Painting At An Easel

 I have recently done some painting with my grandson.  He is two and a half.  It is very modern arty.  He likes to paint so much, I have considered getting an easel. I wonder if he would like that more than painting at the table.

In thinking of an easel, I recalled that I didn't paint at the easel when I was in kindergarten.  The easel painting station was one of the most popular.  There were only two places for painters.  I am not sure if I ever got a turn.  I wasn't bothered by it.  I think I remember it because my teacher encouraged me to easel paint.  She probably thought poor little Mary needed encouragement to take a turn at this popular activity.

What I remember thinking about easel painting was--What do they expect me to do?  I don't think I can paint real art like paintings on the wall.   The colors were garish primary colors and I didn't really like the pictures made by my classmates.  I remember that the teacher hung them up to dry and made a big deal about how they were packed up to go home without being ruined. I thought it was a big deal about nothing.

I didn't like to paint, never took my turn when it was offered.  As I sit here, I wonder what that says about me.  Maybe I was more mature than my classmates.  Maybe as the five year old who went home to a house with 3 younger siblings I knew that nobody would be making a big deal of my paintings. Maybe it just wasn't my thing.

But, my grandson loves to paint.  He seems to love the primary colors.  He carefully spreads the paint around and studies how the water looks when he dips the brushes in to clean them.  I may have to get an easel. Maybe I will take a turn and see what all the fuss is about.