I am not an artist. The only subjects I can draw are Chihuahuas (I've had them all my life) and John Lennon (I am a Beatles fanatic).
I didn't really appreciate art until about 15 years ago when a good friend of mine, an artist, introduced me to art shows and taught me a true appreciation for original art. Since then, I've purchased pieces that I treasure.
Now that I love art, I'm sharing my passion with my granddaughters. Children are born artists. Their creativity is endless. Nothing makes them happier than to give them paper, crayons, markers, paint brushes and paint.
Honestly, I think it's one of the reasons I love preschool. Most every day, my 5-year-old brings her mother the absolute coolest art projects she makes at school. Each one is amazing.
The girls have access to art materials at any time in their home, my home and my mother's home. So whenever the mood hits them to create a piece of art, they do it.
For Mother's Day, I orchestrated a paint session so the girls could create art for their mother and great-grandmother. And since they were covered from head to toe in paint, I had them make my favorite children's artwork: handprints.
Instead of putting their handprints on construction paper, which we usually do, I used canvas. For their mother, I had the girls put both sets of handprints on one canvas. For their great-grandmother and me, I used one handprint of each girl and framed them separately.
Of all the gifts each of us moms received on Mother's Day, we treasure the handprints most. I still have my own children's handprint art, and I treasure each one.
Several times a year, my grandchildren showcase their art in a clothesline art show at my house. We've had a show in a tent in the backyard; we've had them on the screened-in porch, in a bedroom, in a living room, and in a dining room. We hang a clothesline from wall to wall and display their art with clothespins. We serve refreshments and beverages, and, on one occasion, accepted monetary donations to purchase more art equipment. The girls sold $8.50 worth of art, and we spent it on construction paper and stickers.
My oldest granddaughter, Tilleigh, 5, serves as hostess of the show and explains the art to each guest (which is typically me, my husband and their mother. On occasion, there have been aunts, uncles and their great-grandmother present. That's when we accept donations).
I hope the girls are willing to have art shows for many years to come.
My youngest daughter, Karah, 35, will occasionally make a homemade birthday card for me. These handmade cards, no matter how old she is, still mean the world to me.
Our family's handmade art may never hang in big galleries, but, at our homes, they'll always be priceless.