A couple of years ago when I was teaching at the Crow Barn I brought home three grocery bags full of other people's fabric discards. Because I was teaching fine line piecing, and Nancy Crow was teaching strip piecing upstairs, there were lots of leftover strips donated to my recycling art. I've been working with these strips ever since, sorting out and sewing together those that match into little compositions.
By now I'm really down to the dregs, a half bag full of the very last of the scraps.
He added some sew-off squares and some paper circles that were left from one of my projects in which I made holes in cards.
One of the things that I love about sewing with children is that they make you think twice about what can't or shouldn't be done. I had pulled out a couple of sew-off squares and set them by the machine, thinking that he might want to sew off the edge. He decided to sew them into the composition instead. My first thought was oh no, those aren't for your hanging, they're for sewing off the edge. Fortunately, I held my tongue.
Similarly, my first response, when he asked whether he could use the paper circles, was no -- I had just put in a brand new needle after a couple of days of sewing on paper. But quickly enough I thought why not, and replaced the new needle with the old dull one, which had conveniently been set aside, pinned into a piece of paper to signify its low caste.
The sew-offs and the circles do enliven the work a lot, even though I probably wouldn't have thought to use them if I had been the artist. Maybe the moral of this story is to pretend you're working with a six-year-old even when you're just working with yourself. When your first reaction is no, I can't do that, stop for a minute and say why not?
Congratulations to you both, you for giving him a totally free hand and he for his brilliant piece of work. Do pass my admiration to him from Irene in Northern Ireland
ReplyDeleteLove seeing this post. Reminds me of the days when my two were that young. we were always "making" stuff. I sort of live life that way--why not? Rules were made to be broken or ignored-- at least my dad thought so when we made things.
ReplyDeletesuch free art. may he always create freely.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful creation plus his lovely 6-year-old smile.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, I'll have to remember my scraps when the grandchildren visit
ReplyDeleteNice composition and variety of texture. The lines and shapes remind me of Miro.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Picasso said, "It took me 4 years to paint like Raphael and a lifetime to paint like a child."
ReplyDeletebut speaking of Picasso, did you ever see the drawing that he did when he was 5 years old or so -- a bullfight in an arena, filled with spectators who were indicated by some very sophisticated allover dots. Art critics pointed out that children hardly ever draw that way. So I guess at age 5 he hadn't yet learned how to paint like a child.
DeleteYour grandson is a very good designer and sewer. Looks at those sharp corners!
ReplyDeleteVancouver Barbara
sharp corners are easy -- we set the machine to stop needle-down, then he lifts the presser foot and pivots the fabric. I think without the automatic needle-down feature it would be much more difficult for a little child to sew without much supervision. Also excellent that my machine beeps and refuses to sew if you forget to put the presser foot back down.
DeleteGood lesson for all of us! Your grandson's piece reminds me of some of Rauschenberg's work. I'm off to NYC to see his show at MOMA....and you have this right under your nose...and that smile!
ReplyDeleteI hope you're going to frame that picture of him with his art and that wonderful self-satisfied smile. Priceless!
ReplyDeleteI like your GS's work! I hope he gets many chances to do his own thing before he gets to school and has art "rules" ground into him. If they even have art in school by then that is.
ReplyDelete