The artistic instinct: Is something starting here?
Many, many parents think their kids are geniuses. Some of them are right, some of them are dead-wrong and some of them work hard to deceive themselves into believing that Einstein gobbles Cinnamon Toast Crunch at their breakfast table: “I know he fails everything, but I believe this happens because he is not challenged enough. So he needs to be in all the top classes, even though he has a test average of 6.”
The bottom line is, we parents all want our kids to succeed and we tend to project possible glorious futures for them. I have my own opinions about my own kids, but I am not going to write a proud dad piece here. But I do think it is interesting that, for the first time with both of them, I saw real evidence that they might carry on in their dad’s creative footsteps. (Let’s face it — I can’t completely avoid the proud dad thing, here [puts thumbs behind suspenders; bounces up and down on toes].)
Objectively speaking (by that I mean without my bragging about how brilliant I think they are) this presents a really interesing opportunity to study the growth of two little creative minds. Assuming I am right that they are enough like me (and their creative mom) that they will eventually be artists of some kind, it could reveal a lot about the creative mind, in general, if I keep an eye on the progression. (Although, I admit, it is a tad disconcerting to think of them as little lab-rats in an artistic experiment, so I don’t know how far I will take this.)
My younger son — seven — created the picture below in art class. He has drawn things before, of course, but this copy of the famous Jaws poster (that hangs in my studio) came from memory. His art teacher said they could draw anything they wanted to. He has always been fascinated by (and, oddly, never scared of) this picture. (Even as a baby, he loved to stare at it — it always made him laugh.) Here is his drawing, next to the original poster, in case you don’t remember it:
No, I am not saying it is the work of a prodigy. It’s pretty good, but what do I know? But what struck me is that, for the first time, I see him trying to capture a feeling in his work — the menace of the shark; the dramatic water proportions. (Actually, if there is any real sign of talent, it might just be the nearly exact proportions he captured from memory . . . doh! Sorry.) It is the first time I have seen him try to go beyond merely depicting. Yeah, it is a copy of something he knows, so that helps. But he needed to recall that feeling. Is this the first evidence of real artistic expression? I must watch carefully . . .
Only a few days later, my older son, nine years old, wrote his first complete story in school. Here it is (exactly as he wrote it):
The Mystery of the Moving Treasure Chest
Rich looked behind the box. It was a Goblin!!!!!!!! Rich and Jeff (his dad) were chasing the thing all over town. They saw him crying. “What the heck?” said Jeff. “I want . . . my . . . my . . . my . . .” “Your what?” they both exclaimed. “My riches!” shouted the goblin as he sprung up to get his riches. “Riches?” said Dad, confused. “But, what riches?” said Rich.
When they woke up the next morning, they saw gold! But guess who had it . . . “You again,” screamed Rich. Zoom! “You pesky goblin!” yelled Rich. They made it end quite violently. “Violence solves nothing,” said the goblin. “Shut u– ” but he was off.
“Now what?” exclaimed Rich. “Fire,” whispered Dad. “Fire?” asked Jeff. So they made fake gold, a bow and arrow, and some fire. “Hey, goblin?” asked Rich. “Got some gold . . .” said Rich. “What?” “Now Dad!” Dad shot that burning arrow . . . but it was just a dream. “Phew,” sighed Jeff.
Of course, to me it is fascinating to see this happening. As a writer, I see his attempts to capture action — the sort of action he sees in movies — and to harness the power of words that he sees in books. He also clearly recognizes the power of dialogue. And, like all young writers, he finds the ending one of the hardest things to write. (Though, it makes for a cool little P.O.V revelation, in a way . . .)
Whatever it all shows about the two of them in terms of their potential, this is the start of a journey; at least, I think so. I’m glad I recognize it as such. What was, just a month ago, simply that wonderful, unbridled childhood imagination is finally being shaped into something. It has finally become an attempt to get the world (whether the two of them realize it or not) to understand what is going on inside their heads and hearts.
Fortunately, I know something of that struggle and I will be here to guide them if they need it. Between you and me, I hope they need it.
Chris Matarazzo’s ARTISTIC UNKNOWNS appears every Tuesday.
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Chris, great post … and spot-on in your view. Your latest post addresses one of many wonderful things about parenthood. I’m one of many parents – and guardians, and teachers, and other citizens of that ‘village’ it takes to raise a child – who proudly displays his kids’ artwork on his office wall. Thanks for sharing.
Re: “Many, many parents think their kids are geniuses. Some of them are right, some of them are dead-wrong and some of them work hard to deceive themselves.” You’re absolutely correct … and how wonderful that you and I are among that fortunate first group who are “right!”
;-)
Wow! i do enjoy your writings. Your visualization, (suspenders thumbs lalala) are always what my brain craves. The Jaws poster is pretty cool. I loved “seeing” through my children’s eyes. I still remember them marveling over dandelions or a plane when we just walk by them. (A Color Purple moment I know). I loved the expression on the sharks face; and the swimmer, is not too distinct. Notice no teeth in his drawing. That is what scared me, he was into the “epressions”. The story, I loved the “riches”. He knows to leave that for us to imagine. Smart Kid. It is no surprise.
Jeff — Thanks. Yes — I guess this is a bit of an electronic ofice wall for me . . . but what the hey! As you said, when you’re right you are right! Haha.
Lorraine — They are amazing to watch as they get a perspective on the world. Now this new step is so cool: not just observing, but finally documenting and, more importantly, interpreting. Thanks for the kind and much-appreciated words!
“The Mystery of the Moving Treasure Chest” is very entertaining. The line “”Phew,” sighed Jeff” mirrored almost exactly my own groan when I read that the whole thing was just a dream. Perhaps the ending is a post modern commentary on the idea of the deus ex machina?
Ricky —
“Perhaps the ending is a post modern commentary on the idea of the deus ex machina.”
That’s creepy. That is EXACTLY how my nine-year-old justified it when I critiqued him. But it’s true — it was a real page turner . . . uh, scroller.