentioned how much I love to make art with toddlers? I’m sure it is what I was put on this earth to do.  That doesn’t sound very ambitious does it?  But it’s true.  It’s all I would ever need to do in a day to feel totally fulfilled.  There is no ego in the artistic toddler, no need for reassurance.  The toddler artist comes to the table open and free of inhibition.

     My favorite part of watching tiny artists at work is their total abandon to the process.  I have watched countless children immersed in their painting, literally and figuratively.  There is that moment when the spark glitters in the eye of the artist toddler and I can predict what’s coming.  It’s the moment of pure and utter surrender to the exploration, the asking of (and answering), “what if?”.  I live to watch the look in their eye when they take the paint from paper and paint themselves.  It usually starts with the hands and the paint travels up the arms.  The most adventurous toddler artist can be seen sneaking some into their mouth for a taste.  When they are done they usually wipe their hands clean, in their hair.

     The other piece I love about making art with toddlers is how they find beauty and wonder in the most simple of things.  I remember teaching once on the day unveiling of the new toddler playground was revealed.  A long time and a lot of work and probably some dollars went into this new and improved playground. 

     The big day came, the ribbon was cut, the tods were set to explore their new playground and they were mesmerized.  Except not by the fancy new equipment, they were mesmerized by a drainage hole cut in the cement.  The opening to the underground enigma was no larger than a golf ball.  “Where does it go?” one of them asked.  “What lives in there?” another one wondered.  A group of 7 one year olds, gathered around a little hole in the ground, heads pressed together contemplating the mysteries of life.

     So today is my birthday, and Earth Day.  I have spent most of my day wishing I had a few more toddlers around the house to make some fantastic eco-friendly crafts, to contemplate the mysteries of life.  We should all approach the artist’s able more like the toddler, bumbling and hopeful and free.  How much better could this planet be if we took time to wash our arms in rainbows of paint, or in mud?