Xavier's Unschool for Gifted Youngsters: Inspired by Jan Senbergs

Last week we had such a lovely, albeit busy Sunday. One of the many things we did was add another favourite artist to our list. Jan Senbergs' work are wonderfully detailed and get the imagination pumping.

We had packed so much into a single day that we didn't get to spend as long as we would have liked at the exhibition, so we returned today and took in every piece. Gaia brought her sketchbook and pencils to draw her favourite. Yemaya was inspired to do the same.

Every Senbergs is fascinating and we had a great time listening to the girls discuss the pieces that spoke to them. It was a surprise to learn which works they favoured. Yemaya liked the black and white sketches Senbergs had drawn of his studio space and kitchen and a painting featuring kookaburras (Otway Night). I learned that the epic wall art at The High Court of Australia is a Senbergs, appreciated how he captured our bushfires with his brush, but mostly favoured his epic city scape drawings. And Gaia was most struck by this piece (Platcha):

Gaia really loved this Antarctic landscape and the bushfire paintings.

I'm selfishly pleased Gaia is such an art-lover and that her love extends beyond the sheer joy of creating, that she likes to take in an exhibition with me, discussing the works and how they inspire her. It is wonderful to have someone to share this with. As we wandered and talked and admired and critiqued I wondered if one day I might find myself sipping champagne at one of my prolific daughter's art shows. As she sat on the gallery floor, lost in the pages of her sketchbook I smiled to myself, satisfied that our school free journey so far has fostered the artist in her. May I always be a great support rather than a critic and stay out of her way, let her create as she feels moved to create, and not try to push her toward a particular style or medium. It was always the pushing and the comparison, no matter how subtle, that quashed my own drive to paint and draw. I have to supply the materials and then walk away, only giving my impressions when specifically requested and just give her the freedom to unfurl. It is my hope that in so doing, one day she will be a self-assured adult who creates unique, original art that gives her great satisfaction, and I have no doubt that if she becomes that woman, she (and her art) will have many adoring fans.