Creative Practice
Birth /Early Childhood age zero -3 years and
Childhood/Primary School ages 4-12 years
My family was not ritualistic regarding my birth. There was no ceremonies or celebrations other than the routine baby shower. The family baby shower is when all the relatives come together with gifts and baby clothes outgrown by our cousins. The nursery was not prepared in unique colors it housed a crib, and a bassinet was used beside Mothers bed. My Mom did try to dress me cute in a frilly style when she could. I remember nothing about my infancy except those stories reported by my Mother. Like the detail of wearing cloth diapers and the day she dressed me up to take me to the doctor and was scolded by the pediatrician for having a rubber band too tight around my ankles to keep my socks up. Yes, I did survive infancy with ten toes.
Going through all my keepsakes from the past I was unable to find evidence of art from my childhood. Because I could not find any samples of my childhood artwork, I would like to share the art I have saved from my grandchildren. This is Riley’s drawing at 3 years of age. The prompt I gave her was to draw a picture of her mother.
Drawing title; My Mom
by granddaughter
Riley at age 3
I think it looks just like her Mother, especially if you bring into consideration Carl Young's view of collective unconsciousness and archetypical symbols.
The feminine circle is evident.
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The fact that there are no relics doesn't mean that I was not amused with my crayons. I recall memories of riding with other children age 5 in a station wagon to Buddy Sherwood’s kindergarten where music and crayons were plentiful. Other than church, it was my first exposure to socialization with children, my own age. I remember it as rather painful as I was withdrawn and shy, but crayons were always available to support my bashfulness.
Music and vocals were a significant influence on both sides of my family Mom and Dad’s. Mom presented me with shape note spiritual group singing and Dad’s family was active in bluegrass music. I was somewhere in the middle but enjoyed participating in both styles. Rudolf reports that genetic endowment for music is unlikely that nurture plays the greater role, (Rudolf, 2003). Sergeant and Thatcher sees a correlation between musical ability and intelligence.
Here is another drawing of Mom at the same age which is a bit more sophisticated. The sensitivity of the internal structure develops between ages 4 to 8 according to (Chipman and Mendelson, 1975). When I ask Riley to tell me about her picture she pointed out the following things in her tadpole human. She pointed to the two blue vertical lines and called them eyes. The horizontal lines crossing the extremities are bracelets. This shows more aesthetic properties in Riley's work with greater detail than the previous one. However, the previous one was drawn most recently. (Brooks, Gleen, and Crozier,1988) noted that preschoolers favored drawings at their own level rather than complex human forms. (Golomg, 2004) claims the first representational art that children draw is the human figure.
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Here are some more examples from early childhood art I found in my cedar chest belonging to my grandchildren. The first is one dimensional using only a crayon to decorate her snowman at age 5. The second snowman is three-dimensional using a white cotton ball, red felt, and black beads. Requiring some assembly this seems too complicated for a 4-year-old child without some adult supervision.
At age five I knew without a doubt that I wanted to be an artist and nurse. I wanted to be a healer. Why is that year significant for me? My 7-year-old sister died from radiation poison from the treatment of a Whelms tumor.
There was also drama on stage in my childhood as I recall dressing up in my costume, a plain brown robe, sandals and a cover for my head. I took part with my family in the annual Easter pageant on the property of the Boy's Home. It was all open-air theater, and I felt significant as one of the many casts as the multitude. This period represents the second level of (Bronfenbrenner,1989) mesosystem involving the community, culture, family and individual. Religious groups and peer relationships were formed here.
Pencil drawings by my seven-year-old grandson, he is close to my heart, you can see the love note he wrote to me. There is a progression toward realism that is guided by the developing understanding of space (Piaget 1956). He titled this "A Made Up Dinosaur because he improvised some of the features which according to (Rudolf, 2003) improvisation is an indicator of intelligence.
I remember a positive influence toward the visual arts from my 3rd-grade school teacher. She taught me how to shade an object and make it look three dimensional. She was a bit frightening at 400 pounds and a steel leg brace which squeaked as she walked down the corridor. She also drilled us in long division, I will never forget her.
Fifth-grade memories are quite remarkable, I had a blind teacher in the public elementary school system. She followed along with us in her braille text. It was an amazing experience for me on a field trip we visited St. Augustine school for the deaf and blind. My first time in St. Augustine and what an impression. There was a strong emphasis on music this year, Miss. McCullough had a voice like an angel, and we had music every day to start our morning. Drama class was also introduced to us, our class was chosen to present a play for the PTA. Up to now, I have only shared that I was shy and withdrawn, under the surface was the extreme lack of esteem and confidence in self. Each student was required to audition for parts in this play. To my utter amazement, I received the part of the medieval princess who wore a long dress and a pointed hat with a veil. Remembering rationalizing this audition by saying to myself, I got the part because she could not see my face. Despite my insecurities, the show must go on, and it did. A step up for me.
(Gardner,1994), postulates that a child fluent in symbol use may already be thought of as an artist. The number three has always been important to me and choosing objects to represent real life occurrences is a common practice for me. Maybe it started with a charm bracelet, with a distinct charm representing a symbol for a special occasion or milestone.
Age 12, I moved with my family to another part of town, and we had a weekly music teacher in the auditorium. During group practice, he isolated me with two other females to stand by his piano and sing a verse of the song we were practicing. He listened carefully then said “IT’s YOU” pointing to me. He told me you have a very mature voice for a 6th grader. That comment in a new environment causes this withdrawn little girl to start becoming a work of art. It was only a crack in a very damaged piece of marble, but it was another step up for me.
References
Alkire, S., Dimension of Human Development.pp.181-205
Bronfenbrenner, (1989)Ecological Models of Human Development (Links to an external site.), taken from Readings in the Development of Children, pp 37-43
Gardner,H .(1996) .The Arts and Human Development.. New York, New York. Basic Books,.
Huitt, W. (2012). A systems approach to the study of human behavior. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/materials/sysmdlo.html
Rudolf, E. et all, (2003). Psychological Foundations of Musical Behavior, Charles C. Thomas Publisher, Springfield, Ill.
Psychology, Retrieved from Development in the Arts: Drawing and Music pp. 859-895.
Psychology, Retrieved from Development in the Arts: Drawing and Music pp. 859-895.
Radocy,(2003). Musical Ability and Learning, taken from Psychological Foundations of Musical
Behavior, Radocy & Boyle, pp 384-424
Behavior, Radocy & Boyle, pp 384-424
Winner, E. Development in the Arts: Drawing and Music, Handbook of Child Psychology. pp 859-895.
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