First First Friday

I picked Anna up from the Arts and Humanities school during "studio time" last week. When you walk in you're in a giant classroom with multiple open levels and lots of light. There is a kiln in the corner and an honest to goodness darkroom. There are easels and drafting tables covered with art projects. The kids were painting/weaving/cutting or milling around giving feedback to each other. One kid sat at the front desk with his feet on the desk as he played the guitar. Anna was working on a giant canvas that she stretched herself. Not only did she have to put away her paints, she had to pick up her pistachio nut shells.

My kid gets credit for all this? I thought to myself with concern and envy.

They do have traditional classes too - it's not always studio time. She's taking an AP government class and Algebra at Arts. She takes Spanish and biology over at her home school first thing in the morning and then she walks over to "Arts." The "Humanities" part gets dropped by the kids when they refer to the school, but it's part of the curriculum. The classes are in several hour blocks a couple times a week instead of one hour every day of the week. It is a schedule that works better for my kid. She doesn't shift gears very quickly, and frankly, I think it helps her stay organized with just a few classes a day.

Tonight they are part of the First Friday Art Walk. All the Lincoln Art Galleries have a First Friday event on the first Friday of the month - the galleries are open and the artists are at the gallery to talk to patrons. Just like the gallery artists, Anna and her classmates have been picking pieces for their gallery show and cleaning their school. They even have snacks for their guests.

I was laying in bed last night thinking about the art in my house and my favorite artists. I feel fortunate to have been raised by an artist. My dad is on my list. So is my father in law. At the top of my list right now, I have my kid. It is that over the top pride that makes teens roll their eyes and groan, "M-o-m."

I hope that the kids at "Arts" find a way to include art in their lives forever. I am glad that they have this time and place to explore their interests. I hope that they take lessons into the real world about how to use your time and how to complete projects and how to explore ideas and how to relax. It would be easy to walk into Arts and find kids eating and playing the guitar and painting, and then dismiss their work or think that they do nothing. I don't think that's entirely true, but I can see how it would appear that way.