scribblechic

Clean unmarked paper and boxes of unused crayons waited wrapped in anticipation of tiny hands transcribing daydreams into art; whimsical manifestations of unlimited imagination.  I facilitate an art based fundraiser at my daughter’s elementary school and this year I am broadening our fundraiser to extend to the Kindergarten students.

This week I sat beside my new Kindergarten friends in awe of the grace of childhood.  With each introduction, I was greeted with kindness and curiosity.  My aspirations to bring art into the students’ school day experience was eclipsed by the beauty of the students’ eagerness to create something new.

I gave each child a blank piece of paper, wooden shapes, and a sharpened pencil with the following instructions: Today you are going to draw an image using shapes.  You may trace them or create them, combine them or overlap them.  There is no wrong answer only what you see.  The next time I visit, we will add color.

Heads bowed over their paper, they each gathered curves and lines into a thought.  They spun stories between shapes.  Each name drawn cautiously and proudly at the top of their paper became the face of the unique personality with whom I shared a moment of inspiration.  Endearing stories, curious questions, and spontaneous exclamations filled hours of my day with wonder.

My goodbye was met with a gleeful cheer that bubbled effervescently from large hearts tucked inside tiny vessels.  I can hardly wait to go back to school with my rainbow of crayons and watch them fill their thoughts with color.

Tagged: Art, Kindergarten