Mother Portraits
Painting is a very important part of children’s development. Kids start to draw long before they learn to count, write, or read.
Before they can write the word "Mama," they can draw her shape. Drawing is the bridge between the physical world (Mom) and the abstract world of symbols (This mark on paper means Mom).
When kids draw, they aren't trying to be Picasso. Adults are bogged down by rules, techniques, and the fear of "bad art." Children don't care about perspective or realism, trends and scores. It is art in its most raw, honest form - pure unfiltered honesty.
Before they can write the word "Mama," they can draw her shape. Drawing is the bridge between the physical world (Mom) and the abstract world of symbols (This mark on paper means Mom).
When kids draw, they aren't trying to be Picasso. Adults are bogged down by rules, techniques, and the fear of "bad art." Children don't care about perspective or realism, trends and scores. It is art in its most raw, honest form - pure unfiltered honesty.
Drawings by elementary school students/ 2017
Children draw things according to importance. If a child draws a person with giant hands, it might be because that person holds them or feeds them.
They know Mom has eyes (so they draw them) and a mouth (so they draw it). The nose is often forgotten because it doesn't do as much talking or looking. The body disappears because to a child, the face is the entire universe of connection.
In many of those drawings, the mother’s head will be a giant circle with a tiny body. This isn't a mistake of anatomy: the head is huge because her face is the sun for them. Her face is the center of their world. Children show us not what Mom looks like, but what Mom feels like.
Letting kids paint their imagination freely is important in their growing. Through painting they can express their feelings even they don’t know such words or can not understand what is going on.
Drawing is one of our very first forms of communication, existing long before we master the complexities of alphabet systems or mathematics. Ancient humans painted on cave walls before they developed written alphabets. Kids are following that exact same evolutionary path.
They know Mom has eyes (so they draw them) and a mouth (so they draw it). The nose is often forgotten because it doesn't do as much talking or looking. The body disappears because to a child, the face is the entire universe of connection.
In many of those drawings, the mother’s head will be a giant circle with a tiny body. This isn't a mistake of anatomy: the head is huge because her face is the sun for them. Her face is the center of their world. Children show us not what Mom looks like, but what Mom feels like.
Letting kids paint their imagination freely is important in their growing. Through painting they can express their feelings even they don’t know such words or can not understand what is going on.
Drawing is one of our very first forms of communication, existing long before we master the complexities of alphabet systems or mathematics. Ancient humans painted on cave walls before they developed written alphabets. Kids are following that exact same evolutionary path.
(P.S. The photo was taken in 2017 when I worked at a school. I wanted to start my gallery and students were a great inspiration for me. Well, I finally started Lu gallery—eight years after taking this photo.
It took at least eight years).
It took at least eight years).
