The Younger Years IX

[felt snowman finger puppet, I should probably clarify the brown is a broom!]

I think Christmas has to start early when you're creative. I remember as a child I would start making my Christmas cards in August, giving myself time to hand draw and colour in cards for every member of my family (no mean feat, let me tell you!) Even nowadays I try to think about it early to give myself time to work out my design, materials, and to allow for my fluctuating health. I have planned the decorations I hope to make this year, and as such I find it really interesting to look back on what I was making as a child. One thing never changes - my love of felt! It is so easy to work with, doesn't fray, and can be glued or stitched. I love hand stitching, mixed media... I love creating, and I love it even more when I don't have to follow any rules! Making Christmas decorations for my family? Such beautiful creative freedom, hopefully making decorations we can treasure for many years to come. And yes, I do still have almost everything I made as a child, even if they don't quite all make it out of the box nowadays!

What about you? Are there decorations you made many years ago that still come out at Christmas? Or nowadays is it all about your own children's creations? I'd love to see them!

The Younger Years VIII

I think my four year old self has said it all!

It does remind me of the quote which hung above the entrance to the art rooms at my secondary school, though.

"In art there are no mistakes, only possibilities."

I think it is one of the phrases I think of most when I am creating, it is so true. No matter what happens when you are creating, never see something as a mistake. When something happens which isn't what you intended, roll with it and work with it - it might just help you create something even more amazing.

What's your favourite creative quote?

The Younger Years VII

I loved making paintings like this as a child. Loading up one half of a piece of paper with splotches of paint, folding it whilst it was still wet, feeling the paint splurge out, and then peeling it back to see the pattern. (And often shouting, "butterfly"!)

I created this one when I was 3 years old. It's interesting to stare at it for a while and wait as my brain creates images from areas of shadows (there's a gummy bear stood in the middle, right?!) What I do find interesting though, is the texture created in the paint as it has splurged [technical term!] That would be really interesting to recreate when working on a textural based piece of art.

I assume I created this at a similar age. What I find interesting is that it hasn't been one simple layer of paint before folding, but that some paint has dried and other areas have transferred. My brain initially perceives it as a simple paint and fold, but the green splodges deny that.

It's totally a butterfly, though.

The Younger Years VI

I vividly remember going through this "collage" phase in the mid nineties. I would just collect anything I could find and add it to my paintings to create masterpieces! Simple things such as kitchen roll, newspaper and string; but also other things such as tinsel, wool, shredded paper, party popper innards, milk lids and bottle tops.

It's weird how some things we remember so vividly. I still enjoy collage though. I worked a lot with mixed media for my A levels, experimenting with creating different textures - I'll try and share some of it with you soon. I think being allowed to experiment early on can really set a person up well to experiment when they're older, and to think outside of the box the world wants you in.

Regulars on my art desk nowadays include filler, silicone sealant, different sponges, sandpaper, chicken wire and remnants of packaging. They can all add different effects and textures to any piece of art, it's all about simply trying things.

The Younger Years V

Growing up, my family had quite a few pets - a budgie, a bunny, and four goldfish to be precise! I believe this to be an early painting of my childhood bunny, Flopsy.

Pet Portraits are one of my main focusses now. Time may pass between them, but it is a skill which I have developed more than most, and which I intend to pursue much further.

It's fascinating to see my beginnings. I would love to make a comment on how I have attempted to capture the texture of the fur with my brush strokes, but I was probably just loathe to paint the whole page black/use up all my paint... I never wanted to run out!!

Anyway, at least I can look back and see my progress!!

A somewhat more recent drawing! And yes, one of my current bunnies is called Flopsy too!
 

The Younger Years IV

I still remember making this image, in year 4 at school. I don't remember why we were printmaking, but I remember using string to create the image at some point, and presumably doing relief work too. I suppose I share it now because I have a sheet of linoleum sat on my desk just waiting for me to make a linocut. I know the exact image I'm going to use, it's just making that first mark which is always so difficult! But, does it really matter if it doesn't work out like I intend?

As a friend reminded me yesterday, "In art there are no mistakes, only possibilities".

The Younger Years III

I love this image.

If you came up to me today and asked me to draw you a butterfly, my priority would probably be symmetry. Make sure the left looks like the right.

These butterflies... Well, they have an equal likeness, but they are not symmetrical. And I love it.

Especially the middle butterfly - I love how the curves mirror each other. Childhood drawings are amazing. They capture the world in a way we struggle to feel free enough to do again. There is no regard for rules, it's just drawing because we want to.

And you know what? I even remember the pen I drew this with.

The Younger Years II

[Self portrait, aged 3.]

 I think we all have a lot to learn from our childhood selves, and the children around us. As adults, we set ourselves a standard we must live up to when we create. We believe that a piece of art we create is not good enough, or should even be thrown away. We are dissatisfied with what we create, and the very concept of needing to create a certain standard of work can stifle us.

Children are free from these restrictions, these boundaries. They are free to just experiment and play, with no regards for the result.

Maybe each of us should take some time out to do the same? Just sit down with some pens/paints and paper, and just create. Not worrying about what we're making, and if it's good enough for our own or anyone else's standards. Just create without limitation.

Go on, try it, I dare you!

The Younger Years I

I realise when you look at this you probably just see a kid's scribbles. Well, I suppose you're right.

But, I like it because (so far) it's one of the earliest examples of me creating that I've found! (I was 23 months old.)

It's exciting, because it's the formation of me. It's the beginning of my creative life,
and it's putting crayon to paper so freely.

And I think that's something we all can learn from.