Kitty Kitty Kitty

Kitty.  By Danielle, 2012

This is one worried kitty.  At school it is review time for exams- every day I give the kids 5 content questions (for homework) and a technical problem to solve in class. So far- fingers crossed- it is working out great and is a much more engaging/ dynamic way to review.... but of course, some of them get a bit off task when I am going over the previous days questions, especially students like this one who are smart, talented and pay attention/ learn it the first time.  Danielle is one of my favorites- she is a very together, beautiful young mother who works hard and excels all round.  Her 'turn-it-in' art work is thoughtful and well done- very creative along with talent and craftsmanship.  (on a side note, I have had both her sister and brother in class- both good kids, her brother is autistic and I worked with him for many years... he loved 'Sister Wendy' the art-critic nun, and constantly drew pictures of her, me and everyone in class- he graduated the same year as Grendel.)  Anyway, Danielle.  She was listening but playing around with some stray charcoal on scrap paper.  First she started sketching a realistic eye, then decided to do something else, flipped the paper over and drew Kayla across the table as Sonic the Hedgehog (complete with glasses and weave), then this cat- which she named for the guy sitting next to her.  

What do I like about this cat?  It's cute, it's funny, it looks very very worried (just like Isiah... he was focusing hard, hard, hard on the review) and it just is a rough, impulsive drawing that happens to be full of character and spirit.  I love it when things like this happen in class- much more than the polished academic work (though that is important) but when a student can just magic something up that plays with their creative impulse.  Then I know that the imagination/creativity part of art is working, and that is so much fun. 

Right now I am feeling much better, much more cheerful and balanced.  It might be the oatmeal, it might of been the holiday and getting over that narsty flu thing, it might be because I am kinda sorta caught up on work. I have a new sketchbook (right before Christmas) and I am playing in it, drawing and writing and collaging and painting and having fun in a way I didn't with the last one.... that one seemed a bit off even from the first page.  I'm learning, or rediscovering something that I keep forgetting when I get so work-busy or money-stressed, that I need to play as well.  Play in my sketchbook, play on this blog, write my little story-essay-rant-whiny things... it grounds me, excites me and resets my mind.  It makes me happy, like this little cat.