Dare to draw

It seems that drawing has emerged as one of the primary problem-solving tools for both Ruby and Sky this year. Sky's work is mainly around processing internal conflict or delight. Her drawings alternate between lots of dark witches with tall black hats and families of mermaids and fairies in lush gardens. Whereas Ruby, moving up to her 7th birthday, has planted her feet firmly on the ground and has become much more self-conscious and concerned with how a subject actually looks.
Watching my children draw has always been a delight.

I cannot remember drawing as a child but as a mama I have enjoyed drawing alongside the girls firmly believing that creativity belongs to all of us.
Inspired early on by Pennie Brownlee's "Magic Places" we have always had a "minimum intervention" approach to our children's artistic pursuits. We provide the environment, the opportunity and support with handling new or tricky tools and then we leave their creative process in their own hands. For this reason we have never succumbed to drawing for the girls.
Currently we are loving our butcher's paper tablecloth. Previously we have had a few drawing evenings initially inspired by Soulemama's Family Drawing time. These evenings often occurred just with the family but particularly when friends were visiting.

With the cold, wet weather we have been having lately, this kitchen table art has become part of the everyday. A fresh sheet of butcher's paper taped to the table as often as needed and during this last week this has been daily. Each evening the paper is full of artistic contributions from the family as well as the neighbourhood, mathematical musings, questions not yet answered and notes to a papa who has been working late.
A wonderful glimpse of the day.


"Creativity is one of the highest qualities of the human spirit; it is a divine part of our nature. As the guardians of our children, it is we who provide the art materials they need, and we who provide the environment where they can play at being the Creators they are."
"Magic Places." Pennie Brownlee