Never Buy Another Card Ever!

Do you have kids? Are you a painter that loves making a mess like a kid? I say....embrace the messy. Choosing to be a creative means we tend to bend the rules a bit when it comes to mess, and the messier one gets as a creative, the more potential there will be to 'see' the beauty in our world that we might would have missed otherwise. 


Take this 'painting' for example. At first glance some might thing that it was intentional. If you didn't know the story behind it you would pretty much guess that it is a painting from an abstract painter. In reality, it is simply the background of craft paper I use to paint on to save my kitchen table from getting ruined. When my brush needs cleaning, I head for the craft paper and wipe away. This gives me the freedom to not worry about the mess and when all is said and done my 'work paper' turn out to be some of my best works of art. 

Now look at this painting. What do you notice? Did you take it for an intentional work of art or not? This is actually a small section of my art shirt. I will be buried in this shirt one day, as a final work of art I hope. Kids, artists, creatives all love to embrace the messy. As parents, if we help them embrace that, we just might begin to train our eyes to see the unexpected works of art that they leave as little creative crumb trails all over the place. 

Here is a challenge for you whether you are an artist learning to create or one who has kids that love messy play. Get yourself a roll of craft paper in brown or white. Cover a table, a board for an easel, a lap desk, or whatever play space you choose where crayons, markers, paints, or crafts can be done. Encourage the act of using the table as 'wipe space' along with the paint smock. Eventually, in a few days depending on how much creativity is born there, the wipe space will begin to take on a life of its own. 


To go one step further, draw, write, express yourself by sharing your favorite words there. When all is said and done, without really any intent, your creative eye will land on a spot and be drawn to it like ants on a trash can. You will stop and realize how beautiful youR or your children's marks are, and they will then be a marker for that point in time when creativity ruled the day and beauty was embraced. 

I tend to cut mine up to use in all types of things....not the shirt, but the wipe paper. I mat and frame it, I use it in collage, I make homemade cards with it. In fact, I will never buy another birthday card again because my friends simply LOVE receiving these instead. Your kids messy art can save you tons of money.....sorry Hallmark, lol! See the steps below to see how easy it is. 

Cut a small piece of the wipe paper in the shape you desire.

I chose a square.

Glue it onto a background piece...this step is optional.

Glue that onto a blank card. 

Title and Sign it. If your child does this, have them name and date it. 

BEST CARDS EVER!

Painting Fine Art for Children

Sea oats and magnolia leaves are great fodder for some artists but not for me. My imagination is just too much off the chain for that so I opt, many times, for painting the weird, the wacky, the lovely, and kids love it! This piece, "Is That You Bob Marley?" is one that would inspire wonder, questions, and make a child think. That type of art is powerful to have and expose children to because it takes them from ordinary to the imaginative extraordinary. As a child, children's illustrations fascinated me and the weirder ones always got my attention. 


I could always say, it started with a door, a flag, and a rabbit, ;) 


Patterned, painted gesso paper, watercolor crayons, pencils, graphite, and diluted white acrylic. 

Up close detail, you can see the patterns well here.

It did start with a door, a flag, and a rabbit.

I am healing well enough to graduate from the bed to the table!

Oh, is it him or not? 

Teaching Children the Concept of 'Beauty'

I have had the pleasure of working with kids through the past years either through tutoring or painting with them and even showing them that writing can actually be fun. Those moments are dear to me because I miss teaching kids a great deal. As a teacher, and I believe God calls certain people to that profession, having the opportunity to mold a child's understanding of the world around them is a humbling, grace filled opportunity that I hold sacred. 

My cousin Fran has a daughter who has painted with me. I love painting with children, because it brings me back to my true gift, the one of teaching. Fran called me the other day and explained that Lilly had to paint for a contest at school and the theme was, "Beautiful Is..." I thought for a minute and realized kids the ages of 3-8 might struggle to really grasp this concept so I thought of what suggestions I could give that might help her.  

For that age group beauty is a vague, abstract concept. It is not something they can grasp with their hands. Although they are surrounded by beautiful things each day, I doubt they look at a flower and see it as beautiful with a deep understanding of the idea. To help a child begin to consider this word I suggest using their five senses to experience the world around them and share in discussing it with you. Take your child to a florist or produce market and let them touch, smell, taste, and see the variety of colors. Then ask them, which ones are they drawn to, and why. Explain to them that those colors, objects, sounds, or feelings are those they find beautiful.  At a young age it must start with their experiences but as your children age, you will begin to spread their wings a bit and teach them that all beauty comes from within and even ugly can be beautiful.


I believe that we are created by God with an understanding for 'beauty' in each of us. Science can't explain the concept as to why when we see a rainbow or the face of a child we experience it as 'beautiful'. Part of me truly believes that what we find as beautiful is God's way of showing us what the Garden of Eden would have been like. We get little glimpses or tastes of what he meant for us, and I am grateful for those moments in life. 

As you compare and contrast songs, moments, feelings, textures, etc. with your child encourage them to explain why or why not they are drawn to one thing in particular. This conversation is critical in teaching them to live artistically and it will actually build a foundation for them to understand the scientific process as well. Most of all, have fun with the activity or conversation, because the process of the understanding is really the point, not the end result of did they get it. 

I hope some of you will choose to paint with your children during this holiday season. Those gifts are the most precious and 'beautiful' to give and receive. Beauty can be abstract to young ones but it doesn't have to be. If you want to truly show them something beautiful, give them a mirror. 
This is Lilly, she and her painting are both, BEAUTIFUL!

 

Library Show I Got In!

WoooooooHooooooo! I got into my first juried show at the library with these two pictures. I entered the Mobile Public Library Art Show and both pieces got juried in. I still laugh at "Flannery, I'm Your Many" and the "Love Reading, Love the World" speaks to the teacher in me. I haven't added them to my website yet but that will come. Spent the last few weeks dealing with a bad asthma attack which landed my behind back in the hospital but it was only for a brisk visit, thank God. The painting has been good for me, hard on my neck, but good for the soul. I am working on a new cross, one on TRUST, but it is turning out to be a tad challenging. Will update my God moments later along with my new work. We are headed to Birmingham for my one year check up on my spine surgery. Lower back is good, I am grateful, but most of all, always thankful to God for the journey! Peace Peeps! Ardith

What makes you laugh?

These are pics of the VBS at Christ Anglican Church in Mobile.



Well, after my last post I was blown away by the number of replies I got, because I also posted it on my Facebook page. What occurred to me, after reading them all, was that depression appears to be an epidemic in our life, for many different reasons, and the fight for our laughter, our joy, is of utmost importance. So, I began thinking about what makes me laugh, when were the times in my life that I was rolling on the floor laughing with pure joy, or when was I just chuckling to myself at my own clumsiness, fruticakeness, or accidental mess I walked into. As I thought about these an underlying theme began to surface, a lot of those moments had something to do with children.

My true calling from God was to be a teacher. For ten years I taught elementary school, and the laughter and joy I found in the faces of those kids was addicting. There was one little second grade girl, she had tiny freckles across her nose and the most gorgeous red hair. She walked up to me with almost a rage talking 90 to nothing. I got her to calm down and asked what was wrong, and she went into this litany of how Michael had called her the "E" word. I was perplexed, I had no idea what the E word was, but didn't want my lack of understanding to invalidate her feelings. So, I asked, what is the E word. Without hesitation she said, "Ediot!" I lost it, I just couldn't help it, she was so upset, and had no clue why I would laugh, so I quietly explained the spelling error, and she said to me, "I guess that makes me one too doesn't it?" She then turned around and hugged Michael. Now I have no clue how a 2nd grader could have comprehended the meaning so well, but she did, and the laughter made it bearable for all involved, and everyone ended up cracking up in that moment. Kids are instinctively joyful, full of laughter aren't they?

I have been talking to God a lot lately about my desire to be surrounded by kids, because they are close to my heart. A few weeks ago he placed the VBS at Christ Anglican Church in my mind and said he would give me the physical ability to help if I was willing. So, I volunteered and said simply how can I help? They were in need of someone to help with their decorations and set designs, so I knew that was right up my ally.
As we worked with ideas, drew crazy fish and horses, and termite mounds our days were filled with laughter, and I felt God's presence in every moment I spent working towards that goal. I realized that even though, for now, it wouldn't be safe for me to actively work and play around the kids because of my spine issues, the effort I could put into making their world magical would bring smiles on their faces and create memories in their lives, which to me, brings a smile on my face like no other. So for the past two weeks, and on some days thought the pain would really be too much to get through, God provided me with the ability to make it through, with joy.

I do have to share one oh so hilarious day because it simply puts into perspective the laughter part of this adventure.
We had been working and drawing and painting and I had been wearing a pair of hospital scrubs, because well, I kinda have a few if you know me. When I got out of the car in my driveway I bent over to grab my purse and realized my pants had been split in a way too obvious place. Horror filled my eyes because I had no idea how many people I had mooned all morning bending over. I started laughing, and laughing, and though my back was killing me, I just couldn't help realizing it was one of those crazy, Ardithian moments that just happen in my life. Later that day, after posting it on Facebook my friends promised they didn't notice so at some point between church and home I ripped my pants. So, for the poor folks at the gas station and Walmart that I may or may not have mooned I am so sorry, but I bet my life a few of them were cracking up, and in that, I brought a smile to their faces, and my rip was well worth it.

In our darkest hours I have found many, many of you tell me that what brings them out of it is to surround yourself with what brings you joy. For me, it's children, my husband and son, my friends and family, and Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, (the original one). I prayed for God to have a sense of humor, and he so has, he has also told me that as my emotional and mental spirit heal, I will find the key to a lifelong understanding of pure joy, and then be able to share it with others. I look forward to that journey. Though it may be difficult at first to muddle through, the goal is so worth the effort, and the opportunity to share it with you, is what motivates me to dive right in!
"The One whose throne is in heaven sits laughing. . . ." (Psalms 2:4)

(A compilation of actual Church Bulletin and Service bloopers)

* Our next song is "Angels We Have Heard Get High."

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* Don't let worry kill you--let the church help.

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* Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

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* For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

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* Weight Watchers will meet a 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use large double door at the side entrance.

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* Jean will be leading a weight-management series Wednesday nights. She's use the program herself and has been growing like crazy!

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* The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.

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* This afternoon there will be a meeting in the South and North ends of the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.

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* Tuesday at 4:00 P.M. there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.

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Silly Monster Art Trading Cards

Mr. GeneBeans




Wim Wiggly








Mr. PigOats








Captain TimTom




Howdy from hot Alabama! It's been brutally hot here the past few days but the weather man says we are in for a break, I hope. I haven't been painting much because of my neck but did do a few new ATC's that I am thinking of writing a book about. They are quite a hoot I guess. For those of you who were following the saga of my Christmas tree there is a new update. As of now, it's once again on the grass in my front yard. It stayed parked in my living room, and yes I know it's JUNE, so I decided to finally take it to storage because my husband swears we can use it again next year, ugh! Well, he put it in his truck and got to storage but had no key, so it traveled around and parked it's itchy self here and there for a few day until I went and got it to take to storage, but.... I brought it home because I was too hot that day and ended up taking it out of my car so I could fit a pump in the back and there it sits, once again on my front lawn for all to see and wonder why we are a bit crazy. I promised my husband it would be taken care of today so we will see, to storage or not to storage, that is the question. Maybe I can find a nice trash pile on the way and come up with a wild story of how it got lost. Nah, my husband would see right thru it so I am once again bound to this horrible, nightmare of a tree. Stay tuned for tree updates if you choose and put me on your prayer list for one who has lost her marbles, but would rather lose her tree, Ha! Peace!