Art with Mrs. Elliott : When People Are Stuck At Home, Artist Edition 4: What Brings Comfort To You?

Kokeshi Dolls

Hello lovelies,

Sometimes, when I have a long week or a long day or a hard conversation, I look for comfort when I get home. Many people have something at home that brings comfort. A particular stuffed animal, perhaps, or a treasured mug. Third graders might remember a recent conversation about special objects in our kitchens- that perfect cup or bowl that feels just right, or has a neat picture or perfect texture. There are lots of foods that bring people comfort as well, like ice cream or soup. What brought you comfort today?

As long as humans have been creating art, artists around the world have worked to bring emotional comfort to their own lives and those of others. Teapots get painted with flowers, wooden spoon handles get carved. Those details are not necessary, but they feel nice to our hearts. It is a pleasure to own something special, something beautiful, something to play with, something to treasure. Do you have a favorite toy or lovey which brings you comfort? A person, a special spot in your home, a plant, a pet, or a blanket which you adore? Today we will look at how artists around the world both bring comfort and show us what makes them happy in their homes.

Owning toys and dolls is a part of childhood that most of us share. Artists have been creating toys and dolls for children for a very long time. In Japan, kokeshi dolls have been produced for over 150 years. They are made for children to play with. These dolls are made from wood, have no arms of legs, and have simple painted faces and cylindrical bodies sealed with wax.

Northeastern Native Americans have made cornhusk dolls for likely more than one thousand years. When European settlers arrived, they adopted the practice of making cornhusk dolls into their toy making, which included making rag dolls out of bits of fabric. Husks are often dry and crack easily, so Native American artisans first soak the husks in water so that they are pliable to work with, yielding tough, sturdy dolls when dry. These dolls traditionally did not have faces.

Today, reflect on what brings you comfort in your home. Try to make a drawing, or, if you can, a painting with markers and water of what comforts you at home.

Here is a little video I made to show you this simple process:

Here is what you would need:

Pencil

Markers

Paper (Thicker is better when painting, so that your paper is less likely to wrinkle.)

Water

Brush

The basics:

Draw a picture of something, someone, or some place that you turn to for comfort. Color it with markers, then brush water over the marker lines to create paint.

More ideas to try:

You could add a background. If ice cream brings you comfort, where do you like to eat it? If you find comfort with a lovey, do you cuddle it in bed? If there is a special person who you go to for comfort, and do you have a routine with that person you could draw, like when they read you a bedtime story?

Here are some contemporary artists showing us the comforts of home.

The painting below is by March Avery. She was born in 1932. Her dad was an artist, too. His name was Milton Avery. She started painting at a young age and practiced a lot. Her artwork has been shown at many museums.

March Avery, Bedtime Story (1989)

Some people feel comfort when someone reads to them, especially at bedtime. One of my favorite stories to have read to me as a child was The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. What stories do you love?

Other people feel comforted by the objects in their home that make it feel cozy and welcoming. Some people, called interior decorators, even have a career where they decorate the homes of others to make it have a certain feeling. In this painting below, you might notice the soft, bright pillows, the game of chess, the to-go cup (perhaps filled with coffee, cocoa, or tea), the bouquet of flowers, the sharp new pencil, and the wall of art and posters.

Hilary Pecis, Harper’s Game (2019)

It was painted by the young artist Hilary Pecis. She lives in Los Angeles, California. She paints representational landscapes and interiors from what she sees around her. She was born in California in 1979. Her artwork has been seen in many art magazines, and she shows her paintings in art galleries, which are like tiny museums.

I look forward to seeing your artwork, and I miss you all so much I think that I will go hug my stuffie now.

Love,

Mrs. Elliott

Here are all the AMAZING artworks you have shared with me this week! Some of you have been veritable creative fountains! I LOVE to see what you have been doing. Thank you for sharing!