Pumkin with Autumns Butterflies by Paula Kuitenbrouwer
Pumpkin with butterflies by Martina’s daughter (2 1/2 years old)
Martina, from Vienna, wrote me a kind email. Attached I found a lovely drawing by her young daughter of a pumpkin with butterflies. Martina had seen my pumpkin drawing and noticed how her daughter’s drawing and mine resembled each other.
I enjoyed so much studying the drawing of Martina’s daughter. Our drawings look identical; the only difference is technique that comes with exercise and age.
Picasso ones said that it took him 40 years to draw like a child again. By showing the drawing of Martina’s daughter and my drawing, we are able to see Picasso’s remarkable observation in action.
Have a look at the young girl’s drawing: you see a pumpkin with yellow butterflies and the red with a red zig-zag line pushing the pumpkin somewhat to the back, and by doing that creating perspective. I have no idea if the red or yellow lines are the butterflies. The pumpkin clearly is surrounded by objects that have hold the attention of the 2 1/2 years old long enough to take the effort to put them on paper.
Toddler drawings are often mysterious. It is like they are an unknown language. If you ask a child what all the lines and dots are, you get a surprised remark; ‘A dinosaur!’ or ‘A house!’ sounding like it is internally followed by …can’t you see that? Why asking what is so obvious? Ah, well adults are a different breed. If you ask it again a few years later, by now the 4 or 5 years old child still remembers in detail what all lines and dots represent. Then, suddenly when the drawing surfaces again a few years later, the maker rolls his or her eyes and says it is a childish drawing.
It would be interesting to study what is actually happening. Is it that the child has outgrown lines and dots? Or is it that a child sees the world differently? Or has the child fallen out of its magical child world in which all is alive, enchanting and that therefore a single line can represent a crocodile or a dot a teapot? I wish I had shamanistic skills to enter the world of a child again. (With that I would shorten Picasso’s 40 years).
Young children aren’t ambitious to create beauty. They don’t go hunting for beautiful flowers either. Neither are they enchanted by awesome landscapes. Could it be that their world is loaded with beauty due to their enchanted and uncorrupted perception? That we, as we grown ups, gradually fall out of paradise and fail to see beauty in ordinary things, and therefore we need to travel miles for lovely views, or visit museums for beauty? Are you one of those adults spending, consciously or subconsciously, much time of your life trying to recapture that sense of beauty?
I like to thank Martina’s wonderful daughter. Her drawing made me smile for a long time.
Well done, sweetie girl.
Paula Kuitenbrouwer
Dear Paula, THANK YOU for this wonderful reflection. I hope I can show it to my girl sometime. The butterflies are yellow, one directly on the pumpkin, one is flying in the right upper corner. The red zig-zag line is a writing “Happy birthday, dear L., kisses N.” (a present to her godfather). She explained everything while drawing, and we had pumpkin for lunch, so that is why…
All the best, Martina
Prachtig
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What great reflections! I enjoyed reading this post! <3 <3 <3
I like your pumpkin drawing Paula and your reflections. But, can I just say that Martina’s daughter’s drawing rocks – keep it, it might be worth a fortune one day!
I like that idea, Mike.
Martina….Martina!…you hear us? Store that drawing safely.
I can hear you!
I love them both
And your reflection really is amazing!
All the best, anja
Such a cute drawing!
Beautiful drawing by Martina’s daughter. Very clever and great use of colours. Thanks for sharing.
How wonderful that your art inspired a child! I figure the red is the butterfly because the zig zag shows movement, but then I’m trapped by my adult view of the world and might not be seeing the obvious. I love this post
Hi, Linda, I don’t think it was my art that inspired Martina’s daughter. This young child drew a pumpkin before it was served as soup. I did the same: I ate it too after my drawing was finished. It made me extra grateful
Tonight, I’m going to dig up my daughters’ artwork from when they were Martina’s little girl’s age. I’m tearing up just thinking about how their perspective (and so much else) has probably changed even in their short lives – and because of reading your post, I’m inspired anew to encourage them to keep their childlike perspective on the world as much as I can. Thank you Paula! Visiting here always gives me a little (or a lot) to think about.
Your daughters are blessed with such a kind and art-sensitive daddy, Sid.
Wishing your family all the best.
I sure wish you had a LIKE button so I could let you know each post I visited. When one is camping in a blog, it’s difficult to leave lots of comments.
I’m sorry, Russel. I have decided to disable that like button because there were some horrible websites that liked my blog. I can’t possibly imagine they actually liked it, and I certainly didn’t like theirs. Don’t feel in any way obliged to leave a comment after camping. Just have a good time.
I understand. I’ll continue to let you know when I come by for a little camping.
Both drawings are so beautiful, you two are very talented!
Have you ever heard of young Kieron Williamson from Holt in North Norfolk, UK?
I really enjoy your blog and your work!
Love
Dina
Thank you, Dina. I had no knowledge of Kieron Williamson, but I’ve now seen his website and I’ve enjoyed this work. Thank you for advising me to have a look.
Many thanks for your visit too. I’ll be over your your blog today.
Cheers, Paula
Martina’s daughter’s drawing is remarkable. The crayon could be pastels drawn by the hand of an expert. I really enjoy seeing the similarity to her piece and yours. May we all remember to see like our two year old selves. Thank you for sharing!
How very lovely this is, the whole thing together. Martina’s daughter’s drawing, your own and your commentary. And I must add the comments of other’s also complete the picture. I have spent, with my coffee loving moments here.
I have always had a theory (well, maybe not aways). I think that we begin as soul. That means very close to God and all the innocence and beauty that this would entail. Then we are in Mummy’s tummy (well, you what I mean) we grow into the beginnings of a human, we are born. Each year of growth brings us more and more body and mind and we get a little further away from soul and God. As we become elderly and really moving towards death we become more and more childlike, more detached from the world. We pull in towards ourselves aware less and less of those around us as we begin our journey back to being a bodyless soul, back to being with God.
I am unable to adequately express the joy that this post in its entirety brought me. Thank you … all of you.
Dear Raven, I support your life-philosophy and I thank you for your wonderful and valuable comment.
I have very little time to visit your blog now because I’m moving house this week. But I will return and do some reading. Somebody who writes such lovely comments must have a lovely blog!
Thank you & till soon,
Paula
Have a look at Nik at ‘Life in Bunt’!
Nik enchants us too with three drawings, two done by her 3 year old toddler.
Aren’t they adorable?
http://www.lifeisbunt.de/2012/11/mal-wieder-zeichnen.html
I every time spent my half an hour to read this website articles or reviews all the time along with a cup of coffee.