Our Budding Artists

Recently, we visited the Imax Theater and Museum of Nature & Science at Fair Park in Dallas. During our visit we saw a lot of really neat things. I will be posting a few different stories about this trip in various other postings. For this posting I am going to focus on just one aspect, the Art Museum booth. On the particular day that we went to the Museum, there were exhibits from the Art Museum. A table prepared outside where they displayed sketches from local artists. The ladies that hosted the display also instructed visitors on various sketching tools and mediums and then provided them a kit to sketch a picture. The idea was to use the immediate scenery as inspiration to sketch a picture.

Kai would not step up to the table because he was having a shy moment. Elli listened intently and was very interested. The lady explained how to use pencils, water colors, chalk and charcoal. She then showed Elli a book of reproductions from a famous and deceased Dallas area sketch artist. His drawings were of landscape and farm animals. The book was amazing and Elli was so into it. She asked lots of questions about what she was seeing. I think the ladies were impressed with her inquisitiveness as they kept asking me how old Elli was and what grade she had just completed. They seemed shocked when I told them she was 6 and had completed Kindergarten.

Elli excitedly, took her kit and found a place to sit in the shade. It took her just a few minutes of looking around before she spotted the big paddle boats across the way in the pond. These paddle boats were large white swans. She decided that she would start with the paddle boats and the water and let her ideas just come to her.

This was something that she took very seriously. She wanted a really great picture. She took her time to plan what she was going to draw before she began.

Kai finally decided that he would like to join in and talked Jeff into getting a kit for him. He didn't want to listen to the mini lessons they were providing. He just wanted to quietly receive his kit.
He contemplated and pondered and solicited ideas. He stared this way and that. Nothing seemed to inspire him. We tried to encourage him and we did offer ideas but to no avail.












Meanwhile Elli was still focused on her inspiration. She wasn't too interested in any one's ideas. She had her own thoughts and then she began to illustrate them.
Kai still struggled and at this point began to beg Jeff to draw something for him that he could color. Jeff told him "no" and suggested that he try to draw a car, a gun, a truck or an airplane. He continued the encouragement but it was hot and becoming aggravating and Jeff gave in and drew a picture for him to color. Need I remind you that we are outside, in August and in Dallas ??

Once Elli's idea and plan was firmly established in her little mind, she began to draw like no body's business.
Kai was happy to have his drawing to color and took pride in how well he could stay in the lines, even with paint! He did require that Jeff stand with him because once again he was too shy to approach the ladies at this table. I am not sure why Kai act so shy about some things but he shows no fear in other things, such as Karate. In Karate, he must memorize patterns and give/receive the respect of his Sensei. This seems so much harder to do than approach a couple of ladies from the Art Museum.

It must just be that he is confident in his abilities to perform in Karate. Whereas, Elli is confident in her abilities to draw. Because, you cannot get Elli to participate in Karate. The Sensei has tried to encourage her for almost a year now to no avail.

Sometimes these twins are so similar it gives me the goose bumps. But other times, they are as different and unpredictable as can be.

The details that Elli took the time to include were amazing. She drew water, fish, flowers, birds, the swan (paddle boat), purple stone work for the cement wall, where she carefully placed her daddy wearing black boots and catching a fish!
Kai finished up his water coloring and was very content to have participated. He actually was not able to finish coloring even half of what Jeff had drawn. Being the perfectionist that he is, he spent way too much time coloring a small area. He assured us that the fact that half his drawing remained uncolored was on purpose. It was "supposed to be white."

When Elli completed her drawing she returned the kit to the Art Museum ladies. They were so impressed by her drawing that they asked for permission to take a picture of Elli with her drawing to place in their museum scrapbook! Elli was so proud and so were we!