How to Feed a Passion

Everyone in our family has passions.  They sometimes come and go and sometimes fluctuate and are sometimes constant for a time and then float away.  Maeryn has always been a visual artist.  It is not a passion that is fleeting so far, and we do everything we can do feed that passion.

In the bus, we provide as much paper as possible in addition to paints, sketchbooks, crayons, color pencils, art and drawing books, brushes, scissors, and time to make messes.  We also do our best to hang projects on the walls and fridge and keep the most significant pieces.  In New York, while Jonah and Michael went back to the Water Street Playground, Maeryn and I went here:

 

 The Children's Museum of the Arts.

And that crazy pipe-y birthday cake looking thing in the background?  That's the sink.

If you have a child who loves art you must take them here sometime before they are grown.  It costs $11/person and it is worth every single solitary penny.

The walls in the building are brilliant white and covered with artwork from all ages of children mixed together with artwork from professional artists.  There are teaching artists on staff to provide materials, ideas, and comment.  There are two huge art studios with materials and projects and ideas sitting out ready for you to work.  There are supplies aplenty.  There is encouragement aplenty.  There is a sculpture bar where instead of drinks the bartender serves up tips on sculpting clay animals.  There is a huge ball pit with multi-colored balls for bouncing and play.  There are easels and photographs and bendy straws and sliding boards and a quiet room for reading books about creating.

Drawing a self-portrait.

It is a creative child's haven from the bustle and greyness that sometimes depicts the outside world.

For the first time in her life, Maeryn had enough materials and projects and art and when it was time to go she was okay with that.  She had indulged more than she had ever been able to indulge before.  She had fed and she was full.  And it was good.

We strolled uptown and she picked a cute Italian restaurant for dinner.  We met the boys and fed our stomachs with hearty chow, and finished off with cupcakes (at Maeryn's request) from Molly's.

Jonah was thrilled to have an all-vegan cupcake that included none of his allergens.  I was thrilled too :)

 We were all pretty passionate about the cupcakes.