Chicken Adventure

Leghorn rooster

Recently I read a study about how humans mark time. Why Christmas seems so far away to kids, but New Years was just a few days ago to adults. It boils down to “core memories”. When you’re a kid, there are tons of FIRST TIME events. The first time you saw a duck was an exciting time for you. You may not remember the exact date, but it was a first. It was likely followed immediately by another first of being chased by a goose. Or the first time you kissed a girl. Or the first time you drove a car… There are a lot of firsts for kids. All of those firsts make the marking of a year seem like a very long time. As an adult, you’ve likely seen lots of waterfowl, driven lots of cars, and kissed plenty of girls. As the novelty wears off, so too do the making of memory anchors to mark time. One day you remember sitting at the table helping your son with his homework, and the next day, he has a whole little family of his own. And that time flies for everyone.

New flamingo exhibit at the Houston Zoo

To combat that, you have to have new adventures. You have to try new things and make new memories. You can do this in a lot of major or subtle ways. Try a new restaurant. Go to a new festival in a new town. Even something as simple as changing up your seating arrangements at home. All of these things create distinct anchors. The more anchors you have, the longer it seems for time to pass. Or, maybe it just feels like you’re living your life on purpose instead of it just being something that happens.

At the Clay Festival in Gruene, TX

A few weeks ago, I started having new adventures every Saturday. We’ve been at it for a month now. First, we went to the zoo. The next week, I had a volunteer weekend at work. Then Girl2 and I went to a two story bookstore and saw a movie in a different theater. Week before last, we went to a ceramic Clay Festival in Gruene, TX. And this weekend I went to a rescue farm to sketch chickens

Intense chicken staring

I took my sketches and used them as a reference for this little sketch I managed to knock out during a break at work.

And I did a color study for a larger painting.  There’s a video of that over on the YouTube: https://youtu.be/6qWQxZ9UFtw

What this is all about Jan 2014

What happens with the money when you donate or buy t-shirts and lessons?
image

On the first Saturday of every month we host a free art experience for the community children.  This month, Sue was helping the children make collages.
image

We had 12 registered this month and a few siblings sat in as well.  After watching how much fun the kids were having, the parents approached us for a grown up version.  Some day, we hope to make that happen.

Daddy/Daughter Breakfast 21SEP2013

image

We had a long talk today about the importance of practice. She asked why I draw so many coffee cups. I said because I’m not as good at it as I want to be. She said that I was very good, way better than her. I said I had more practice. She lamented she wasn’t very good and that she would never be able to do it. I reminded her that she didn’t used to be able to walk, but she practiced and now she can run. She didn’t used to be able to talk. But she practiced and now she can sing. And right now, you don’t think you draw very well, but with practice you’ll be drawing coffee cups with the best of them. Maybe you’ll even draw a cat.

Daddy/Daughter Breakfast 21SEP2013

We had a long talk today about the importance of practice. She asked why I draw so many coffee cups. I said because I’m not as good at it as I want to be. She said that I was very good, way better than her. I said I had more practice. She lamented she wasn’t very good and that she would never be able to do it. I reminded her that she didn’t used to be able to walk, but she practiced and now she can run. She didn’t used to be able to talk. But she practiced and now she can sing. And right now, you don’t think you draw very well, but with practice you’ll be drawing coffee cups with the best of them. Maybe you’ll even draw a cat.