The 3 young artists from upstairs
I missed my students SO MUCH while I was living in the Netherlands! I was happy to learn that the family that lived upstairs in our building in Maastricht had three kids. One day I asked their father if they would be interested in getting some free art lessons. The boys liked that idea, so we arranged to have the art lessons on the first floor of our building… a nice short commute for me!
I don't speak Dutch, but the boys know some English. They are very bright children, so we had no problem communicating. I brought art supplies from home just in case (hoping I'd make friends with some Dutch kids.) I used my laptop computer to show them images of the subjects we'd be drawing and painting.
The boys were EXCELLENT students! We had three lessons together during the last three weeks I was in Maastricht. I wish we had started the lessons earlier- we really had fun together, and it would have been nice to give them more lessons.
The boys were EXCELLENT students! We had three lessons together during the last three weeks I was in Maastricht. I wish we had started the lessons earlier- we really had fun together, and it would have been nice to give them more lessons.
For the first week's project I chose a red cardinal. I didn't realize that the boys had never seen one. Later I learned that cardinals are native to North and South America, but not Europe. They liked this beautiful red bird, so it didn't matter that it was unfamiliar. Their cardinal paintings were wonderful! They worked fast, too, so we had time for a second project: ice cream cones. The boys' ice cream cone paintings were delicious :-)
They brought a friend to the second lesson. She was a great little artist, too!
Some of my favorite artists are Dutch: Vermeer, VanGogh, Rembrandt and M. C. Escher. Now I have to add these kids to that list :-)
The kids drew and painted a winter snow scene at the second lesson…with decorated Christmas trees, of course!
Some of my favorite artists are Dutch: Vermeer, VanGogh, Rembrandt and M. C. Escher. Now I have to add these kids to that list :-)
The kids drew and painted a winter snow scene at the second lesson…with decorated Christmas trees, of course!
We had the last art lesson a few days before my husband and I left the Netherlands. The boys showed up wearing Santa hats- I loved that! For their last lesson they did paintings of Santa Claus, and also of beautiful lions. I was very pleased with the excellent artwork the boys created in our three lessons together.
I hope I can return to Maastricht sometime soon, and give the boys upstairs some more lessons.
I miss them.
I miss them.
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