Prodigy or Just a Daughter of an Art Teacher?

I would like to dedicate this blog post to my crazy, amazing daughter. She is currently in kindergarten. The things she says and does never ceases to amaze me.. Sometimes it reminds me of the baby/toddler days when she would hit a milestone like walking or switching from a bottle to a cup. These days, the milestones are reading, saying "astute" type words like or rather--let's do this, or....drawing full on masterpieces.

She's always been a kid who has shown an interest in art. It could be because I'm an artist and art teacher. Maybe it's because I already had those supplies available and exposed her to them. Maybe she would have already been interested regardless of my interest. She actually told me that a few weeks ago. We were drawing together one evening, and I asked her, "Do you think you like drawing because Mommy likes drawing?" Her response, "Yeah, maybe. Or maybe I would have liked it anyway?" She caught me off guard with her answer--but she wasn't wrong. Those are the types of things she'll say now a days that show her growth. I need to remember to keep adding to my notepad of things she says.

Long story short, I have created this post to showcase her transformation from the last two years. I may be biased...but SHE. IS. RIDICULOUS.

She is mountains more skilled and more creative then I was at her age. Heck, she's more creative than I am NOW...as a 33 year old artist. You'll see. Let's take a journey, shall we?

Procreate, 2020. Age 3 years:

3 Years Old

3 Years Old

Procreate, 2021. Age 4 years:

4 Years Old

4 Years Old

She started showing an understanding of space and proportion around four years old. Even the concept of adding ENVIRONMENTS to her pieces was already taking place. I could barely get my Art I students to add environments--but here she is. Anway, I digress.

Okay, are you ready for this?.........

I don't think you are.......

I wasn't.

Procreate, 2022. Age 5 years:

The quality isn't super great here, but there are fish tangled in the mermaids hair.

5 Years Old

THE SILHOUETTES?!?!

5 Years Old

HER HAIR???

5 Years Old

FIRSTLY. The ATTENTION TO DETAIL and ATTENTION SPAN to complete these artworks is way beyond any 5 year old kids that I have met or taught.

SECONDLY. Her ability, desire, or creativity to draw the subjects and animals in her drawings in the positions/poses they are in are far more advanced than what "I" as a grown person want to draw.

If you are wondering what I or her dad helped her on...

Finding a reference image for her on her iPad. That's it. We Google a coloring page that she requests--for instance, "girl on the beach." (Sometimes she doesn't want a reference. You know, on those confident days.)

She then saves the image to her ipad. Opens up Procreate. Activates the reference image window on her iPad, and gets to work.

Her current work in progress.

She said she's finished with the line work and will now be adding color.

I'll post her finished masterpiece once it's complete.

EDITED to add her final piece:

So, what are your thoughts? Prodigy or just an Art Teacher's daughter? Maybe a hybrid? Regardless, I am one proud mama. I hope she finds joy in making art for years to come.

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments or even support/feedback for me to tell her about her art journey.

Thank you for being here.

-KB