Family Art

I'm still plugging away at my art classes. I suppose I'm improving in my personal skill, but it is painful to be classed as entirely unexceptional in my artistic endeavors. Most recently, I attempted a charcoal imitation of a sketch by Raphael for homework (no, I don't know what the picture is about). I thought I had done better than I usually do. My teacher graded it "C" and told me I need to draw with straight and curved lines. Please forgive me, but if I'm not drawing with straight lines, and not drawing with curved lines, what am I possibly drawing?

On a more positive note, I've acquired the inexpensive treasure: Art for the Very Young; Ages 3-6. I think we'll do an art lesson or two from it every Friday. The first section of the book is a study of line. It recommends showing the children black and white line art from Franz Kline. I laughed when I saw it. Think of a preschooler attempting Chinese calligraphy with a thick paintbrush. Well, I showed the children a few images (my favorite has the unlikely title Painting Number 2). Then they took handfuls of pre-cut black lines and dropped them onto construction paper (it was supposed to be white, but I didn't have enough). They needed a bit of help gluing. Miriam was the most focused, and was very proud of her composition, which now hangs above her bed. Kaith named his (the red one) Letter X on a Horse and Letter Z on a Jet.

We all had fun with it, and if people can call what Franz Kline did art, maybe my talent isn't completely a lost cause.