July 2010
Sunflowers striving upwards to reach for the sun is this week’s craft theme at Little Dragons. What is particularly exciting about the art and craft work of the very young is the way in which they interpret the materials in their own particular way depending much on their developing dexterity, imagination and actual knowledge. It is often sufficient for the youngest members of our group, those who are barely toddling, to actually stick the component parts of the desired result somewhere on the background paper or card. Following this achievement there is usually a phase where the Little Dragon experiments, sometimes developing art aligned to cubism or some modern, yet un-named contemporary art form. As skills and knowledge increase a ‘something like the real thing’ may emerge as the little person begins to develop that facility, as most of us seem to do, of conforming to the expectations of society and producing, in this case, a sunflower which looks more-or-less like the demonstration picture.
While this is a good sign that learning processes are taking place and that the child is developing skills of observation, co-ordination and application, there is also the feeling that ‘difference’ is often forfeited for the sake of ‘sameness’ and ‘fitting in’. How often does it seem that people who are ‘different’ are chastised or cast aside due to those differences instead of being acknowledged as children of their God just as we like to think we are?
In our early years Frank and I lived in a part of England where there were very definite rules of society and where you fitted into that society. You were reminded not to try to rise above your station, not to open the door to anyone of a different complexion and, above all, not even contemplate consorting, let alone marrying, anyone of a different religious persuasion.
How things have changed – much to the gladness of my heart. Members of our family and several of our friends belong to different race and religious faiths. We live and let live and enjoy meeting, being and existing side by side. Like them we continue to strive upwards towards the sun and to meet our own God in his Heaven.
Val Butterworth