spynotes ::
  June 12, 2006
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze, swirling clouds in violet haze

Scene: Kitchen of the Harriet household.

AJ: Daddy, do you know what I think I�ll look like when I�m old?
Husband: What, AJ?
AJ: Bald and wrinkly.
Husband: You mean like me?
AJ: No, you�re not that wrinkly.

* * * *

I am just glad AJ didn�t have that particular conversation with me. I have been feeling extra wrinkly lately. My lap-swimming doesn�t help. These days it takes a full 2 hours for the lines left behind by my swim goggles to disappear. In the mean time, I look like the walking dead.

I think, perhaps, AJ�s fleeting attention to his aging potential was brought on by meeting a room full of nonagenarians at the party on Saturday. He�s since moved on to other concerns. Mostly he�s been talking about baseball and art. He�s still processing our trip to the museum a week and a half ago.

* * * *


Scene: AJ�s bedroom, at bedtime. Harriet and AJ have just finished looking at AJ�s favorite art book, Squeaking of Art. [And to all those parents reading, this really is the best book about art for preschoolers that I�ve ever seen, particularly when used in conjunction with photos about the artworks they talk about � the book uses illustrated versions of real paintings. The book sets just the right tone and talks about the kinds of things that kids are likely to focus on while helping them notice things that adult art lovers tend to think are important. It also channels what they see into what they can do themselves by showing an artist painting what she sees in the museum into her own picture, combining elements from all her favorite paintings. I really can�t recommend it highly enough.]

AJ: I really want to be an artist when I grow up.
Harriet: [After briefly considering the obligatory parental warning of what a hard life it is and rejecting it] You can do that if you want. You just need to practice.
AJ: I think I�ll paint abstract art. Because abstract art is like, for beginners. You can paint shapes and then color them in.
Harriet: Well, that�s not exactly true. Practicing abstract shapes and lines can be a good thing for beginners to do. But abstract art is more like a different way of looking at the world. It�s a way of showing what you think about things beyond what they really look like.
AJ: Tomorrow I want to paint a picture. I want to paint a picture of a thunderstorm, but there�s going something different.
Harriet: What�s that?
AJ: The lightning is going to be spiral instead of zigzag. I�m going to call it �Spiral Lightning.� Can we write the name at the bottom?
Harriet: Yes, or we could do what they did in the museum and write a label with your name and the name of the painting on it and put it next to your picture.
AJ: It could say �AJ WELSCH, Spiral Lightning, 2006.� And then could we hang it on the wall?
Harriet: Of course we can. We�ll just have to find the right spot. Let�s put it right over Getty�s fishtank so he can look at it.

As you can see, I have my work cut out for me today. After I finish the day�s work on the diss, I must attend to my curatorial duties. Not to mention my duties as chief of aquarium entertainment. I�d better get started.

2 people said it like they meant it

 
:: last :: next :: random :: newest :: archives ::
:: :: profile :: notes :: g-book :: email ::
::rings/links :: 100 things :: design :: host ::

(c) 2003-2007 harri3tspy

<< chicago blogs >>