SchoolArts - March 2008

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

The Artist in All of Us

—Pablo Picasso

Helene DiCarlo

Twenty-two first graders stand pulling it into shapes, coils, people, at the artroom door, waiting and animals. Shouts of excitement, to enter the classroom they “Look what I made,” “Can I have heard so much about as kin- more?” For most the simple joy of a dergartners. Little bodies stream in new material motivates, stimulates opened-mouthed. They take in the emotions, and encourages self-dis-shelves filled with colorful art mate- covery. Little bodies bid farewell and rials, books, artifacts, and paintings. the artist/teacher awaits the next Inquisitive voices call out questions: group.

“Did you paint all those pictures?” The group this time is a little
“What are those things over there?” bigger, but full of expectations. Feet
“Are we going to make that?” Then now touch the floor and eyes gaze at
you hear, “I know you are an artist!” the familiar. Classroom rituals take
“I am one too!” place. Every hand
Little hands pick Little hands pick up a begins to draw;
up a brand new brand new box of crayons, the papers quickly
box of crayons, _eyes _examine _every _color, fill with multi-
eyes examine every tudes of color. The
color, and a blank ^and ^a ^blank ^piece ^of ^paper class is coming
piece of paper awaits the first mark. to an end as stu-
awaits the first dents’ voices echo
mark. Hands are busy, dots turn into sighs of disbelief. “Seems like we
lines, lines turn into shapes, and just got here.” Papers are collected,
shapes turn into people. Students see materials put away and another class
their self-portraits hung up only to session has ended.
be put away for a four-year hiatus. Another hour, and twenty-three
Now lined up, students slide their faces,\ greet the artist/teacher. Now
arms into oversized work shirts, not-so-little people enter the room.
forming a train and fastening each They settle into the expected rituals.
other’s buttons. They slide back into Students are introduced to Mexican
chairs and balls of clay are distrib- tinware. Motivated and excited with
uted. Happy hands caress the clay; a new material; inspired by exam-
molding, stretching, tearing, and ples, busy hands set off to experi-

ment. Voices vibrate throughout the classroom. It is rewarding to hear students talking about their work and feeling good about it.

Another class has ended. It is the end of our four years together. The business at hand is to pass back the first-grade portraits drawn so long ago, when the only motivation was a new box of crayons. Together we have journeyed far . . . over the years, the teacher/artist has seen great works of art that began with just a scribble. “Art is not what you see but what you make others see” (Vincent van Gogh).

As the teacher/artist passes back the portraits, many emotions flow freely—portraits hidden next to student’s chests, braver souls sharing hardy laughs, simple joys in just remembering what it was like to be little. The “artist” returned for just an instant remembering the admiration, unconditional trust, the awe, the feelings her students had as they announced to the class that they were “artists” too!