Have you read Just Ask! by Sonia Sotomayor? This book is filled with colorful flowers. There is a page with an Illustration of a hill filled with beautiful flowers. It is a place that I wish I could roam and wander. On each page, there is a child who introduces the next. Each child tells their story of who they are. The rhythm of the words, be brave, be different, and be you are felt throughout the story.

In this post, I will share why the book Just Ask! is a must-read for every artist. I will share a project my students and I worked on. Together we painted beautifully!

Because I paint I learn not to care

The words be brave, be different and be you are part of why I paint. I paint flowers because I am in love with nature. The other reason is that painting is my peace. The more I paint, the less I care about what people say or think of me. I will begin a project thinking that my painting has to look a certain way. The more I paint, the more I realize that all that matters is my voice.

At times I feel angry or sad. I paint and then it all seems silly. The paper is yours. The paint is yours. You are free to do as you please. Your best art comes from that love, that spirit, that creativity that is you. I know there is an awesome artist who calls them happy mistakes. There are no mistakes. It will work out. It always does.

The Flower Pot Project

I printed out a template of a simple flower that I had drawn. I used poster paper to make the pot and leaves. We should have painted the leaves and the pot as well. We’ll make sure to do that next time! We had three colors to paint with. We had pink, purple, and blue paint, that’s it. I set out the supplies and the students got to work. As I arranged each flower in the pot, I thought about how different each flower was and how each flower complemented the other. Together we make a masterpiece right? Children have no preconceived notions of what art is. They simply paint. It’s the best! I see it every time I create with children.

The flower pot project was last year. I had to repost it as it is one of my favorites. We did good! More projects to come. Make sure you are a subscriber.

With Love, Mireya