Make Art Together

Yesterday was another day of pandemic challenges that erupted in a meltdown. Upon being yelled at by my 8 year old for having texted daddy a photo of the science lab he built (I guess it was supposed to be a surprise that only an 8 year old would know), I told him I needed some time to myself where I wasn't going to be yelled out. So I grabbed a book (and a cocktail) and went and sat on the porch. A fem minutes later I heard the front door open with stealth-like quality and felt my little one standing behind me. I continued reading. He circled in front of me and continued yelling it was all my fault and I ruined everything. I’m sure our whole neighborhood heard. I waited for him to pause and said “You’re right, and I’m sorry”. He continued on for a bit, each time I repeated what he said. While the repeating back of his words worked immediately when he was a toddler, yesterday he stood there a bit confused at my words in a further attempt to argue by saying “That’s it?! You can just say that and it’s all ok”. Yes, that’s it. I ruined his surprise. I didn’t know I did but I did. And like when he was a toddler, he calmed. I waited until I knew I had an ‘in’ to talk with him (asking him a question about a leaf I found on the grass). He softened and we explored outside together, gathering items for his science lab, something we should have done hours before.

Then he told me to wait outside while he ran inside. He came back few minutes later and brought me and his daddy into the kitchen. He had set up a “family art night” on the floor and it was exactly what we all needed…time to connect.

from top, clockwise: Caran d’Ache Neocolor II Water-Soluble Pencils, Cray-Pas Oil Pastels, Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils. Paper is Canson 140# cold press watercolor paper.

He wanted us to create a work of art about our individual worlds and the only rule was to fill all the white. When I told him I was finished, he disagreed and reminded me that I tell my students “when you think you’re done, you’ve only just begun”.

Ironically I think I am the only one who finished, and when all was said and done, it wasn’t about ruining the surprise of the science lab. It was about missing his daddy after weeks of being home together and needing to reconnect as a family.

Whether it’s five minutes or five hours, may you make lots and lots and lots of art together. Or alone. Just make and make and make.