Travel Tips

Sam is 13 years old but did this painting when she was 11. I like her use of color and shape.

Nick is 10 years old but did this drawing when he was 9. He captures the mod look with the hair and tiny earring in the picture. In January of 2006 he was jumped from the 4th grade to the 6th grade.

Nicholas did this in 4th grade just before he switched to 6th at age 9. His art teacher had asked the class to do a "Picasso style" painting. I think he captured the essence pretty well.

This picture was drawn by my granddaughter, Sally, age 8. It is the cover page for her story of going to family reunions in Oklahoma. She has cousins who live on a farm so she calls it "Oklahoma country." She loves animals so especially delights in seeing baby pigs, ets. Her story is a lot like a VT page. She has a travel tip: "we have to get on two planes" (the cheapest flights require a change in Memphis); she relates a local custom: "when I was four a cousin's cat had babies and I got to hold one!"; a "must see": "In Oklahoma country there are lots and lots of stars. One time I saw the big or little dipper;" a danger or warning: "In Oklahoma country ther are spikes so you can't go bare foot" (there are thorny grasses); and even describes a hide an seek game she and her cousins play in the hotel. All these things are illustrated in her picture: notice all the stars, the cat, the baby pigs and the grass. I think she is a natural.

Sally is 10. She did this for my wife and me when we returned home from a trip to Europe at about age 6. As far as she was concerned we had been around the world!

This one is hanging on the side of my garage over the side garden. Each of my 4 grandchildren painted a panel for me - specifically for my garden. Jake is 6 and is getting into drawing and creating pictures. When he was smaller and didn't feel confident in his artistic talents he said, "I make you a colorful picture." His is the lower right panel.