National Coloring Book Day has me reflecting on myself as an artist.
In first grade, I drew a picture of horse.
It was the best picture I’d ever drawn and I knew it. It LOOKED like a horse. I was so proud of it that I took it up to my teacher, whom I loved.
She looked at it and said, “Oh Adrienne, you always rush our work.” I was crushed.
I was never much of an artist and struggled with coloring in the lines. I joke now that I can’t draw a flower, but I can write a really great poem about one. I pulled out my first grade report cards to see if I was misremembering things and I laughed out loud.
Fall: “Adrienne has good ideas in art but has trouble expressing them.” and “She is able to use a primary dictionary and enjoys writing one and two sentence stories using her dictionary.”
Winter: “Adrienne tends to be in too much of a hurry to complete her pictures.” But also, “She enjoys writing short stories especially about her family and friends.”
Spring:” Adrienne’s pictures are still not complete as she does not take enough time. She would much rather write a story than draw.”
The Jesuit saying, “Give me a child until he is seven and I will give you the man” was the basis for the Up series of movies. I guess it is applicable to me as writer and artist, too.
booksandbassets 