“When I was the age of these children, I could draw like Raphael. It took me many years to learn how to draw like these children”. Pablo Picasso

I was raised in Bristol and spent my early years living and being schooled in the Whiteladies Road area. Like a lot of young children, I was never really fond of dusty old books and school rooms. There did not exist the learning aids that children have these days and we were very much left to make our own fun.

My “fun” was art. Painting, drawing and making things. Being creative in only the way that children can be. I loved it. Creating my own imaginary world and the things that existed in it. Childhood escapism at its best.

I remember being given a large paint box similar to the one pictured below. (You know, the paint tins in which, after a short time and a too much water, the paints all ended up looking a mucky yellowy /browny colour!)

That paint tin was my pride and joy. I could make real what existed in my imagination and disappear to places far beyond The Downs. Soon I “graduated” to felt-tip pens and pencil drawing. I remember being so proud of my first real picture of a horse looking over a fence which I copied from the front of a jigsaw box. 

Art really was my world and I never wanted it to end. However times were less enlightened than they are now and I received little encouragement to pursue a “creative” career and it is only now that I can re-kindle that love of colour and design which I had as a child.

I am really glad that things have moved on since my childhood. The following quote is from Molly Bretton, who is the “Head of Access, Families and Schools” at the Royal Academy:

“Children are people, not pre-people, and their creativity forms a crucial part of the diverse range of human expression. The art world is poorer when we ignore, exclude or ‘other’ aspects of creativity from our history and experience of art-making. In my view, trying to appreciate art made by children opens our minds to better understanding and respect for all art, all children, and all artists. Let’s build a richer art world that respects and celebrates children’s part in human creativity”.

So, whenever you see the artwork of a young person (or a person of any age for that matter) praise and encourage them because they are helping to make the world a better place to live in.

N