My favorite class in grade school was Art class. The art room was located on the top floor next to the fifth-grade classrooms. It was decorated with close hanger mobiles and smelled of clay and paint. Eagerly I would take my place at a table in the middle of the room ready for the teacher to give us a new assignment. Art was a challenge I felt confident I could succeed at, it was a nice reprieve from the math and grammar classes I found more of a struggle.
In my memory, one of my favorite challenges was using tissue paper to create a 3-dimensional artwork. On such Art class days, we were given the freedom to choose from many colorful tissue paper squares to create the image we had in mind.
I remember the thrill I experienced at looking into the boxes filled with colorful squares and the light feathery feel of the squares in my hand as I walked back to my table. Armed with an eraser free number 2 pencil and a bottle of "Elmers" glue I started my art expression by twisting the first tissue paper square around my pencil top. Dotting the picture with glue I carefully glued the tissue paper square down by pressing the flat eraser-less tip covered in tissue paper onto the paper then slowly lifting the pencil straight up leaving behind the tissue paper bud sticking straight up.
On Valentines Day week we worked on a Heart. With passion, I worked fervently thinking of how my mother would love the 3-dimensional heart. Using pink, red, and white I twisted and glued what seemed like a thousand tissue paper squares to express my love for the woman who tirelessly served me. Art was a way to speak when words seemed hard to communicate.
In a home of boys, I felt like I had to fight to get anything to eat and any shred of attention. But in Art, it flowed easily. I still love to paint with reds and yellows. I love the sight of the bright colored flowers at the local park as they bloom dramatically in mid summer. Color awakens my soul even when life seems dull.
We have just entered a new year. We have just started a new season, Winter. Absent are the bright colors of tulips and autumn leaves instead the forecast speaks of fog, gray skies, and snow. As I woke up this morning I started thinking of my old love for tissue paper art and actually thought about cutting up some squares to make something. Such memories got me to thinking…Life is Art.
It is not about what you have, but what you can make out of it. Children are fascinated by color. When my children were little opening up a can of play-do was so stimulating I had to watch carefully to see if they would try to take a bite. In the summer time if we spotted a hot air balloon they stood mesmerized. They were easily captivated by the wonder of the details of life. Somewhere along the way I stopped looking around and enjoying the little splashes of color each day has to offer.
No matter how dull life may appear right now I want to encourage you to get some paint out. Splash some color into the mundane. If you are feeling stuck don’t just settle for the status quo, take out some crayons and begin to draw a new dream. Some of us might not feel youthful anymore, but don’t let that stop you from creating something new.
I sat trying to think of a New Year's resolution this morning. I had a list of very mature boring goals, but just for fun, I started adding some color to the grown-up to do list. I want to take time for tissue paper squares and hide-and-go-seek. After all, we only live once and I want my life to be a work of Art sparkling with fantastic color, depth, and imagination.
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