I have been an artist most of my life and a working artist since my children were still children. Although not always as glamorous as it may seem, especially when meeting deadlines for art shows, my children were always surrounded with lots of creative supplies to have fun with in any manner they chose. Some of my most cherished moments are the ones when they spent time with me in my studio. They loved to try out my new supplies then go back to their favorites with all the concentration a masterpiece deserves. There is absolutely nothing that is so innocently captivating and demonstrates what the true artistic spirit is all about like chubby fingers wrapped around a marker or a little pink tongue tip peeking out from the corner of a bowed lip in total concentration while fairies come to life on newsprint. These are memories of the heart that even a photo cannot really capture; they must be lived.

Whether intent or not, these are also the memories that shape the future of our families. My daughter may never claim herself to be an artist, but art will always be a part of who she is. So, it just stands to reason and to her personal history that she has an area where she creates with her children as well, either by participation or just soaking up the ambience while at play with something else. Now her children are the ones using glue sticks and glitter and leftover scraps for their masterpieces thereby infusing their lives with a richness, inspiration and color that cannot be obtained anywhere else.

I think the school systems across the country have made a mistake to think that only sports have a place among the education of our children. Obviously, someone missed the part where a child’s eye opened wide, a smile split their face and their chest swelled up when they discovered that they could color, cut, paste, and create: where their only opponent is themselves and, yet, they are always the winner. We have lost another source of innocence when we forget what a thrill true creation is about because all children are true artists. It will now have to be up to all the moms, dads, and other guiding forces to allow our children to create through art. It is not just about today, it is about setting the stage for our future families in the joy of doing, not just the seeing.

And what better forum to keep art alive in our own homes than through scrapbooking! Kids love pictures of themselves, their friends, family, pets and even trees. They want to share their love and their art. Just ask them or put out a few supplies and some leftover photos and see what happens. You will be amazed and filled with pride when you see the stories they tell of their own birthdays, of loving their best friend or just having fun sitting with you amongst all the cool supplies. Well, better yet, here is what Baylee, my granddaughter, has to say in her own words - the true excitement of creativity from a ten-year-old scrapper.



ADORE TO SCRAP
By Baylee



Hi, my name is Baylee (Bee for short). I love to scrapbook, especially for my friends, because when I do my friends feel real special.



The materials I use are from Santa. He got my sister and me each a scrapbook set! When I scrapbook I share my feelings, and sometimes I scrapbook because I do not have anything else to do.



For my friend Mia I made a scrapbook page and something she can hang up in her room that has her name on it.



I made my Papa (grandpa) a wonderful birthday card. When somebody’s birthday is around the corner, my sister Devynn and I make a real special handmade card out of some scrapbooking stuff. Devynn is in a scrapbooking club so she gets good ideas. I adore scrapbooking! I hope you do too!



I am a self-taught artist. When folk art, decorative art and t-shirt painting were all the rage, I owned a folk art supply/teaching shop. When I became obsessed with collage and the paper arts, I began working exclusively in this genre until I started designing my own fabric creations and art quilts. I have taught workshops both locally and on the national level and have exhibited my collage artwork in various galleries, including a show in Dallas, Texas. My publications include projects and articles for many Somerset Studio publications. I was also a featured artist in Making Wreaths in Minutes for Sterling’s Red Lips for Courage book line and have been published in smaller venues, which include other local arts, stamping and scrapbook publications, including the fabulous Pasticcio Quartz ‘Zine. Check out my etsy store to view more of my work http://artboxstudio.etsy.com.