Aspiring

I watched one of those "I'm a Mormon" videos on youtube, and it really stuck with me. The lady is an artist. She talks about traveling around the world and how walking up and snapping a picture of someone can feel invasive and offensive to some people. But the experience is totally different when you sit and sketch people.

I love that image of sitting and drawing the world as you experience it. It seems like you'd experience the world much more intimately than simply walking around snapping a hundred pictures. I travel the world, and that would be such a valuable and cool experience to have!

Plus I'm a terrible photographer. Photographs shouldn't require as much explanation as mine always do.

But here's the next problem: I'm not a great artist either. I mean, I draw a mean stick figure, and I'm kind of famous for my stick-figure chickens. But beyond that, I don't really consider myself much of an artist.

Not yet.

Today we headed to the Parque da Cidade. I don't have the courage yet to go and sketch people I don't know, but I brought some of my own willing subjects. 

Penny is driving Cinderella, a.k.a. Naomi, to the ball in her very own pumpkin coach.

William took a nice long nap. When the girls came over to check out my drawing skills, they gave me a lot of helpful input. (He needs lightning! Draw the lightning, mom!) My brother, Alex, is visiting this week. He was concerned about the lack of restraining devices the child in the sketch is wearing. I figure it's interactive art where the audience is supposed to feel something when they see this work.

After watching me draw her brother, Penny requested I draw her over on the turtle they had been climbing on. 

Naomi also wanted some paper and pens, and this is part of her sketches.

I enjoy drawing, and I know I'll enjoy it more when I'm better at it. The girls are interested in art, and while I was looking up ideas to teach them, I also found some ideas I'd like to try myself. Maybe this year we'll all be aspiring artists.
And if not this whole year, then at least for the moment.