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