pencil cowboy

Delivery #1 of pencil art cowboy from Holly.

One of my very first and most significant memories of a young child using art to communicate and connect with me.

I was sitting at an indoor work table in the three-year-olds classroom. Children were engaged with various materials, experimenting with pipe cleaners, glue, markers, paint.

All of a sudden, Holly dashes over from another table with a scrap piece of paper with pencil scribble on it.

"Here, this is for you. It is a cowboy."

 

Immediate delivery #2 - gotta have the cow

Then Holly skips back to her chair.

I write down Holly's description on the art piece and keep it next to me on the table.

Moments later, Holly returns with a companion piece for her original art work.

 "Oh, I forgot," says Holly.

"This is the cow."

I was captivated by Holly's quick yet intentional pencil scribble on paper, the description of her first piece which seemed to make her rethink the word 'cowboy', and her wish to follow through on her rethinking by delivering the 'cow' that should, apparently, accompany any cowboy. Holly's use of art to connect with me - to trust that I would value her work and her words - was the start of my passion to listen to children within the process of their own important work. I still have the original pieces of scrap paper of cowboy and cow, priceless art by a priceless three-year-old.