Tags
a child's first drawing lesson, cosanga ecuador, pachamama birdwatching journey, teaching children to draw, Timeout for Art
The Texas Pachamama Christmas Fairies brought a huge assortment of art supplies. The airlines might have taxed them for extra weight!
“It was amazing what an hour with her sketchpad could do for her mood. She was sure that the lines she drew with her black marker were going to save her years of worry lines in the future.” ― Victoria Kahler, Their Friend Scarlet
Cosanga Ecuador – Napo Province – See Map
The Pachamama Birding Group also brought treats for the teacher… Really really really-nice treats! Watercolor paper! Brushes! Sharpie Markers – not used ones like at my drawing table, but brand-new ones with precise points!!!! But that’s for another post. Check below to see the view from the table where I took a 30-minute personal timeout for art:
The Pachamama Christmas Fairies delivered high-quality art materials 8 months early!!! Thank you Pachamamas!
… While the ladies were out birding, the two boys and I sat on the front porch for an impromptu art lesson.
Remember Jordan and Rudy?
Please join me as they experience a fresh pad of drawing paper while they discover the magic of a well-sharpened pencil.
They both watched my demonstration then went straight to work!
What’s this? My brother called it a ‘saco punto’… but how does it work?
Witnessing his fascination with the sharpener was a very special experience.
Jordan’s face says, “I think I like doing this!”
I think Rudy could probably smell the paper at this point!
Jordan is a natural; he went 100 percent into his work and stayed rapt with attention and detail.
Yes, it’s heart warming to witness smiles like this!
Little Rudy respectively watched Jordan’s final touches.
How’s that for a very proud young man?
After the warm-up lessons, they watched rapt with fascination as I sketched the trees and their house in front of us… Then Jordan sat for another half hour as he carefully studied the scene. He’s a natural! Thanks Pachamamas!
Comparing etchings…
Time to show Mama!
Time to show Mama – but first I want to be sure that I really really did this myself!…
Several hours later as I prepared to depart for Mindo, their mother Veronica brought me a gift of the heart. I had asked a few days earlier if she had spare eggs to sell, and she checked and said they had four… We needed at least a dozen so bought them in town. Just before I left to go home, she brought this bag of eggs and insisted that I accept all eight!
A week earlier I asked if she could buy 5 dollars worth of guayusa leaves. They are hard to find on the other side off the Andes. This is one third of the leaves she brought me!
Veronica
The barter system is alive and well in Ecuador, and I will gladly swap an art lesson for free-range eggs!
…
Inspiration is everywhere…
Pachamamas are the best!
Most of us are a little under the weather, but those birding stories will arrive soon!
PS – This was scheduled to go out in the morning, but the ‘nine’ key must have the ‘flu! It will reach you on the last minutes of March 8 while I’m sleeping! Z
Zeebra Designs & Destinations 
This posting was so sweet and lively. I loved there faces and the green boots…lucky you to be able be their guide as they learn to open themselves to all things that are possible…what a delight.
i loved those green boots too!
yes, lucky me for having the experience with that family!
thank you , gwen!
Delightful. I am always stunned to find out that those among us with the least are the most generous and willing to share what they have. Very, very nice — and what beautiful boys!
yes, Hugh, it seems that those who have least are the ones with happier souls!
they were precious young boys!
I just knew those boys were working on linked circles and shaded lines. Reminded me of our lessons down at Canoa and made me want to dig out the sketch pad again. Great post!
jajajajajaja.. you were so right! yes, those were great memories in Canoa as well….
hope all’s ok.. you’ve been quiet…. are those birds still migrating overhead?
Wonderful boys and such a lovely warm post. Once again you show us how children with few material possessions get such joy out of something simple. 🙂
yes, they teach us so much, just by their simple joys! thank you!
This was just a joy to both read and watch the unfolding of the smiles and delights of those both boys. What a beautiful gift.. As were your eggs.. :-)… I think the world would be a brighter better place if bartering was the norm..
Loved it Lisa… Happy Days to you xxx ❤ Sue
yes, those little boys, barefooted in cold weather, and happy and focused with their new drawing tools!
bartering definitely has its place in our world!
And probably Bartering in the future will have a place in the rest of the world too Lisa..
There is always something magical about watching kids draw and how excited they can get. What a treat and so fun photos. And how to fun to get free ranged eggs and guayusa leaves.
Hi Otto!
Watching children reminds us that it’s OK to make mistakes, and to remember to cherish those childlike experiences….
I returned home and was not feeling well… I managed to find appetite for one of those eggs, and wow, the yolk was so rich in color that the entire scrambled egg turned a strong yellow orange! What a gift to have ‘authentic’ eggs!
The guayusa leaves are still drying – it looks like a factory in the house with baskets and baskets of leaves!
Lisa, you truly “draw” out the smiles!! Keith
Thanks Keith! Your comment made me smile the moment I read it. Perdon that it’s taken me this long to say ‘Thanks!’
So cute. Such a universal experience for all children.
Si.. they are so fresh and attentive to new concepts… the children are our own best teachers!
I totally agree. The children are our best teachers, whether it be art or living.
I still remember the joy of new crayolas, or a new tray of watercolors — even finger paints. It’s wonderful to see that same joy on these boys’ faces.
I remember when an older sister took art in college.. and I received her hand-me-down pads… Oh wow!!!!! that trumped the crayons for me, and later someone gave me a huge set of pastls for Christmas – what fun!
we have so much to be thankful for, and for me it was the abundance of mentors…..
Oh the smells of new crayons…how exciting for the kids. Such a cute post! Hope you are feeling better. And I hope your 9 key recovers from the flu. Haha.
I took the ‘nine’ key off and cleaned beneath it.. no luck, it’s still being stubborn….
Yes, the virus is a nasty one that seems to be affecting many… today is the longest I’ve been able to be ‘up’ but am fast fading.. time to go to sleep and hopefully tomorrow it will be back to norm….
Thinking of you and hope tomorrow you are back to full speed.
I love Jordan’s drawing – what a gift you passed on to them – that drawing is so interesting, with those happy looking trees and the windows way into the corners of the house. Yes, indeed a nice trade. The leaves are used for…?
Here’s a start regarding guayusa:
http://runa.org/guayusa/
When I was drinking a lot of it, I noted my metabolism seemed revved like a teenager’s… I was also losing weight, too much, and was trying to eat a lot more to compensate for the weightloss! Now I just don’t drink as much, but normally I make a large pot each evening and drink it room temp thruout the next day…
today i drank fresh ginger and another ‘aguita’ called horchata… now that /horchata is a really interesting mix of beautiful leaves and flowers, which comes from the area of ‘loja’ ecuador…
As one of the Pachamama’s, it was our pleasure! And for the rest of you, in case you don’t know, Lisa is also a gourmet chef and made the most delicious meals for us! Thank you Lisa, I can’t wait to return to El Aliso Cabanas. Of course, when you come to the States, you must stay with me.
Dear dear Sandy1
You are so funny, and thank you for your sweet comment. It was a pleasure to cook for such an easy-to-please new friend! It would be fun to spend time with all of you in Texas, especially with Linda in the same group!!!
Isn’t it wonderful how children everywhere delight in crayons, and papers etc no matter where they live. I was with some littlies last week, and they were very happy to take up my suggestion of colouring and drawing. We chose and downloaded images from the internet but otherwise everything else was done in the time honoured way.
how fun, and even selecting the images would provide creative choice and inspiration! ah, a box of colors… if only life would remain so simple, and that’s all a youngster would want – that and an endless supply of paper!
If only…….:)
Pingback: Yachana Bound! | Zeebra Designs & Destinations