Young Talent

You just can't rein in or cage some spirits. The word "no" means nothing to some. Putting up borders or boundaries is useless when you have a "do or die" personality in the house. That would be my 5 year old Rebecca.

"I want to paint. Let's paint, Mom."

"No, I don't have any paint."

"How about this?"

"No, that's permanent. You will mess up your clothes and everything else."

[Silence. Mother exits upstairs to lose herself on the computer. An hour later, mother thinks she should go check on her prodigy.]

"Look, Mom, I'm painting!"

"Aaaaaaaaah!" [discovering half empty bottle of gesso and that Sharpie marker had joined assemblage along with much needed ball point pens-

checks have to be written out with something!]

"Did I do a good job, Mom?"

"Yes, you did. Looks super." [It did look pretty good, but where did all of the gesso go and what else did she paint?!]

[In kitchen.]

Gesso found dripped over edge of stainless steel sink.

Frying pan in sink now soaking in milky white water.

Mangled dish towel discovered on counter saturated with white substance.

Still damp. May be saved yet.

Plastic drinking cup slopped with (now dry) white substance.

[Cup thrown into trash.]

I plan to represent her to galleries some day.

I can only hope that she will be a money making artist.

I don't have much saved for retirement!

Artwork by

Rebecca Floy Thompson

Aged 5+

Future altered artist