Grace is an artist extraordinaire who has a smile to melt the coldest, hard heart, and a personality so unlike mine that I am both shocked and grateful at once. When I took psychology classes, a million years ago, they were pretty adamant at that time that nature and nurture were equal partners in the development of a human being. Genetics was given 50% of the credit, and environment the other 50%. But, I have to tell you, I am almost a half century old (I know! I'm still not over it!), and I cannot draw to save my life.
The only contributions I could think of that might possibly have come from me to further this artistic genius are two: encouragement, and my little art time with the kids when they were barely out of diapers. We would sit with watercolours and those really cool watercolour pencils (that you can brush later with water to turn into paint), and some books with pictures of wildflowers in them and we would all do art. She began as any child, with a fledgling hand and a hesitant mind to put on paper her little botanical ideas. Sometimes she would just copy one that I did. Other times it was all her own, but soon, and very soon, she was outdrawing me with a vengeance. The evolution of her talent unfolded like a prized rose. It was beautiful to witness and, gladly, I have saved most of her early work.
But there was Mrs. Baylor, the art teacher at Grace's school. This woman made all the children love to appreciate art and to create their own. I mean they would gladly put down the transformers (the boys), and the Dora dolls (the girls; this was years ago) to take up their paintbrushes and create. And their stuff was pretty good as I remember. Up and down the hallways were posted these tiny masterpieces, many that could have passed for professional, adult artwork. So thank you, Mrs. Baylor.
When we looked up her adoption papers recently, we found the names of Grace's siblings, as well as other information she wanted to know. I had forgotten she is part German. I remembered only the Mexican and Italian heritage. Other details had escaped me too, but one thing I always remembered was that her birth mom was an artist of sorts. And listed on leisure activities that she enjoyed was art. So is the art gift a genetic one? I must assume it is, since, as I said, I most definitely am neither creative, nor artistic in any way whatsoever. This is all her.
Grace draws daily and can paint or sketch and basically use whatever medium you give her. I'm not kidding. Give this girl a clean rock and some dirt, and you will have a masterpiece in about 15 minutes. It's baffling. It's amazing. I'm so proud of her.
Last week, my little girl was invited to be in her first art show at the local high school. Keep in mind she is only in the 6th grade. She was competing with kids many years older and with many more art classes under their belts than her. And yet, when we walked into the gym, found her piece -- Mushroom Madness -- it stood rightly there with the best of them.
They even had her come up to the front when the awards were presented to claim her certificate. I couldn't have been more proud.
Grace, you see the world with an artist's eye and an open heart and I hope that will never change for you. You are a delight to know and I'm glad God gave you to me to be my only daughter.
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