Our little painting place

Finally, I decided to get out the art easel that I bought three years ago! I set up a little painting area in the kitchen. I had thought I had bought a standing easel that would need assembly, but as it turned out, it was a table top, portable and compact easel. It has a little drawer in which to store supplies, but we can't get the drawer open. Upon reflection, I must have purchased this small easel for a couple of reasons: it's size and portability. I was probably thinking about taking it camping or on nature walks. I'm glad that I chose this one over the standing one.

In the table upon which I've put the easel, I have three baskets: one containing canvases, wood paint palate, acrylic paints, a bamboo mat that rolls up for acrylic paintbrush storage; another basket which will hold watercolour paper and card stock; the last basket holds watercolour brushes, plastic paint palates, watercolour pencils and paints.

When I took out the box of painting supplies it made me think about the watercolour paintings my kids made while taking an art class with a local artist. I decided since I've had picture frames also sitting in my closet, along the supplies, it was time to frame the paintings and put them on the wall. I thought it would be nice to hang their paintings on the wall of our little painting place. I love the colours of these paintings and it's a complete joy to have them hanging on the wall in a place where I can view them daily.

With the bringing out of nature journals and nature journal instruction books, came the desire of nature drawing by Owen and Hanna. They wanted to draw salmon after having been at the fish hatchery. Hanna has a great love of drawing and art. I have been witness to her experiencing Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's concept of "flow". Flow is experienced when you are being completely engaged and consumed in something you are doing, to the point that nothing seems to distract you; you lose your sense of awareness of all else. It is a concept that is greatly appreciated in an unschooling context. It is something like being in "the zone" as runners have written about, which I have experienced on lengthy (over an hour) runs. I read "Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life" years ago when I began homeschooling my kids as I was searching for new ideas about learning and I appreciate his thoughts on this concept. I do firmly believe that this is when learning is in an optimum state. I have caught glimpses of Hanna experiencing "flow" through avenues of creativity like drawing and painting; Owen, through drawing, crafting, and building. Mackenzie also through creativity, reading and moments while playing sports; primarily basketball.

Keeping this blog helps me to live deliberately, I think about stuff I haven't done and I do it; I think about how I want to live and I start living. As my kids have an abundance of creativity, I will start being their guide(when asked), offer support(when asked), and have available as many tools as I am able to provide, for them to express themselves creatively.

If you don't like something, change it. If you don't change it, change your attitude.

~Maya Angelou~