Extraordinary mondays - artistic abilities

My dad use to tell me that my late granddad was quite the artist. He taught my dad how to draw. I know for a fact that my dad is quite the artist. So if those smart people studying genetics are right, I should be quite the artist too. Well...I wouldn't go that far as to call myself an artist. I'd say I have creative genes flowing through me, untrained and unharnessed. I'd say I'm an artistic dabbler.

Now, to complete that equation then with Khoa's artistic DNA, our kids would be artists-in-the-making. I thought I'd share some of their recent drawings with you.

Zach's prefers his monotones. I'd love it if he branched out into technicolour but no, for the last few years, it's been monotones all over. But check out the accuracy and details of his shark, giant squid and lantern fish.



Amelia, not wanting to be left behind in the drawing game, drew this fantastic 'dog'. She's been drawing smiley faces for a while now with stick arms and stick legs. This is her very first drawing of a complete animal. Check out the little body in side profile complete with little tail to the right. Isn't it just the most gorgeous thing you have ever seen? Well, probably not. But for me, it's the beginning of beautifully formed creatures and animals from Amelia. I can't wait to watch her drawing ability blossom.



They aren't child prodigies but I can see in them the same need I had when I was younger to draw and produce stuff. I wish I knew how to train and mold their creative abilities. Please send me suggestions and recommendations for books to read on how to nurture a child's creative ability.