tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post4815859011769667442..comments2023-11-03T06:33:23.646-07:00Comments on art in the garage: A Little Story (or, The Importance of Play)Karen Smitheyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04584636153202712192noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-34619064354340126052012-08-13T20:58:22.202-07:002012-08-13T20:58:22.202-07:00So much of science is exact. You painted leaves e...So much of science is exact. You painted leaves exact. . . she was in her exact mode. We always have to look at the interpretation others put on things. Yes, she discouraged you in art, put she was trying to teach exactness in the science of things. You both misunderstood each other and was coming from different places. <br /><br />I love that you look at your art and play, we all need that JKWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18038337964341526451noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-32609350317059884732012-08-13T18:25:46.885-07:002012-08-13T18:25:46.885-07:00I wonder how many Children Mrs B discouraged. Sad ...I wonder how many Children Mrs B discouraged. Sad really. Love your colors. I always remember some saying and it goes for Art too. If you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you've always got. We need to spread our wings and experiment more. Great post. HPPF Belated.Cris, Artist in Oregonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15067969984221375853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-43296311686735679872012-08-13T04:28:36.428-07:002012-08-13T04:28:36.428-07:00Oh, that's so sad. The things adults can say t...Oh, that's so sad. The things adults can say to kids that still linger after so many years. Glad you kept on playing and having fun. That's what art should be about. denthehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14253123767521383516noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-89599679127012399402012-08-12T10:02:50.925-07:002012-08-12T10:02:50.925-07:00Oh, those well meaning uptight grown-ups... Experi...Oh, those well meaning uptight grown-ups... Experiences like that make me consider how remarks I make to the kids around me might affect their whole lives without me ever knowing it.<br /><br />I think your "mess" is beautiful.wednesdayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02722898635009913010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-29400612719458819962012-08-12T00:54:01.406-07:002012-08-12T00:54:01.406-07:00Hi Karen, There are many well meaning Mrs. Bs but ...Hi Karen, There are many well meaning Mrs. Bs but there are more children who decided they are not artists because of what they said. Sad, yes! I give workshops to reverse that way of thinking for adults who are restrained with their playing because they think they have to do everything the right way or not at all! Patsy from <br><a href="http://patsypat.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">HeARTworks</aHeARTworkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14953317888563627979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-81750223060364545882012-08-11T18:29:46.417-07:002012-08-11T18:29:46.417-07:00I absolutely love your soft, winderful watercolor....I absolutely love your soft, winderful watercolor. So sad about teachers like mrs. B.... To think how teachers like that stifle creativity in kids, sometimes permanently. It reminds me of that old Harry Chaplin song, "flowers are red."Mollyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16545224778828959479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-62309836146776958752012-08-11T08:58:12.454-07:002012-08-11T08:58:12.454-07:00Yay for you!! "learning is all about play. A...Yay for you!! "learning is all about play. Art is all about play. You can't learn 'wrong' and you can't play 'wrong' and you can't do art 'wrong'."<br />You said this so perfectly! I fondly call people like Mrs. B a buzzkill. Glad you can let her words go from your life and move on in a playful artsy way. Happy PPFMarjihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11968054474500781586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-8265159313933106022012-08-11T08:05:04.128-07:002012-08-11T08:05:04.128-07:00I bet way too many people have memories like this ...I bet way too many people have memories like this one of yours.<br />I was struck by the "mess" at the top of your page and gasped a breath of air in as my eyes feel in love with the colors and movement of the paints. The blending and that little bit of tye dyed look in the almost center. I had to laugh later when you called it "that mess" at the top of the page. Isn't it Lynn Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12094038275377357886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-41331040353287926152012-08-11T06:48:21.256-07:002012-08-11T06:48:21.256-07:00I agree that learning should be fun!! Art should b...I agree that learning should be fun!! Art should be fun!!<br />Wonderful painting!<br />♥♥♥<br />Happy PPF!!<br />Mary<br /><a href="http://www.marycnasser.com/blog.html" rel="nofollow">Mixed-Media Map Art</a>Mary C. Nasserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05325747711832919670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-30237061682969758552012-08-11T04:19:41.398-07:002012-08-11T04:19:41.398-07:00That is so sad. We all have teachers that crushed ...That is so sad. We all have teachers that crushed our spirit at sometime, I guess. I agree with you on the playing part. As we get older we tend to forget. :)Šolanje na domu-Waldorfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18346455442739368553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-14389566678746709372012-08-11T03:04:09.246-07:002012-08-11T03:04:09.246-07:00I agree. Play, play, play. As much as I know tha...I agree. Play, play, play. As much as I know that, I still need lessons. <br /><br />Funny how this morning, turning cleaning their room into a game and making it fun was the first time in what seems a long time that the children's room got tidied, fast and without any tears and tantrums. A lesson for all aspects of life.Natashahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14701118036146555275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-25037890040208728262012-08-11T00:28:27.429-07:002012-08-11T00:28:27.429-07:00Beautifully put! So sad that teacher squashed your...Beautifully put! So sad that teacher squashed your tender spirit!! I always thought an artist was conventional like Mrs.B taught. What a surprise to figure out at 47 there was an artist hiding within... who knew! Would have been sad dying never having known that!! That teacher had an old school mentality. They sure shaped who we were that's for sure!<br /><br />I only ever took one art courseGiggleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11713143985984314202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-14152269614782651982012-08-10T23:19:57.580-07:002012-08-10T23:19:57.580-07:00Great, insightful post, I agree 100%! Happy PPF! :...Great, insightful post, I agree 100%! Happy PPF! :)Anne Mandahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06222052687691094140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-36886789487172026862012-08-10T22:20:58.797-07:002012-08-10T22:20:58.797-07:00What an inspiring story karen! Learning is everywh...What an inspiring story karen! Learning is everywhere and yes we also learn from bad and hurting experiences. And the best thing is that you did not brood so much about it but you learn from it and did something about it. You did not stop. You play and learn. It's a delight! Painting is. :)Elisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18409506260765332193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-25380264320012916832012-08-10T20:05:20.725-07:002012-08-10T20:05:20.725-07:00I loved this post. As a very serious little girl,...I loved this post. As a very serious little girl, I really didn't play much. But I am learning to play now and it is so much fun. Your painting is beautiful and your advice so wise. Thank you for sharing both.Ginnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06302331997346895851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-12694459452109038022012-08-10T16:18:51.329-07:002012-08-10T16:18:51.329-07:00Love the dropped watercolors. I think this would m...Love the dropped watercolors. I think this would make such a fantastic background for a greetings card. I love to play around with various inks making my own backgrounds. Your teacher would not have approved of me either. She was probably thinking of the mess if all 35 children started dropping paint. Could have been a calamity. She could have said something more positive and still kept the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-68760161533307427402012-08-10T16:02:37.166-07:002012-08-10T16:02:37.166-07:00Many watercolor books start out by telling you to ...Many watercolor books start out by telling you to do exactly what you were doing. Make blobs. Wet blobs and dry blobs. Add another color to the blobs. Watch it and see what happens when it is damp, when it is wet, when it is dry. In fact, I'm not sure there is really any other way to really learn it! And what good is art if it isn't fun, anyway? I'm so glad you got over that and feel Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-55298208485535479422012-08-10T15:07:09.588-07:002012-08-10T15:07:09.588-07:00Wow, what a wonderful post! It's so important...Wow, what a wonderful post! It's so important to maintain a playful attitude to things, especially art. Thank you for the timely reminder!Hweehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10895959128588945675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-91025388391883400412012-08-10T15:02:53.791-07:002012-08-10T15:02:53.791-07:00So very, very true!
I was a good inside-the-lines ...So very, very true!<br />I was a good inside-the-lines little girl, too. Never learned to splash colors around. Am trying to learn now. You are never too old to learn to play.<br />Wonderful post and I love your playing--some of my favorite colors, too! :)Ritahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02043285884495492598noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-29892586823482495602012-08-10T14:36:08.930-07:002012-08-10T14:36:08.930-07:00good lesson on the value of play Karen, and nice a...good lesson on the value of play Karen, and nice art!Christinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15720030744345215307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-44870056176193517932012-08-10T14:14:25.634-07:002012-08-10T14:14:25.634-07:00Good for you. Happy PPF, Annette xGood for you. Happy PPF, Annette xNettyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11107319748640868380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-12439312793109477602012-08-10T13:36:38.733-07:002012-08-10T13:36:38.733-07:00This is such a wonderful post. It means a lot to ...This is such a wonderful post. It means a lot to me. I am passing it on to my son,he will enjoy it, too.<br />I love the lovely colors at the top!Gloria j Zucarohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02585353549096640493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-38986443514452047312012-08-10T12:54:53.196-07:002012-08-10T12:54:53.196-07:00I think playing is so important! I'm sad you ...I think playing is so important! I'm sad you had that experience. It's fine to do focused works, but it's also good to play! Love the watercolor you shared too.Lisabella Russohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12621662488987992112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16936831.post-71321290960810716632012-08-10T12:37:55.211-07:002012-08-10T12:37:55.211-07:00Oh, I agree with you 100%!! We lose our ability to...Oh, I agree with you 100%!! We lose our ability to play as grownups, and we even force our children to give up play, and yet, it is essential for art, as well as life in general.Debbiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16801531027698899120noreply@blogger.com