Did a kid paint that?

I've heard a lot of people say this phrase or others like it, "My kid could paint that!" or "A kid could paint that!" or "Did a kid paint that?" It is often meant as some sort of insult to modern art. I actually think of it as a compliment! Kids are so in touch with a lot of the intention in their imagination than we educated adults tend to be on a regular basis. I think a lot of times, we lose what makes us so great and creative as children and we have to work that muscle intentionally over and over again to regain that ability to be so in touch with our child like tendencies. 

One of the artists I hear this about a lot is Jackson Pollock. Some people love him and others think he just dripped paint all over the place like a four year old. Click here to listen in on some great conversation about one of Pollock's paintings "One: Number 31, 1950" from one of my favorite resources www.smarthistory.org This website is dedicated to art education through exploratory conversation about art. It is wonderful and incredibly inspirational. Also, check out this video of Pollock painting from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

Take some time to consider that perhaps children are just like artists in what they do and make; filled with intention, purpose and meaning. How could I be more like that in my every day life? Is nurturing my art taking the back burner because I am simply living without intention and imagination? Maybe you will start making some paintings. Maybe people will give you the awesome compliment of asking you if your kid painted them! Who cares?! You can respond, "yes", if you like and let the compliments keep coming from there! After all, no one would want to insult someone's child's art work.