The Beatles

These are the beatles of The Beatles. One of Tessa's favorite bands and a very cool picture. Notice that Kyle is also in the picture...complete with his fuzzy beard.

mommy and daddy are happy

In Tessa's words: "Once I drew this picture when I was in the car. On the one in the upper left is mommy and daddy having a picnic. They are happy because me and Trenton are home with a babysitter. On the upper right is mommy and daddy on a mountaintop. Daddy gave mommy a flower and it made her happy. Down on the left, is daddy carrying mommy in the moonlight. Down on the right mommy and daddy are being happy because they are playing hide-and-seek with their friends. The End."

the many moods of Tess

Yesterday we were at the grocery store and a young girl, maybe 4, was having a doozy of a tantrum complete with screaming and spinning on the ground. As I drove home with the kids they asked what their tantrums were like...we had some chuckles about them. And then this morning as I sorted through the 2008 art I rediscovered a sampling of Tessa's pictures she started creating last year whenever she was angry, upset or sad. She would make the pictures and then place them around so everyone would know her mood. If you were the person she was most angry with she would place it in front of you. Mostly she used them as a way to start a conversation about what was making her angry, and it has been so much more effective than the tantrums of the past.

Trenton's anthropomorphisms

Trenton created several series of drawings where fruit or appliances became alive and most were moments away from meeting their grisly demise.

where did the year go?

It is February 2009 and I have not posted to the art blog since August 2008. Perhaps it it simply too much to update three blogs in concert with everything else going on...but for whatever reason I cannot let the idea flat line just yet. So, I am posting today some of the 2008 items in my folders and will try to post to the art blog monthly this year... the kids and Kyle and I are all trying new things with our sketchbooks and having a forum to post them helps me to review them through time and to share items that are a small glimpse into the creative spirit of our family.