Bex Hall

Bex Hall > in the studio today

in the studio today

Father’s Day gifts created in the studio

But Mother still gets some love

Sealed With A Kiss

While my granddaughter visited during this last full moon, she created in the studio. Even though the goal was to make Father’s Day gifts, she wrote the letter about what she learned (because she skipped a day of school) and addressed it to her mother.

She hadn’t heard of Sealed With A Kiss before, so she tried lip gloss and planted a kiss on the envelope, wrote the S.W.A.K., underlined it, then vigorously wiped away the “…yucky lip goo.”

Nail apron art in progress

She chose for her dad a hand decorated nail apron, her Popy a doodle painting, and her Pawpaw a fancy cup holder.

She chose well.

A Father’s Day gift is finished

I love kids. They’re short, highly emotional people who don’t know anything. They rely on their creativity and imagination to get by in the world. A world, I might add, filled with giants. Amazing feat.”

– Arlen Faber, played by Jeff Daniels from the movie The Answer Man

The wonder of enthusiasm

Artistic, creative expression and experimentation feeds joy

Ellie’s hands

So lucky to have my 7-year-old granddaughter Ellie in the studio today. She discovered the wonder of watercolor powders and a spray bottle. The magic of a heat gun’s effects on a wet index card; the curling action is wizardry. That it’s okay to have stained fingers, and elbows, and hands.

Most importantly, that she did not need permission. She asked if she could pick up the paper and let the water drip. If she could use any color she wanted. If it was good to mix pan with powder, fingers or brush.

My answer every time was “Let’s find out.” Eventually she stopped asking and she simply dove in with wanton abandonment.

In the studio

She has beginner’s mind and enthusiasm has very little space in a culture that expects perfection, mastery, and control. Enthusiasm is messy, exuberant, and irrational. But most of all it’s full of joy.

“The grace to be a beginner is always the best prayer for an artist. Exploration leads to accomplishment. All of it begins at the beginning, with the first small and scary step.”

—Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way

She made lots of paintings this morning and now needs a cork board in her room to post them. Just like Mimi.

You KNOW where I’m going today and what I’m going to pick up for her. 

I hope today you share your enthusiasm with others and approach your work with wanton abandonment!

Ellie’s and Mimi’s hands