Reflection 5: Bringing 2-D to life

Drawing and the visual arts in general have always been dear to me ever since I was in 2nd grade and our teacher would have a daily competition to find a way to change a squiggly line of some sort into a true picture. We would all work hard on our drawings for about ten minutes and then put them at the front of the classroom. From there we would all vote for our favorite drawings, slowly narrowing it down, and for the sake of fairness none of us would know who drew what picture. This was a favorite activity of mine since occasionally I would make it to the top and it gave me confidence to think that I was a good drawer even if I struggled with my other school work.

I can't say I am an excellent artist now unlike some of my friends, but I still enjoy taking a pencil to paper or a brush to a canvas and showing what only I can see. This is something that I think visual arts gives to almost everyone if they are willing to give it a try, and it is absolutely essential to make sure that its part of the classroom. Drawing seems to be the most basic of creative arts to me, as children start as soon as they have a crayon in their hand. Some how it is a way to connect thoughts in ones head, and represent something that words sometimes fail in.