I'm going to do a little bragging today.
Leiya has been in college for almost three months. English classes, art history classes, education classes are much harder than she expected them to be, dormitory life is a lot noisier and wilder than she likes. And the papers, the essays, the reports! She's still drowning! I've been trying to encourage her and at the same time not pressure her but sometimes she despairs of ever being able to get through four years of this. As one of my friends pointed out, "Well, if college life were too easy there would hardly be any benefit from going..."
But the other day while "chatting" with Leiya, she sent me a photo of her latest pen sketch saying that she wasn't satisfied with it at all. Not what she thinks art should be. She was disappointed that the teacher stressed technique rather than style and she felt her artwork could have been better if she had been given more freedom. "Oh Leiya. If you can do things like this and still think you can do better then you've got a lot of talent inside you still waiting to burst forth! You've only been an art major for three months. Of course you have to study the elementary stuff and the techniques. Don't give up! It would be such a waste if you didn't spend your time developing your artistic talent!"
Well, that day's conversation ended on a happy note and she was tickled that I praised her so much. I know absolutely nothing about art but this pen drawing looks exactly like her so I'd give it an A if she were in my class!
22 comments:
Are you saying that the picture is really a drawing? If that is the case, she is wonderful. As one with NO artistic talent, I am amazed.
She's very talented. College is really hard and a lot of kids don't make it through. I'm sure your encouragement helps a lot.
Wow! She's talented. I thought this was a photograph. She'll be okay.
both my husband and I were sure this was a photo. This may not be the sort of art Leiya wants to do, but it's obvious she's incredibly talented.
may Leiya find the perserverance for the coming years. It is hard -- and the adjustment is not easy. She will find her path, whatever it is, and I trust you will be able to support her whatever it is. To my untrained eyes her drawing is great... a wonderful piece for where she is in her program.
Wow! I thought it was a photograph. She can do what the teachers tell her to do so she can develop her skills and technique, but she should still venture off on her own to do real art.
Oh wow. She is an amazing artist. That is beautiful. I wish her luck in her college years. It's a huge adjustment for everyone.
Like every skill in life, you have to learn the basic techniques in order to branch out and do your own thing. This is a brilliant self-portrait, but I can understand why she might find this sort of demand restricting. If she can just hang in there that incredible talent will soon get the chance to burst forth in a way that pleases and enthuses her I'm sure. It's difficult enough going away to college for the first time, but to go to another continent must be so difficult.
Congrats to Leila she is a great artist.
ciao ciao
I don't doubt that as her four years progress she will be given the free rein to create the things that fly around her head, but of course as with everything the basics and techniques need to be in place first as frustrating as it may seem to one so talented with so much waiting to burst from her head via her fingertips. This is a beautiful picture and I'm sure we will enjoy many more as her course progresses
Absolutely stunning drawing A***
My father is an airline mechanic - no college degree necessary, but on more than one occasion, he was chose for a position over an equally qualified individual because he has the degree & the other guy didn't...
Some jobs view it as "She stuck with the for 4 years." (Which is good especially over the guy who had 4 or 5 jobs over the same period, he did nto "stick with it.")
I, too, thought that it is a photograph.Leiya has amazing talent. I am very impressed, and she is a very beautiful young lady!
Her talent is incredible. I truly thought that was a photograph. Anyone who can produce a work like this surely has the "stick-to-it-ness" to do well in college. It is hard at first to adapt to dorm life and the way college is taught (I always felt like the teachers in high school wanted you to succeed, but in college "you pays your money and you takes your chances" - they don't have any emotional interest in your success.) This might not be right for all colleges, but the larger ones - definitely. I wish her well - she's a special girl. Tell her she has a whole community of bloggers rooting for her!
I wanted to leave a comment but it seems that several others have already said all I had in mind to say, and then some. You have raised (are still raising) two incredible humans and doing a marvelous job of it. Your son is also an amazing individual. You and Tetsu can be proud.
Jan
P.S. I too hang my laundry to dry but I was not taught this. Thanks for the spanking tip, I was not aware of that!
Oh my ... that girl DOES have GREAT talent! Please convey this message to her!!! or save it until she has a 'down' day. 8-)
LOVED your post on the laundry.
Tanya, your daughter is a real artist, I was sure it was a photograph until I read the las part of your post. Don't worry she is very young, she wants to run and you know everything in life is step by step. Sorry my simple english, my language is spanish.
Congratulations, you are a wonderful mom.
Of course its a stunning drawing, and she knows that, but she wants to be an *Artist*. My son wanted to be, and now is, a Jazz musician, but he had to put in the years getting his scales right and learning music theory which was so far away from the sound he wanted to make. Remind her that she's building solid foundations for when her art takes flight.
I thought that was a photo of Leiya and then I would scroll down to see a drawing. Wow! That IS the drawing!! She is so talented!!
To add to "musician's mother" comments: I was a music major in college, studying piano. I began piano lessons at age 8 and excelled in piano competitions. As a freshman my piano professor completely took my technique apart. It was humbling, but I found my fingers becoming more dexterous than I thought was possible. Hang in there Leiya!
We certainly are our own harshest critics aren't we! She's done a wonderful job in that drawing. I can see the hair shine and the eyes glow. :-)
I've give it an A++ if she were in my class, of course!! Excellent!!
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