Maddisons' Turn

How awesome is this??! My daughter, Maddison is almost 15, and LOVES Art just as much as her Mum. She always makes gifts for her friends, rather than buying them. I used to help her but in the last year she's developed her own style and I'm not even allowed to LOOK at her creations until they are finished. Well we do share out "studio" space but I can't pass the demarkation line or pass comment on any unfinished project... I'm Somerset Studio, she's Cloth, Paper Scissors! :) Although we do both share a passion for Alice in Wonderland, collage, Joseph Cornell, birds and paper ephemera (ESPECIALLY old encyclopedias)- her favourite 'thing' is altered books, mine assemblage. BUT we do dabble in both! The best thing is having a buddy to go to foraging & shopping with. Mind u, I have to find her a job to pay for her things soon! :)
Do we 'fight' over any supplies? YES!! Playing cards and game pieces... Which do we pass over to other without fuss? I'm happy to give up any button... she lets me have metal 'things' ofcourse!
Ok, this piece she's created is for a friend who turned 16 on the weekend. The girlfriend is into fashion and wants to be a designer, so what a thoughtful gift! The manikin is collaged in tiny vintage (copied) French paperdoll clothes and the screen is covered in real vintage dress pattern pieces.
It's a wonderful thing watching your child enjoy something that is your passion. I am so thrilled and excited when I see her creations and so warmed inside when I watch her deep in thought while putting something together. People say she gets it from me, but I feel that children grow in a garden rich with the elements in which to flourish. I've never 'pushed' my daughter in anything but I've surrounded her with the opportunity, she's always been allowed to use my supplies and I've never 'barred' her from being with me while I've been doing my art.
When my children where tiny, I used to paint in the lounge room or at the end of the kitchen table, or in the garden while we played. Art in our home is part of life... our studio is a part of the living room now and our shelves and walls are filled with art. I guess what I'm saying is, I really believe that if you make Art easily available to kids, make it a natural part of life, not some 'special' thing that requires intense lessons or allotted times and rules... you can then stand back, and it will grow. And the best part? They will have no fear or self doubts and it will grow into what is in their heart, not what is in yours or anybody elses.
Oh yes and they learn the greatess loss skill of all... the simple art of entertaining themselves without the aid of an electronic gadget or a parent providing a three ring circus :)