From the second floor 2018 | Watercolor on paper | 10" x 8"

April 22, 2018

“All grown-ups were once children... but only a few of them remember it."

—Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

This Spring I mentored a fifth grade student through the Chula League's Little Artist BIG ARTIST program, a partnership with Austin ISD that helps kids develop their creativity and means of personal expression while building social skills through one-on-one positive adult communication. This was my first foray into structured mentorship, though working with kids is certainly not new to me and is an area that feels very natural. For ten weeks, my little artist and I worked on building foundational skills in watercolor painting, with design principles, drawing skills, and art history connections all folded in. I let her direct the work in terms of subject matter and interest while guiding her as she worked with technical suggestions and encouraging experimentation. And man was she game. She had a goal of applying to one of the local art magnet middle schools (and was accepted), so much of the early sessions were focused on preparing work for her submission. Next we focused on creating a work for the Little Artist BIG ARTIST group show. I gave her some brainstorming prompts, and she settled on the Eiffel Tower as a subject, a place she hopes to visit someday. We decided that our work for the show would compliment each other, with both of us working with the same subject in different ways. The watercolor pictured here is my contribution, painted from a photo I took from the second level of the tower in 2012. It allowed me to break out of my typical approach to painting and just really sink into something a little more traditional and focused on the act of painting rather than concept.

There's so much to be said for teaching others. At the very least, it strengthens your own abilities. Beyond that it's about a connection that is formed. You walk away having learned just as much. Seeing the world and approaching making art through the eyes of another, and especially through the eyes of a child, is an expanding experience. I had such a great time that I'm planning a summer kids art camp for ages 9–11. More information is available here.

In the meantime, stop by Mondo Gallery from April 27–29 to see work created by all of the little and big artists in the program:

Chula League's 10th Annual Little Artist BIG ARTIST Show

Mondo Gallery

4115 Guadalupe St

Austin, TX 78751

OPENING RECEPTION: April 27, 7 PM–9 PM

SHOW RUN:  April 28–29

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