An early morning gift

Every morning he heads for my classroom. He stays with me for about 30-40 minutes. Sometimes he helps me take the chairs down from the desks, or fills the cups with water for one of my classes. Other times, he sharpens pencils, or sets out materials on the student desks for me... and when the 'work' is done, he gets his art folder out and starts working on one of his ongoing pieces. One is a doodle, and one is a soft pastel pumpkin drawing.

But today, I had no work for him to do because I had forgotten he was coming. I was focused on finishing up the last of my progress reports which had to be done by today. When he appeared at my side, he was smiling, hands in his pockets.

I tried to hide that I had forgotten our appointed time together, and told him today I had no work for him to do, which meant he could spend the entire time drawing. 

Instead of retrieving his folder, he asked for some paper. "I want to start something new," he explained. "I saw something on my way to school this morning. I want to draw it."

I pulled out a sheet of heavy white paper for him. I regret that I picked the 9X12 size rather than the 12 x 18 size. In my mind I didn't want to waste the larger sized paper on something that might end up in the trash if he didn't like it.

What a big mistake that was.

My mind was really on those progress reports when I handed him the paper. I just wanted to get him his materials, then let him be. I didn't even ask what he was going to draw. Just what did he need to do it?

"I want to use oil pastels," said the 4th grader. "Purple, orange, and black."

Hmmm, I thought, odd colors, but it is near Halloween time. I told him to get the colors he needed, then I sat down at the computer to get my precious progress reports done.... what a nit wit I can be sometime.

Great moments don't always announce themselves with celebratory loudness. Sometimes great moments amble in quietly, with hands in their pockets.

Ahhh me...... <sigh>

About fifteen minutes later I got up to take the completed progress reports to the mail room. I glanced over his shoulder to see what he was doing....

 

                                     

 

I stopped, completely forgetting all about the progress reports in my hand.

"Is this what you saw on your way to school this morning?" I asked.

"Uh-huh," he answered without even looking up. He was coloring the black furiously, like he was trying to get it done before he had to return to his classroom, or trying to get it done before the image in his mind disappeared.

I recognized that fury in the hand holding the black pastel ... that passion... the drive...

The sunrise had filled his soul. A sunrise that I didn't even see this morning because I had driven to school before the sun rose.

I smiled. How could I not? "Yes... a spectacular sunrise... did you know that many, many artists have been inspired by the early morning sunrise?" He looked up briefly, possibly even politely... I could tell he really wanted to get back to his picture.

"What happened to you this morning, ... do you know what we call that?"

"No, what?"

"Inspiration. You were inspired by the rising sun."

He nodded... "Yeah, the colors were beautiful... it was all orange and purple, and the houses and the power lines were all black."

I smiled, feeling just a little bit of happiness that I was there to share his joy first thing this morning. I knew that feeling in his heart, of wanting to capture an image, to recreate somehow, to keep it soI can see it again and again.

I tell you, for just a second I felt like my job was done in this boy.

 

 

I mounted it on black poster board, then showed it to our assistant principal. He walked straight to the boy's classroom. I followed. It was only 8:20 a.m. Mr. C made a big deal about what the student had done.... I held the picture up for thewhole class to see... our young Artist was grinning shyly at his desk, totally surprised by the show of praise and approval. His classmates expressed various words of surprise and delight..."He did that?" seemed to be the most repeated words. "Wow!" "He's good!"

I have a brand new box of oil pastels to give him tomorrow. To take home. This kid has the eyes of an artist.

Just wanted to share that with you all. Knew you would appreciate it.   <very big smile!>

Tags: Blogplug, early morning sunrise, student artist, inspiration