I have a confession. I don’t like kid art. Or kid crafts.  I certainly love to create art and crafts myself, and I appreciate that art and crafts of other skilled artisans and crafters, but I don’t appreciate them from kids. I am deeply grateful that Ellis has only brought home 3 crafts from school in 3 years. It is probably the elitist in me that likes things done well and I don’t want to save every little scribble my kids make. It is my small rebellion against the cherish-every-moment pressure I often feel as a mom. I cherish a lot about my kids, but not their fancy recyclables.

That’s how I felt until Ellis painted this masterpiece.

After days of feeling sick and laying on the couch, Ellis requested to paint. (He actually looked at me with tears in his eyes and said “Why haven’t you given me that magic coloring potion yet?” But that’s what happens when you are sick and depleted and you just want to make something). So I pulled out the watercolors and Ellis ran in the backyard to find the dog. He brought her inside and had her sit for his painting. Then he carefully painted this beauty.

I love everything about this paining. I love the colors and the fact that it actually does kind of resemble our dog, Tess. I love that he gave her lots of legs “so she could run extra fast.” I asked Ellis if we could frame it and he looked at me puzzled, probably since I have never saved any of his artwork before. Now I’m on the hunt for the perfect frame.

I am revising my stance against children’s artwork, maybe just my children’s artwork, but that’s a mother’s prerogative. Looks like I drank that magic coloring potion.