Spontaneous Sketching

So far this year Friday's is my only day off work. Tilly and I spend Fridays together, just us girls. Next term, Tilly starts going to Pre-School 5 days a week! I am hoping that this will assist her with the transition to school next year. Spending a term getting used to 5 days, in a familiar environment. She is very ready for it, but boy am I going to miss our Fridays together.

On our final Friday as a duo, we decided to go to the National Gallery. Tilly has been spending much of her time sketching. Her drawings have become detailed and are providing an amazing insight into her thinking.

When drawing this one apparently the 'bobbies'
were the essential element to include.

We headed for the Sculpture Garden which, to me, is an amazing place to introduce children to 'formal' art. They can run, touch and explore the art, really connecting with it. I happened to have some paper and pencils with us and was delighted at the ways Matilda choose to explore and spontaneously sketch the sculptures in the space.

She first wanted to feel them with her body, but not by touching them. She copied the sculptures with her body, felt the positions, and then sat down to draw them. She would have one go, watch me as I had a go and then do another, refining her ideas and techniques.

She engaged in so many area and elements of the garden. The sun was shining, the Spring blooms were out. It was delicious.

Here are some of the ways she engaged with the space, spontaneously sketching...

Feeling the positions before drawing them.

Really looking, observing, studying before drawing 

Colour matching the pencils to the wattle

Her first wattle sketch

Noticing the shadows created by the sun and the wattle.
Asking me to hold it and then sketching the shadow in 'real colours'.

Watching her body move in the reflection

Playing with her reflection

Pure joy and self amusement at how her body gets distorted in the different angles of the sculpture.

Drawing her response to the experience.

After our garden visit, we went and had some lunch and meandered through the exhibitions. We got talking about John Pollock's techniques when he created the Blue Poles, the brush strokes and colour pallet Monet used and how Picasso was a "little mixed up". She had so many ideas. So much insight. So great to have a conversation with. 

She thought the plain white canvases were a 'bit funny - maybe they only had white paint left" and that the Pop Art pictures looked like ads, selling you something.

I am by no means educated in the way of artistic theory, but on this day we experienced 'art appreciation' that was authentic and joyful. I just love that I experienced it with a 4 year old.

38/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: Her joy is contagious. Her smile melts my heart. Her beauty astounds me.

Orlando: After having a vomiting bug all week, he is finally starting to feel better. Still slow and gentle but his strength is returning.

Both: On a visit to Floriade and we discovered 'The Great Hunt'. He read the clues and searched for the answers. She followed him and explored writing it all down, watching and learning from the mentor she admires so much. She has missed him this week while he has been sick and was so pleased he was ready to play again.

37/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: He has become a Joey Scout! So proud of his uniform he is too (first uniform as he doesn't have one for School) He has loved every week and is becoming a part of a wonderful team of kids, developing a new community for himself.

Matilda: She is in love with the flowers that herald the start of Spring. The garden is bursting and she is dancing from one flower to the next declaring and showcasing it's beauty to the world.

Pair:  The iPhone has created a new relationship. He is the film-er, recorder, choreographer. She is the performer, the presenter and the actress. We have to download the data weekly to keep up with the storage.

36/52

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: Inspired by older peers at school he requested to learn how to knit. YES!!! I would LOVE to pass this knowledge on to you!

Matilda: The first signs of Spring in Canberra is the wattle. It's buds burst and bring sunshine to the naked trees. Tilly has been on a wattle hunt for a week. All of her car trips consist of "Wattle! Wattle! Wattle More Wattle Wattle!" I love how in-tune with her world she is.

Pair: We brought some garden beds, Orlando said "these look easy to put together" and so I set them the task. Work together to build all 6 new garden beds. What a team they are!!

34/52

 We are feeling Spring warming the garden and beckoning us out.

 "A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: His garden space continues, at the markets he found some pansy plants. This one he has called Tiger Flower. (Photo by Nathan Davies)

Matilda: We have adopted two beautiful new chickens to add to our brood. They have grown up in the hands of children and are very happy to be held. Today was the first time Tilly held one. She was very keen, learnt how to do it properly and was full of joy. Then she got a great shock when it flew out of her arms. Didn't deter her from having a second hold though. (Photos by Nathan Davies)

Pair: We are reading "The Little Fairy Sister" as a family novel at the moment. Tilly started constructing a beautiful little fairy garden, Ollie joined in. Now it sits under the flowers ready and waiting for the fairies to visit. I love the mini potato they found in the garden exclaiming "It might be tiny like a pea to us but to the fairies it's gi-normous!"

Joining with Jodi

Native Folk

As I have mentioned a few times before, my children are chronic collectors. They find treasure everywhere they go and fill their pockets (my bag) with all of the must have souvenirs. 

I love that our children see treasure and beauty in the natural world... we just need to find a way to channel the 'goods' that are lovingly brought into our home.

So when we came across this book... we were inspired to use some of our treasures. In fact we were so inspired we spent 2 more days out bush walking, collecting even more treasures with vision.

I LOVE that resources from the natural world a completely free. All they require is for you to step out of your door and open your eyes. We found some really interesting things on the nature strip!

This afternoon was a 'Craft-a-noon' at our place and the whole family sat and created. A world of Native Folk, out of our treasures. 

All we needed was the natural resources we had collected and a hot glue gun (I LOVE HOT GLUE GUNS)

We had a lot of fun, here are our first attempts :)

Beauty in Black and White

The end of the school holidays has come too soon, we need another week at least. 

Today we donned the downs and went-a-walking...

There is something beautifully classic and simple about black and white photography. 

No colours to mix it up and confuse it, just the beauty in the details. 

Beauty in the tones and contrasts. 

In the shadows.

Beauty in the positive and negative spaces. 

We had a day full of beauty. 

Beauty in bush, granite tors, streams, and SNOW!

All beautiful, 

all contrasting, 

all unique.

23/52 - Attitudes

With bodies and brains growing we are observing many different phases. When they are so small the changes are more physical, but now that they are bigger it is their personalities that go through phases. We know they are all phases that will pass, but at the moment our house is full of attitudes... I look forward to this one shifting :)

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: A new sulk has begun, she is going all quiet and refusing to talk. I guess it is a very different way of getting attention, when her brother tries to get it from being loud and in your face.

Orlando: Now that he is 7, he seems to think the world should serve him... we're working on shifting this perception, but in the process we are seeing this look... a lot!

Pair: Nan's garden in the afternoon sun is a great place to explore and play :)

Joining with Jodi

20/52, 21/52 and 22/52

I've been away on camp, busy taking photos of other people's children and neglecting to take photos of my own (or being absent and so not having the opportunity)

So here is my catch up :)

20/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: So many gems! The favourites picked out and presented in a beautiful spectrum.

Matilda: A magical little tea party... imaginative play has been a real focus at the moment.

21/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Orlando: He is starting to make is writing more detailed and descriptive. His letters and spellings are becoming more conventional.

Matilda: Her drawing is increasing in detail. Lots of little added features. The descriptions are delightful. She sits and draws for hours.

22/52

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Matilda: She is helping her Mamma in the kitchen

Orlando: He is helping his Dad in the garden

A Perfect Sunday :)

Joining with Jodi