I Can Paint

I see beauty in God's created world. The seemingly mundane often call me to my knees and the camera becomes my voice.

This picture is one of those moments....

So..back to the I Can Paint!!!!

Over the years I have heard countless comments regarding the ability of a homeschooling mom. How do they qualify to teach any subject to their child? I completely understand where that question is coming from and I do not take it quite as personally (or negatively!) as I once did! Lord help me, honestly! You just have to let things go. For some of us it takes a little longer! Most homeschoolers don't see themselves 'qualified' for most academic subjects and humbly accept their limits and pursue curriculum that enables them to spark learning in their child.

I see learning as a gift to impart to my children. If I can't paint, I find amazing books that show me how to teach it, a person qualified to show them how or just let the kids explore and stop worrying about the end result!

So, my point you ask?? I am not a painter, however I love art. I love it so much. I adore so many forms of art from sculpting, water colour, photography, cardboard houses, paper mache, our food placed on our plates at lunch, the music we listen to, the dance we perform (congrats Meg on your dancing lately!!)  model magic even (oh yes that is art my friend! Have you seen what Mrs. H taught Sara and Samantha? No, you kindly respond!! Well, she showed them how to make a model of the earth and the layers it is made of. Sara looks at it every night and is so proud she made it and knows the layers!! That is her art! The lovely lady that showed her knew just how to incorporate art into a geography lesson!

At our last homeschooling Canada presentation day one of the families made paddles and painted artwork on front and back - beautiful! There was art in every presentation that day, every single one!!!!

Art somehow is with us everyday and embracing it that way allows it to seep into us in a stunningly simple way.

I see it as such a precious gift from our God that created in us the ability to see it, desire it and perform it. I am not planning on having our art forms displayed in an art museum, but for some that is where God will have it placed to glorify Him. Our art here is simple, manageable and literally a breath of fresh air when the air seems somewhat stale with fractions! If I allow myself to see art in all subjects our days are literally transformed into something wonderful.

Tomorrow we are making brain hats showing the left and right hemispheres and from there going into some rain forest activities (thank you Hilary, Heather and Annie for sparking a flame of interest here in the rain forest!!)

Art in science and geography tomorrow! I will link the brain hats when I find it! So neat!! I can make copies Heath and Paula!!!! I have to say it is quite funny they end up looking like army hats with the brain on the outside! Hilarious. We have had lots of talks about the brain lately and even though our anatomy books are not there yet, we are doing it anyway. Hey, I am a homeschooler, I can do that right!!!

The art I chose to do recently was not my idea. I am so thankful that someone else has the gift of simplifying what could be an arduous task. In the book, I Can Paint by Irene Luxbacher (want to meet her!!) she starts with the basics and leads the reader toward a masterpiece! It is attainable and the kids know it. So we looked at page 14 -15 and created what is called 'Touching the Sky'. They learned about the horizon line (some knew about that but others did not) and using water colours is always unique! Also, Samantha was so inspired she went on to try page 10-11 'Warm and Friendly'

They all did it and here is the result.

                                                                   Sara colouring as usual!!

They all had the same water, brushes and paint and had different paintings at the end. That was the best part for me, all different and created by little artists doing their best!

So, for me, not a trained artist I bring joy, enthusiasm, an idea, a good instructional book and lots of patience (always more clean up than you anticipate!) but we had fun. It was great and showed them that they could do it and well.

                                                                  so...

Will I teach calculus? No, I won't I can tell you that right now, but what I can tell you is this...they will get there (where God wants them to be...) and I will walk with them however God calls me to, and I will provide for them as well as I can the beginnings of pathways and roads that only they can tread to fullfull God's ultimate plan for their lives. I can't take the test for them, I can show them how to study and  allow them to know the character traits necessary to succeed.
 I am not a calculus teacher. I serve a God who created it! Somehow we will navigate the  academics and juggle our moments, our days...