- Cathy Stenquist
- Jan 29
- 2 min read
When a toddler experiences the many forms of art early in life,
it is like putting a pan of water on to boil.
Some of the flames:
the musical lullabies his parent sings
images and words in picture books
and the tactile experience of discovering texture and color
invisibly start to heat up his unexplored creativity.
Quietly, almost unnoticed, a kind of joy and creative excitement begins to percolate inside him.
He wants to touch, hold, and taste all the delicious things around them. Art is being discovered and celebrated with their every sense.
Tiny hands begin to give expression to the toddler's new creative feelings, each time:
lullabies are sung
blocks are stacked and tumbled
crayons are grabbed and pulled across a white page in random strokes
play dough is squished and oozed out between surprised fingers
or tiny hips and limbs sway in their first dance.
Tiny hearts find inspiration in every hour of everyday:
in the warm light dappled on the backyard leaves
on the soft pastel and vibrant primary color petals of garden flowers
tasting new shapes and textures of food
As long as the "child's pot" is replenished with inspiration and experiences, art will boil and flow out of pens, keyboards, brushes, fingers and mouths for a lifetime.
Creative expression can also come in unexpected places:
Art isn't just a class that you take in elementary school (although that, itself can be life-changing for some) it expressed in every action we take, every word we say and in every career we have.
I have expressed this creative energy in so many varied ways during my life:
at 5:00 a.m. in our local bakery, setting up the freshly made croissants in the case and making the signs.
as an admin in a publishing company in my correspondence, and decorating for holiday parties.
using my sewing machine in the design and creation of bridesmaid dresses, curtains and quilts.
with the squeeze of a decorator bag full of frosting on a birthday cake.
I thank my uncles, Tom and Butch who listened, and watched and cared enough to nurture those first little bubbles of creativity in me... the sparkle in their eyes, their sweet fascination with each creative thing I did as a child, sharing their own art and processes, and encouraging me at a very young age to explore their art supplies and express my self in any way I wanted. I have been blessed. This is why we as creatives, must walk through the world with the eyes of a child, filled with curiosity and excitement at even the smallest thing.
Will a dab, dot or messy smudge
lead to a showing in a gallery?
Or a toddler steeping you a pretend cup of tea...
...become a chef?
Or stacking and tumbling blocks
lead to being an architect?
Maybe, possibly..... some childhood murmurings do go on to become passions, and passions to amazing careers.
An adorable recital...
might lead to this....
Or...
it could just have been one of many creative moments in a child's life that are
for the pure joy of it, and nothing else.
Although,
it may in the end, lead to this....
and isn't that beautiful.
