"My kid could paint that"

KarlH · Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Melbourne

Last night I watched a doco called "My kid could paint that" It was the story of Marlo Olmstead. I think she is about 7 years old now but the doco started when she was 3. She is considered a gifted child of art abstraction. By others the family are considered a swindle as many suspect the father of assisting her art.

The doco went on the rollercoaster ride of the media's frenzy and then flaming of this happy kid who just likes painting.

Some of the art she make is just awsome and I am really thinking about buying a giclee limited edition print called "Darlene's bikini". Who knows if the item would go up or down in value but I like the art and the idea of owning some work from a child. It kind of tickles the punk side of my mind.

http://www.marlaolmstead.com/home.html

Hayley · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 344 Location: Geelong

I wish i had seen the doco! Well I'm so proud...my 7 year old daughter drew this Heron in charcoal in my kids art class last night.

I have been desperately trying to find a way to deal with her negativity/self-esteem issues arising from the fact that she compares herself (artistically)to me, and in her eyes can never compete, therefore gives up and concludes she is 'no good'. Can't tell you how it breaks my heart, and nothing I say or do seemed to help. I recently found a book called 'The Optimistic Child' by Martin E.P. Seligman and discovered what I was doing wrong. Approving of her work unconditionally, praising everything and not giving her the room to discover for herself (I strongly advocate this for other kids, but didn't realise that by 'helping' her so much, I was doing the opposite for my own!).

So, last night she did this... and declared it to be 'as good as yours' and 'really proud of myself'. She strutted about like a peacock all night and I couldn't have been prouder of her achievement. (Drawing is great, but breakthrough in self-esteem even better!)

Jo Tyler · Joined: 13 Aug 2008 Posts: 489 Location: Newcastle

Hi Karl, I missed the doco when it was on some time ago but remember reading a little about her and the controversy. I just watched a video on the link you posted which is labelled 'start to finish video documentation' the painting was called the Rabbit and the finished painting at the end of the video was definitely not the finished painting shown to start the video. I watched the Colourful Rain first and was sure the canvas changed size halfway through. I think the truth about these pieces being totally her own work may have been stretched quite abit!! I still think she has a real talent there though.
Hi Hayley, I think you definitely have a talented little artist, I would be proud if I had done that heron, I think it's charming. Jo

jasmine · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject: Re - "My kid could paint that"

The doco sounds great! I would've loved to have seen it. Was it on TV? It's kind of mesmerizing to watch kids paint...it just comes so naturally...

I think it's important for her parents to keep in mind that she's still a kid though...it would be hard to have a child that is so talented and have her art so in demand...and not try to get caught up in the business side of it all.

Hayley it looks like you have a talented little artist on your hands also!!

gggraph · Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:41 pm Post subject: Re - "My kid could paint that"

Hi Hayley - supporting kids is always a challenge (that's a great heron, by the way - remarkably sophisticated.)

My 16yo son is a fanatic drawer - his friends reckon he's really lucky to have me as a dad. He gets access to materials, equipment, books that most kids only dream about, and some small technical skill. BUT whereas most parents would be telling him that his work is wonderful and putting it straight on the fridge, he has to put up with me telling him that the skulls are great, but the claw is not quite right, and the perspective on the chainsaw is out....

Luckily for us, he has now surpassed me in inline skating (our other shared pursuit) and has sold a few paintings he's entered in the local art show - so his self-esteem is pretty good and I can show him how to do something without 'beating' him at it.
(My self-esteem on the other hand, is crumbling daily...)

On a different tangent, it has always been a pet hate of mine when anybody says I/my dog/kid/rabbit/monkey could have done that... but they didn't, did they? Most brilliant ideas are simple, but it takes somebody brilliant to first think of them.

Cheers

Grant

Boris01 · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 228 Location: Western Australia

A mate of mine is an abstract artist , I dont really like the stuff myself but he's got a great response when he encounters people saying "their kid could do that", he says , "no, if your kid spent 14 years learning and getting to the point Im at , they wouldnt be a kid anymore"

he's built a great carreer on paintings that take him 10 minutes to do , but it took him 14 years to get to that point

I suppose the art practice that this thread is about is a little different though , it looks more like clever marketing by the parents (or someone)

and Hayley , that is INDEED a great Heron , I find charcoal a difficult medium & for a 7 year old to do that is impressive !

KarlH · Joined: 17 May 2007 Posts: 78 Location: Melbourne

Hayley · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 344 Location: Geelong

That's why i didn't see it - only get free-to-air at my place!

I had a look at the videos on her website, and I think they are great. To have the opportunities she has (materials, other resources, inspiration, parents who give her the freedom to slop paint on a canvas on the kitchen floor) is fantastic. If I had my way, it would be law that every child under 10 would have a whole day every week to do exactly what she's doing (freedom to explore their creativity, in whatever medium). After 10 it can be optional! The boost to her self confidence would be fabulous. I applaud her parents, and hope that it inspires other parents to support their children in this way. Not having read anything or seen the doco, I would like to think she being supported with only good intentions and not for commercial gain or competitive parenting.

I've had the pleasure of 'assisting' (rather than teaching) many creatively fabulous children in my workshops, and many of them are more than capable of producing work of equal standard to Marla's, but it is all about promotion and marketing isn't it?!!!!!

Speaking of my girl's drawing (above) a huge THANK YOU to all those who posted positive comments. Turning around her (completely unfounded) negativity about her ability involves a campaign to produce a string of positive evidence to counter her beliefs and prove to her that she really does produce great work. So I showed her this thread, explaining that all of these people are artists, and this is their opinion of her drawing. She was so impressed that she told the next group of people she saw (friends at a restaurant for dinner tonight) that mum had posted her drawing on the internet and other artists had said it was 'INDEED impressive' and 'remarkably sophisticated'. Wow. It is working. Thankyou! (Now to make sure we don't overdo it....!)

Ah, parenting, it's a constant balancing act! Anyway, it is our job to give them something to blame us for in order to keep the therapy industry ticking along in future.

Steve Gray · Joined: 17 Aug 2008 Posts: 1569 Location: Geelong