I am currently working as an AmeriCorps volunteer. I work as a daycare assistant in the morning and after school program tutor and assistant in the afternoon. As of late, AmeriCorps doesn't give me much time or energy to focus on my own artwork.
Before Christmas break at the end of 2007, I had the unusual moment of being able to sit down with a couple of the students and relax since they didn't have any homework to work on and I was able to enjoy drawing with them. This is one of the drawings I did when I was sitting at a table with them. Not a masterpiece at all, but it did release a lot of tension in me. Just the act of putting crayon to paper. It is freedom to me.
This was done a couple of weeks ago. In the daycare we had a PACT (Parents and Children Together session.) We had some stencils with paper and crayons out on the table, so parents could draw with their kids. And since the parents were in the room and I didn't have to concentrate so much on watching the children, I let myself go by picking up one of the stencils, and started to outline this picture of the girl. Added in details and shading... and before I knew it, they were playing Barney's "Clean Up Song" and I didn't want to clean up I just wanted to keep going with it. Of course, I had to be a good influence and stop drawing and help clean up the art materials.
One of the reasons I do love my job, is the ability to have the freedom to create like this without thinking too much. Very releasing, when I haven't felt like I have been doing my own art lately.
