The 12 Days of December - Day #7

Grady took his second private art class in Tomales and absolutely loved it.  The teacher is a children's book illustrator named Kathy Bishop and I've worked with her at various PTA functions (where she volunteers to paint the faces of little ones) and lives near the school.  He had previously taken a self-portrait class and was one of two kids signed up for it.  The teacher said she could teach him directly out of her home and have more supplies readily available.  This week's class was "Sweet Dreams" and we were supposed to talk about dreams Grady would like to have at night and bring along a few plain pillow cases.

I chatted with the teacher, left Grady there for 45 minutes and when I returned he was BEAMING!  Of course, his creations had dogs on them and that's really no surprise to me (or anyone else for that matter, as my boy has a real dog fetish).

He immediately asked if he could take more classes and it was music to my ears.  I have been so hesitant to schedule Grady and enroll him in classes and sports.  I know there is much to be gained from being on a team, so I gave in with the T-ball, but really feel the need to slow down and learn from what's around us.  Nature, music, self-guided art, cooking and imagination play in his own surroundings.  Also, being a good bit from town adds to my hesitance because sitting in a car or parking lot just is NOT what for him after school or on the weekends.  School has enough structure and rigidity for my liking and after school time is really another extension of learning, but in a much looser and more comfortable setting.

So art class it is.  He fell asleep last night on his pillows and when he woke up in the morning he told me he had sweet dreams.  What a nice way to wake up to this world.