Reflections

I'm not very creative. I've always been more of a left-brain kind of girl; all things artistic pretty much escape me. Humanities, second period, junior year : 10% of my time daydreaming about traveling Europe to see all that art in real life, 90% of my time drawing stick-figure cartoons for my boyfriend to read during third period. Those were some rockin' stick figures, though.

So when my children were required to participate in the Reflections program at their elementary school, I kind of panicked. The Reflections program is totally right-brain. You have to do something artsy -- paint, draw, sculpt, dance, etc. -- and submit it to be judged by a committee. If your project wins at the school level, you go on to the district judging. In first grade, true to form, Zach created a PowerPoint program about heroes. I didn't know how to use PowerPoint all that well (ok, maybe I'm not all that left-brain either, but then really, where does that leave me?), so he did it completely on his own. I think the judges must have been impressed because he was so young, so he advanced to the district level. Sadly, the district level judges were a little less awed by his rainbow graphics and computer prowess; I guess they had different things in mind for an art project.

Every year since then, we've dutifully submitted our Reflections projects, but there's been no advancing. My kids do their projects entirely on their own, because, let's be honest, what help could I possibly offer anyway?

This year, both Zach and Abby submitted pictures they'd taken using their dad's super-fancy camera. Here's Zach's:

And here's Abby's:

Rachel drew a great picture of a sunset, but of course, I didn't take a picture of it to post. You know how I am.

So cross your fingers that the judges give these kids a break and advance them to the district level. Maybe I should write a letter and explain how much they've overcome on the genetic front in submitting these works of art.

Also, next time you come over, be sure to look to your left as you come in the front door. It's going to be a veritable art gallery of original pieces, right there in the little bathroom downstairs.