I had the pleasure of spending some time with my granddaughter Aubrey late this afternoon. It was too chilly to play outside, although she quickly scampered up her favorite climbing tree in my front yard, and somersaulted down. We settled indoors. She played while I finished some work and then we hung out together, chatting and drawing.
All of my children and grandchildren are artistic. I used to be a fair artist, although I’ve never been great at sketching from my imagination. I have to have something to look at while I draw. Furthermore, years of not drawing regularly has eroded my confidence in wielding a pencil. I am working on coaxing my abilities back into existence.
Aubrey loves to draw. She told me last year that one of her goals was to become a better artist. And she is meeting that goal! Her drawings are wonderful and she is definitely developing her own style.
Aubrey’s adorable bob cat
Sometimes Aubrey is content to make requests and watch me sketch. I used to enjoy doing the same when I was a child. My creative mom drew many pictures at my request.
So for Aubrey, I drew fish. This was an easy enough request. I created a family of fish from my imagination.
Then my granddaughter asked for a cat, swimming underwater! That isn’t something one sees often. I didn’t think I could even find such a picture to look at while I sketched. However, amazingly, as I thought about what such a sight would look like, an image came to mind and I drew with ease. The sketch was simplistic , but the cat does appear to be swimming for the surface. I was pleased with it and so was Aubrey.
Lest I feel too accomplished, Aubrey made her last request. Dragons. She asked for two dragons, together, facing each other. Dear child, I thought, can’t we just stick with fish?
I would not have attempted such a drawing without being sweetly asked by my grandchild. Oh, I like dragons too. And Smaug from the Hobbit films immediately came to mind. But to draw two of them, and have them come out actually looking like dragons, challenged me. I didn’t know if I could do it.
You know what, though? Aubrey had no doubts about whether I could handle her request. Her belief in my abilities made me try. Once again, an image came to mind and I began to draw. This was a new phenomenon for me, to draw from my imagination.
In a few minutes, I had a rough sketch, of two dragons, wings stretching toward each other, tails intertwined. I was drawing on poster board, which is not the best surface for pencil work. But as I tilted my head and examined my work, I decided it wasn’t bad! Aubrey was very matter of fact, telling me yes, yes, that’s right. I didn’t surprise her. She knew I could draw dragons. And dragons I drew.
I gain so much insight from my grandchildren. Today I learned the importance of belief…belief in myself and the bolstering empowerment that comes from someone else’s belief in me. It was good, too, to be reminded that challenges are excellent ways to grow beyond my comfort zones.
As Aubrey prepared to go home, she gave me final instructions for her dragons. She wanted both of them to be teal colored. And holding up one of my coloring pages, she said, “And do this…make shading on them.”
I can do that!
I am enjoying working on the finished drawing, coloring dragons as I layer on color. Coloring, I do well. Also, I can draw fish and a cat, swimming underwater. And I can draw dragons, thanks to Aubrey’s belief that I can. I believe now, too.
