On My Worktable Today

Kate, Micah, & our duck Gretchen

My daughter has a gift for color.   She has done unusual things with color her whole life.   When she was 7 she used to wear 2 pairs of socks - every day.   If she had on an outfit that was red and black, she would wear a pair of red socks and a pair of black socks.  On one foot, she wore the red sock under the black sock with the red one turned up and the black one folded down.  On the other foot, she would do the opposite. 


I wish I had a photograph to show you.  But in those pre digital days, we didn't take as many photos as we do today.   You'll have to imagine it.  She made this look up herself.   And the funny thing was that after a while all the other little girls started doing it too.  The mothers would tell me they wouldn't wear their socks any other way now.  I was never sure if they were ok with it or if they were frustrated with me for letting Kate do it.

As she grew older she would see colors in objects that I didn't really see.  We had an old, old, think older than that, door from a family home that had been torn down.   As I looked at the door, I saw a dirty yellow door. Kate saw yellow and white and green and even purple in it.  And when she painted anything, those colors would come out and it was beautiful.   She painted some images from the old house.   Here is a photo of the house and one of the paintings.   See the difference?   It isn't that she imagines the colors.  She sees them!

I have often longed for that gift.   But, alas, it is not in my head.  But recently I have been determined to grow in that area.  I cannot create the gift Kate has, but perhaps I can foster the skill.  So, with that in mind, I've been piddling with art in unusual colors.  I have just finished this elephant.   Ellie is tiny - 2.5 x 3.5. Artist Trading Card size.  She was done during a collection of moments when I was caught in a lobby or in the car with nothing to do but wait.   Ellie was created with Derwent Inktense, Prismacolor, & Derwent Sketching pencils on Strathmore mixed media paper.  Working in unusual colors was a challenge for me and definitely stretched my thinking processes.  But I enjoyed it and I am pleased with her.

 

 
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