Sunshine Girl by my 10 Year Old Daughter.

It’s been so cold for too long now (brr rr rr rr!), and although the snow has been lovely I’m starting to look forward to the warmer weather and brighter evenings.  To help set us on our merry way I have added this very optimistic looking painting made by my 10 year old daughter.  It’s been a really enjoyable experience to watch her create this.  I have given her some guidance (and a little help with the stencils) but it is otherwise all her own ideas and work. I’ve seen her go through a creative process which I know she has gained value from.  She’s used layers and collage, and new materials/techniques she’s never employed before and it’s been a journey of discovery for her.   She said to me “It’s really interesting, because if I do this……….then I’ll get ….(that).  And if I do……(blargh) ……then I’ll get (the other)!”  I could see the proverbial cogs whirring round.  She’s another creative soul and it has been a treat to really see her get engaged in a project.  She has even managed to get a buyer for it within a few hours of completing it!!  Her Dad wants to buy it for his new flat.  (We are separate.)  It helps that we have this office space for my studio, and it is somewhere to come with a specific purpose.  She loves coming here and said the other day that she wishes we could live here!!  I don’t know how long we will have it for though, as it was only meant to be temporary while we sell and move house.  I think having a separate studio/office from home has many benefits but it certainly has drawbacks too, which I am still adjusting to.  I want it both ways, ha ha!!!!!

Happy to have been able to share this with her and you!  She loves Manga/Anime art work and I believe you can see its influence here.  For more of her work see her Kid Manga website.

Here is the piece I mentioned before.  The one I started months ago.  It’s on Birch Plywood and I’ve burned the design into the wood using a pyrography too.  It’s weird how you can leave something for so long and then come back to it with new eyes.  I made such a mess of this that as a last ditch attempt to save it I painted black over the whole thing and literally re-worked the entire piece again.  I’m glad I did!  I really got in to it and then seemed to get results quite quickly, which I enjoyed.  I’m happy with the dramatic effect.  The quote (and inspiration for the painting) is taken from Khalil Gibran’s ‘The Prophet’.  I love this book!  I love how it can be dipped in and out of at any point in the book and always provides an insight which somehow seems relevant.  The book was given by a good friend to Jamie and I as a gift when we had our Commitment Ceremony in 2005.On a different note, we’ve had snow here today in Yorkshire.  Very pretty!!  Most of the local schools were closed, ours included so we went down to the reservoir to sledge.  What fun!!! We found most of the kids from school to be there!   There’s even more snow forecast for tonight.  Yay!!  I don’t think my kids have ever seen so much of it in their lives!  It’s lovely!

Snow-Board-Princess