my Thursday afternoon art class. three kids, they have no pets of their own. last week was their first class & i told them that Hobbes (my cat) LOVES art more than anything. but, last week, they were a bit scared of him, i had to lock him out of the room. yesterday was their 2nd class & they felt much more comfortable knowing that Hobbes just wanted to watch them create art. they were not quite ready for him to jump up on the table, so Hobbes watched them, from my desk, behind the art table.
then…i told them, that if Hobbes had a fairy godmother, he would wish for thumbs. the kids (are in kindergarten & 1st grade) asked me why would he wish for thumbs…”so that he could hold a paintbrush & paint right along beside you”
after that, Hobbes could stay on the art table & watch them paint.
when kids come to my class, they all inform me that they KNOW how to paint. i ask them if they know how to watch the paint? i always get puzzled looks. after the watercolor paint is brushed onto the paper, simply covering it, ‘the going to school way’, a means to an end, cover the paper. it is then, that i show them how to watch the paint. i put puddles of color on their paper & ask them to pick the paper up & we watch the colors run into one another & create rivers of new color. it is NOT the end result, its the process of creating that is pure magic.
the boy’s painting above is an example of, first just brushing color onto the paper, the more saturated colors are after the lesson of watching & SEEING what colors can do.
2me4art 
First pic: The blue-green is quite good, and Hobbes sure has some appreciative pose..
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Love the pictures. The cat reminds me of my first and “bestest boy,” Wolfgang Amadeus Perrone, a Maine coon cat that wormed his way into my heart, and remained there until his too-early demise at the ripe old age of 13.
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Thank you, Joe. I had a cat that i lost, that still makes my heart ache. I’m sorry for your loss. My first dog was named Wolfgang…although he wasn’t the best of dogs. I hope you can find another Maine Coon to hold your heart. ~amy
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Wolfie opened the door to my heart to ALL cats. A year after he went to his reward, my wife found two rescue cats, both calicos, and we have had them for 11-1/2 years. “Mine” is Cassandra Catherine (orange, black, and white), and my wife’s is Calliope Catherine (tan, gray and white). We love them with all our heart and soul.
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He is very talented boy …I like his work 🙂
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Thank you, Jake. He is an amazing cat…no fear of children. Yesterday a 21 month old toddler painted his side blue, he didn’t care. ~amy
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That cat is so gorgeous! Nice painting too 🙂
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Hobbes. Julie, he is an amazing cat. Yesterday, my art class kids beat me home by a minute or so. The kids were at the front door & i came up through the garage & sitting at the door, was Hobbes…wishing again for thumbs so he could let his kids in. ~amy
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Wonderful Amy ..
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Amy, I love that second picture. It is like Hobbes is giving him the, “you’re not doing it right” look. Those eyes…..just cracks me up.
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So cute!
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Hobbes, the guardian of the painters! Love it, he knows the secret of the colors and for sure he was a master of an artist in his other life or at least in one from nine! Wonderful story, I’m so happy for the children, they got the best teacher in the world and that is you Amy!
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I really like the painting that young man is working on. Great colors!
Has Hobbes been given the opportunity to “paw” paint?
He looks quite happy supervising the kids!!
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Aw Hobbes, you are so sweet 🙂 Your kids are lucky to have you as an art teacher. They will learn to be creative 🙂
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Wonderful! Hobbes is so intent on the painting. I wish he did have thumbs. I would love to see what he painted.
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What a lovely story – I am so pleased that Hobbes gets to watch them paint!
I wish you were my art teacher, Amy… when I’m faced with the blank page or canvas, I just don’t know where to start… You rock!
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Very nice story! My cats also like to watch and sometimes participate in painting. It usually ends in me chasing them around with a washcloth!
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That is funny, Aaron. Hobbes has stepped into wet paint & he leaves prints behind & i don’t clean them up until it is required b/c they are so cute & the kids LOVE finding them. I have two paw prints on my desk. I was thinking of putting varnish on top of them, so they could stay forever. ~amy
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You should definitely do that! I’d like to preserve them but the apartment people probably wouldn’t like it.
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