Looking Though the Other Side Of The Lens - The Importance of Artistic Expression For Our Children

Over the next few days I will be having a few guest posts from individuals that I have asked to share their experiences in specifically the arts. I have asked each one of these individuals to talk about the importance of sharing the arts with our children from an early age.

Our first contributor is Mishelle from Secret Agent Mama. I want to truly thank Mishelle for sharing her perspectives with all of us as many of you have seen here on my site, artistic expression (for me in photography) is very important, not only for us as parents or adults, but also, more importantly, for all of our children.
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When people used to ask me that question that is often asked of children: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I'd reluctantly answer with, "a dentist." I don't know why I answered the question that way? Maybe I thought it would be cool to look in people's mouths and fill cavities? Or maybe I was just a kid and didn't really know what I wanted? Actually, I think it boiled down to trying to live up to something that my parents dreamed up for me.

After I graduated, with honors from high school, I started college. My major was Biology/Pre-Med with a minor in English Literature. I had wanted to be a Liberal Arts major, but my father sternly said, "Who does anything with the arts? You should be a doctor. You will be respected. You will be set for life!" So, like a good daughter I went with it. I'd regret it, too.

I did o.k. with my course load when I actually made it to my core classes, however I did extremely well in all my art history, literature, poetry, and other elective classes. I probably should have taken more of those or even switched my major to the arts, but I never felt I could do it without parental scrutiny. Shortly after I started college, I quit college.

During this time I worked for a portrait studio. The portrait studio was my first real job, and it would be something I would stick with for seven years. I had regular customers that would request me, and often times I would use portrait sittings as a creative outlet, doing those "different" shots of kids not looking at the camera. I was limited as to what I could do with the camera equipment, but I never let that impede my work or style.

As a mother now, I see that it is clearly important to introduce many aspects that our world has to offer; through music, nature, museum visits, arts and crafts, photography, films, cooking, writing, reading, etc... it is important to expose children to various forms of art and culture. Sure they need all the fundamentals, but I believe it is crucial to having well rounded children.

We have a chance, daily, to show our children art. Everywhere you look there is something to see and learn from: sculptures in parks, quotes on historical buildings, local photography in restaurants or coffee shops, interesting cuisine to put together at home, local plays or concerts, ceramic painting trips, frequent visits to the library. There is something everywhere, you just have to look and be willing to explore. A child's mind is like a sponge and exposure to the arts can begin at any age.

Here I am now, 34 years old. My career is being a mother, but I dabble in photography. Recently I have devoted a lot of time to my art work. It's something that feeds my soul, and my children are involved and know how much it means to me. That, in-and-of-itself, is important, too. Children should see their parents doing things that make them happy. Happy parents equal happy children.

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A while back I showed my photography to my dad and he said, "You are good; why didn't you go to school for photography?"

I smiled and sarcastically replied, "Someone told me that people don't do anything with the arts."

"Well they are wrong," he replied.

I said, "You said that to me, a long time ago. You don't remember?"

He looked puzzled and our conversation ended. That being said I will make it a point to support my children in whatever they want to do. I owe that to them. After all, there's a whole world out there for the taking, and I will do all I can to help them grasp it!

[Mishelle is the author of Secret Agent Mama and Mishelle Lane Photography. Along with her husband, four children, whom she home schools, she resides northeast Metro Atlanta.]
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