What's in Your Art Cabinet?

Though my knowledge of art is limited as you can tell from this post and best revealed through children's illustrations, we do art on a daily physical basis a lot in our house...especially painting. You can guarantee that if the children are not doing schoolwork or play, they are drawing, coloring, painting, etc. They all have art notebooks as well as nature notebooks and are proudly possessive of them.

Within our art supply cabinet, there is fingerpaint and paint in the little plastic oval trays and pastel colors and crayons galore.

There are charcoal pencils and playdoh of every kind and color and more crayons galore.

There is plaster of Paris and modeling clay and sculpey clay and we have even attempted our hand at mud painting (though no where near the quality or effort of this artisit). This is more what our attempt resembles: Mud Painting

There is sidewalk chalk and bathtub paint. There is a chalk board and lots and lots of construction paper.

There are pie pans and palettes and popsickle sticks.

There are rubber stamps and lots and lots of stickers galore.

Lots of religious artwork is made.

There are sketch pads and drawing pads and lots and lots of Mommy's loose computer paper. There is an art studio on the computer that makes fantastic works of art and that is dearly loved.

There are clipboards and homemade picture frames and stencils and lots and lots of puzzles on famous works of art.

There are illustrated books on famous artists and postercards of famous art works and lots of Dover coloring books.

There are paint brushes in the art cabinet and paint brushes in the sink's utensil holder and paint brushes hidden in the cracks of the sofa and under the refrigerator.

And we have taken an art class or two and used Seton's art books till they are raggedy at the seams.

We have a flower press and a ceramic flower pot set that one self-paints and we make Christmas ornaments every year. Santa was very generous with lots of art sets galore this year.

It might seem that we live in a house fit for an artist but, truth is, the supplies are kept in an overflowing utility closest and an art closet down the hallway. I can say, honestly, that they are taken out daily and I don't mind playdoh in the carpet or paint on the tables...not much.

Least you think I'm an Art Goddess, I can also honestly say that I don't play a key part in this loose art study of ours. I supply the materials and they use it. I admire the creations and they make them. The palette is always filled and the audience is always present.

I sometimes paint with them and sometimes make playdoh creations with them but what my children really want is an admiring audience and a receptive lover of their art work. They love to surprise me. I'm always finding pictures on my computer desk and paintings drying on the kitchen counter. The kitchen table is an ever-working canvas of artistic work. The refrigerator looks like a mosaic of the very best art work.

I always admire the end product they meekly present to me but, it is the face behind the art work that is the most priceless piece of art to me.

Melissa Wiley has shared a wonderful art post at her blog.
Amy, shares this artist birthday link at her Call to Adventure weblog .

I can guarantee one thing. If you offer it...they will come.
What's in your art cabinet?