Rekindling of fire

I talked to Coco yesterday morning and asked her why she has stopped drawing or painting. I wanted to find out if I am the cause of suppression of interest, as William has suggested.

She confided that some boys in her class have commented that her drawing was ugly, and it has discouraged her from continuing to draw.

I encouraged her by relating to her my own experiences:

When I was in primary school, a drawing on Sports Day was due and I submitted a piece of drawing depicting children doing a relay from the top view. Only the children's heads and outstretched hands to touch their friends' hands could be seen. My art teacher asked me if the heads were stones as they were black and oval-shaped. I was so embarrassed I didn't answer her.

Another drawing with the title 'At the road' had the teacher humiliating me in front of the class. He raised my drawing and showed it to the class. He commented aloud that the pedestrians standing along the pavement looked like they were flying when I had meant to show the distance they were standing away from one another.

I didn't do well in primary school art.

Come secondary school, my interest in art is dramatically deepened by the amount of knowledge about art acquired. The more I was educated in art, the more interested I was in it, and I did quite well in art, among my classmates in the Art Stream.

I encouraged her to continue to draw as your level or standard of drawing will stop at where you stop learning. I told her that I will teach her how to draw or paint if necessary or if she so desires. Better yet, she can do art right after she finishes her homework.

She nodded her head and asked,"Or play badminton?"