Kiddos

Artist Trading Cards, the latest ones, inspired by
circles and triangles and that turned into birds!
Phillip Hoyle

I noticed the boy peeking in the door off the patio between the gallery and a restaurant. His family was next door eating, but he just couldn’t keep still. He stepped into the gallery to see if there were toys he’d want to shop for, but saw only artwork. He left and apparently didn’t encourage his parents to take him to our displays.

I was keeping shop at Colorado Mountain Art Gallery in Georgetown, Colorado, the co-op gallery where I show some of my paintings and once a month keep shop. I wondered if the boy would bring his parents. He didn’t, but others did! They, children with an interest in art, make the time I spend there seem even more interesting than the occasional sale of paintings, jewelry, or other artworks. That day last week, three other kids did bring in the adults they were accompanying. 

The first was a ten-year-old girl who brought her grandmother. Her eye swept the first gallery, a display of single pieces of artwork from almost all the artists who show there. She seemed interested and her eye fell on a wooden game with marbles made by one of the artists who makes interesting furniture from old skis, snowboards, snow shoes, and other mountain cabin items. She wondered how to play it and when I demonstrated talked her grandmother to play it with her. Grandma won! 

Then she saw the jewelry and wanted to try on some. Both of the pieces she most liked, due to their cost, seemed more like Christmas presents than souvenirs from a summer trip. Her grandmother must have agreed since there was no move to purchase either item. Still the girl liked the artwork and showed me a couple of pieces she especially appreciated. Grandpa came in when they were ready to leave and seemed happy they hadn't done any Christmas shopping.

The second child was a very young boy who was looking wide-eyed at photographs and paintings. I said, “My name is Phillip; what’s yours.” He hesitated and then told me his name. I said I was pleased he was looking at the art and asked if he did artwork himself. He nodded yes and then added, “I’m four,” holding up his fingers to show me. I smiled at his mother and encouraged the family to take their time. Then I asked him what kinds of art he most enjoyed making. His mom said he seemed to like everything he tried. I encouraged him to keep up the good work!

The third child that day was an eleven-year-old boy who entered the gallery with confidence and darting eyes as if he were trying to take in everything there all at once. When I asked him about his art, he said he liked to draw. His mom told me he draws constantly and really likes to make cartoon characters. He agreed and told me of his favorites. His mom added that he also did other artwork in an art class he attends in addition to school. I told him he reminded me of my son and one of my grandsons, both of whom are artists.

Other people enriched my day, but my tiny investment with these three children made the day seem most important. I love that in the gallery I get to foster young artists with my attention and conversation. It feels like an extension of all the work I did in arts programming for youngsters. Their interest inspires me and urges my continuing adventures in an art world full of designs, products, procedures, experiments, and artists, young and old.

Denver, 2014