Monday, December 7, 2009

The marvel of a child's perspective.


  One of the most spectacular things about being a parent (a Mom or a Dad) is the blessing that we receive from God to be around children as they discover and experience things for the first time in life. When we are very young and we are going through our own discovery process in life it is awesome yet difficult. We rarely take note of what we are experiencing as children but seeing it from the outside is,  just.....well, marvelous!  As parents we are also so fortunate to be witness to their wonderful (a child's innocent) perspective of life. Things in the world are not tainted with life's ugly pessimistic grown up view point. Things are bigger and better than real life, colors are brighter, places are cleaner, all people are equal. All baby animals are the cutest things in the entire world and every good day is the best day ever. Life and the world are a mystery waiting to be solved. For them life is greater than great yet still very simple, and for the most part every moment is thoroughly enjoyed, everyday is a spectacular adventure waiting to happen for sure. As children we live life to it fullest and somewhere along the path of maturing (growing up) we forget how. Oh, how I long for that perspective and those long wonderful days as a child, if I only knew, I would not have been in such a hurry to grow up.
  
 Maybe that's why I love to draw so much, it's sort of similar to a child's excitement about doing something new, everything I draw looks good to me (wether it is or not) and I get to discover and/or rediscover things over and over as I sketch. It's a wonderful feeling. I have five terrific kids, all of them are my favorite, they have been such wonderful people to be around as they have grown. They have always had a great out look on things, (I could learn a few things from them), and they have always loved other people with out scrutinizing them. Life can be disappointing at times but when I look at my kids, when they give me a hug or call me on the phone I know that life is great. I've tried to explain to people who don't have children that they think they know the true depth of love for another human, but until you've held your new born baby in your hands you will never really understand. 

I would have to venture that people love Christmas time so much because it's the one time of the year that we get to be children again. It is filled with such wonderful things. Colors are brighter, things look cleaner, and people are nicer, etc... Most importantly is the reminder that Jesus came into the world to save us, it gives us hope. We are reminded that we are children, God's children and we can have a child like obedience (with unquestionable devotion). We can trust in him, have faith in him and love for him with all our hearts as a child does with their parents. Here are some drawings of old Christmas cards from the past and sketches of snow-scapes and snowmen. I love snowmen but then again who doesn't?

This was one of three different graphic approaches to a Christmas card. One was a Christmas tree done in the same technique and the other was the three Magi (wise men). I don't no what happen to the other two.



Who would ever do such a thing?

This is a very small sketch about 3"x 1 1/2" out of one of my sketch books.


I drew the black and white one first in graphite and later I did another one in watercolor and color pencil. These were for Christmas Gift labels.
 
This piece is entirely digital, I call it "The Introduction"

A snow couple walking their snow dog.


This was another attempt at a Christmas card.

2 comments:

  1. Nice post Craig, can't wait to experience the joy of having children first hand someday....and NO we're not pregnant!...yet ;*) And yeah, who doesn't love snowmen??

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  2. Amazing works once again....Merry Christmas to you and the entire family.

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