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JoleneBrushesPaint
TodayIsawJoleneattheeasel.BythetimeIgottherewithmycamerashehadalreadyappliedboldareasofeachcolorinverticalstripesatthetopofthepage.Ithought,“Hmmm.Thisisinteresting.Lookathowcarefullyshemovesthebrush.”
Jolenepaintedtheverticalareasofcolor,upanddown,buttherestillwaswhitearoundtheblue.Shethencarefullycoveredthewhitespaceswithmoreblueinupwardstrokesofthebrush.Nowtherewasnomorewhiteinbetweenthecolors.
Shecontinuedtousetheblue,sweepingdownward.
ThebrushranoutofpaintandJolenecontinuedtostrokedownwardwithabroom-likesweepofherhand.Thedrybrusheffectwasstrong.Itseemedtointerestherasshedidthesamestrokeagainandagain.
Shedippedthebrushbackintothebluepaintcupandfilledthedryareaswithmorepaint.
Then,surprisingly,shestopped.Sheputdownthebrushandstoodtherewithherarmsspreadwide.Somethingwasgoingoninhermind,butIdidn’tknowwhatitcouldbe.Maybeitcouldbe,“WhatshouldIdonow?”Maybeitcouldbe,“Ahhh,lookwhatIdid.”Maybeitcouldbeanotherideafortheremainingwhitespace.
Shechoseabrushfilledwithgreen.Shebegantomoveherbrushinacircle.Nomorestripes.Roundandroundinthesamespotshemovedthebrush,usingherwristandfingersinasmoothandcleverway.
Thenshemovedthebrushtoaclearspace,androundandroundshewentagain.
Andagain.
Andagain.
Andagain!Herhandmovedwithgracefuleaseeachtime.
Ithought,“Sheisdiscoveringhowabrushworks!”
Shecompletedthefinalroundgreenspot.
Thenshepaintedgreenoverallthosespots.Goodbye,roundandroundspots!
Allthespotsexceptonewerecovered.Theyweregone.Noonewouldeverseethoseotherspotsagain.Thatwastheendofherpainting.Sheputdownherbrushandleftthepaintingsittingontheeasel.
ItookapictureofJolene’spainting.
Ithasbroadbandsofbrown,indigoblue,greenandredfillingthepage.Threeareasofwhiteareleft.
Allthebrushstrokesgoupanddownexceptthatoneremainingcircleontheright.
Itremindsmeofwaterfallsinaforest.Ifeelrelaxed,calmandhappylookingatit.
Whatitmeans…
Jolene,yourwayofmovingthebrushisinterestingtowatch.Yourhandmovesasgracefullyasasquirrel.
Youarefindingawaytosaythingsandexpressfeelingswithpaintthatnoonecansayinwords.Paintcansaythingsyoudon’tevenrealizeyoufeeluntiltheyemergeonthepaper.
Paintingissomethingpeopledoallbythemselves.Apaintertriesnewthings,seesandfeelswhathappens,andtriessomethingelse.Thatiswhatyoudid.Youdo,thenyousee,thenyoubuildonthat.Itisliketalkingbackandforthtoyourselfwithoutwords.
Opportunities…
Joleneisinterestedineffectsofwhatshedoeswithexpressivematerialsthatareathand,sowewillmakesuretoprovidemoremeansfordoingthatkindofexploration.
Wewillprovidemorecolorsofpaint,moresizesofbrushes,andwatercolor,too.
ItwouldbewonderfultomakeitpossibleforotherstojoinJolenesomorechildrencoulddiscoverthejoysofartisticexpression.
Possibilities…
Fluidhandmovement,exploration,andreflectionseemtobelife-longpossibilitiesforJolene.
Artoffersthepossibilityforpeopletocometounderstandnotonlywaysofexpressionbutalsowhotheyare.Suchdiscoveriescannotbesaidinwords.
Themorewecloselyattend,themorewesee,andthemorewelearn.Inthisonestoryofpainting,allofusareremindedofthepossibilityoflisteningmoredeeplytoeachuniquehumanbeing.
JoleneBrushesPaint
TomDrummond
GreenTreeEarlyChildhoodCenterSeattle,WashingtonHollyKoehler,teacher