Angels and Children

'Catch a Falling Star' available at my Etsy shop

I was watching my daughter yesterday, she had her fingerpaints out and big sheets of sugar paper and she was on her knees in her little waterproof smock and Ive never seen so much joy emanate from such a tiny little being - her whole body was enraptured with the feeling of plunging her chubby little hands into the bright paint (shes only 15 months old and doesn't quite grasp the concept of 'finger painting' which is great, its her definition of how she feels she wants to use something!) and dropping it onto the paper before splurging it around making swirls and shapes.

It got me thinking.

Why dont we paint like that.

Why dont we open ourselves up to just playing, feeling the stuff we're working with - smelling the paint, touching it, loading up a brush and daubing it and mixing it just to see what happens?

I was inspired by her enthusiasm, for the colour and the baby art she was making - I couldnt help feeling a touch envious of how easily she did it, nobody to impress, nobody to prove anything to - she was just making pictures and that was enough.

Can we ever grasp that as adults? Can we let go enough to just enjoy it?

I was trying this concept out today - it being art thursday- and played about with some sketch ideas I had a while back for a fairy angel series. I used lots of different media, got acrylics, crayons and shimmer glazes, scribbled into the painting, sanded bits out, re-worked parts, and then smudged pastels into it with my fingers. After a while I felt lost in what I was doing...the Amelie soundtrack was playing and I worked along to the rhythmn of the music - time flew by, I had an absolute ball!

The finished piece is above, 'Catch a Falling Star' - I love it, it sings with something...I cant define it, I just know I felt joy as I created it.

Search inside for your child spirit - ask them to come out and play.