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Saturday 14 December 2019

Bring me sunshine


Well, that was a bruising result in the General Election. I spent most of the 'morning after the night before' feeling numb and disbelieving. I think at the moment what hurts most is that lies and obfuscation seem to have won the day. I haven't the heart, nor is this the place, to go into detailed analysis. I do, however, fear for the future and for my grandchildren's future. I hope (pray) my fears are proved wrong. 

On a more positive note, my extended family went out for a Christmas meal on the evening of election day and we had a very happy time. Back at my daughter's house afterwards, I noticed these two pictures pinned up in the kitchen. Both were created by my granddaughters at school. Both brought rays of sunshine into my life.

Elodie's sunflowers were a response to Van Gogh's famous picture (left) and I really love her version. Inspired by but not a copy of; she has really interpreted it in her own way. It's interesting that from quite an early age she seems to have particularly enjoyed making paintings from her careful observations of actual objects or other images, rather than from her own imagination (though she also does that too, of course). In this painting, I particularly like the freedom she's allowed herself in some of the paint strokes. 

Madeleine's figure drawing is maturing, as it does. There's an interesting article about a child's development in art HERE and it suggest she is quite age-appropriate. (She's just five.) Her figures have 'a clearly differentiated head and trunk, with arms and legs in the appropriate locations'. There are details: hair, fingers, fur on the dog. She has also included a baseline, with the figures lined up along the bottom of the paper rather than free-floating in space.  Clearly, she feels the dog is an important part of the family now, though they have only had it for three months. She has drawn her daddy with his arm in plaster. He broke his wrist a few weeks ago!

9 comments:

  1. Cheer up, Jenny. It appears both sides desire a free trade agreement. That is good. And maybe, maybe, house prices will no longer climb. That is good for your grandchildren's future. Think positive!

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  2. I like Elodie's picture very much - too good to just hang in the kitchen!

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  3. Madeleine's is quite good for a 5 year old! Even most 7 year olds cannot draw outside of boxe and circle people yet. Elodie's photo definitely needs to be framed! Beautiful!

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  4. I have similar thoughts to you, and have decided that I am too old for this world as I no longer understand it anymore.
    However, there is nothing any of us can do now except accept the pathway that we are on. I just hope that things turn out better than I anticipate.

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  5. These are both good ones, Jenny!

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  6. Love the art...hate the political situation.

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  7. Lovely work by the granddaughters! Many years ago I did a research project on the progress of children's drawings. It was great fun. Yours seem to be ahead of the game or on target....if one can even think of that for the freedom that should be present in art.
    As for your election, I fear for the one this time next year in the USA. I'm old, and am hoping for someone else to be my last president. On the other hand, maybe I'll live longer than I expect.

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