Damaged Creative Spirit

Yesterday after reading Ninnies blog about her brother, a potential artist feeling discouraged about his talent, after taking a few art classes at eleven. I was inspired to share Peppers story. As a little girl she made the cutest character drawings to accompany her stories, often taking more time with the art than the story. As a preteen she spent hour’s meticulously planning collages that represented her life.

First year of high school, she had a wonderful Art teacher who loved Peppers style and engaged her creativity. Pepper felt excited about every pending art project and also collaged in her spare time! Her fashion style of colored hair, and thrift store finds daily reflected her creativity.

Grade nine, she had a new conservative art teacher, who expected all the assigned projects to look similar. One day Pepper did a clay model of a skater dude; I chuckled at the cute caricature, fashioned after fourteen year old boy. One particular boy with a twenty eight inch waist; wore a size thirty something pants. Resting in the center of his bottom, he presented his pristine boxers to the world. Excess material slouched at his ankles, where his jumbo feet protruded. Resembling a gangly year old puppy! Many clones of this kid wandered the school yard, a reminder of my teen years, where Lee jeans, not as extreme, had to fit a certain way on my hips. Parents scoffed then, and they scoff today at certain styles. I chose to embrace youth and their variances. Giggling to myself at times.

The teacher criticized her clay skater boy, complaining it was completely out of proportion, grading her very low. Another alphabet project, they were to collage things about themselves for each letter, also graded low. Here are a few of my favorites, from the cherished book, depicting her mindset at fourteen. That insensitive denigration broke her spirit, ending her love of art class. She has done some sewing, made lots of jewelry and still wears clothes artistically. Disillusioned, by that teacher, she never took another art class. That one teacher managed to damage a part of my daughter’s creative spirit!