Today – I’m going to respond to a question that I’ve been asked by a couple of people. The question is this:
“I thought this was supposed to be a children’s book. Why have you created an illustrated poem for adults?”
Well… the short answer is: why not?
But I actually have a number of thoughts on this topic.
Why do we only have storybooks, illustrated books and poetry… for children? Why are these things not created for adults too? Why do most of us assume that illustrations… and illustrated books are “for kids”…?
I actually think it’s a big part of the problem. This idea that we (“grown-up’s”) have about the arts as a whole. Most of us have been raised in societies and schools that devalue the arts… poetry… storytelling. We’re told from a young age to “grow-up”. We’re instructed to be sensible, obedient, practical, dutiful and responsible. And, in many ways, we’re told and taught (and especially as we get older)… that we need to pack away the whimsy, the beauty, the playtimes, the stories, the dreams, imagination, adventure, wonder and art… and we need to store it all in a little box called “Childish Things”.
That little box gets padlocked… and filed away in the deep, dark recesses of our minds where it gathers dust and lies dormant – like an undiscovered treasure. And many of us NEVER open it up again.
We replace the beautiful, whimsical things with practical things. Sensible things.
We replace the play with work. Because that’s what we grown-up’s do. We work. Play is for children.
We replace the fables and the stories with “truth”. When somebody tells us a story, we – as grown-up’s – immediately respond: “Yes, that’s very nice. But is it true?”
We replace our big, beautiful dreams with “realism”. We say things like: “I’m just being realistic“. We tell ourselves that our dreams are “pipe dreams”… or “fantasies”. We scold ourselves for dreaming. We tell ourselves that it’s time-wasting, childish nonsense. That we need to grow-up and “get real”.
We replace imagination and ideas with systems, structures and 3-step-plans. We’ve been so programmed to think this way… to Answer-the-Questions (instead of QUESTION the answers)… to Obey-The-Rules… and Pass-The-Tests… and Do-What-We’re-Told… and to be compliant and obedient… and, as a result, many of us have lost the ability to think for ourselves… to initiative NEW ideas… NEW concepts… NEW solutions.
Many adults believe that they need other people to govern their lives and tell them what to do – and without those people; the parent… the teacher… the pastor… the husband… the boss… the “expert”… the government official… they feel unsafe and adrift.
And… as for the WONDER. Whatever happened to that?
Most adults can’t even get their brains around the idea of “wonder”. We believe we must have The Answers. We must know The Truth. There seems to be little room for questioning… pondering… or even a willingness to embrace uncertainty. Few of us (grown-up’s) are content to embrace the wonder of the unknown… the divine mysteries of life… to be perfectly comfortable admitting: “You know what? I don’t know. And I’m okay with not knowing. But… ah… isn’t it wonderful simply to ponder on all the possibilities??”
And as for art… and colour… the creative expression of our longings, thoughts and imaginings…
For many adults, “ART” is the domain of The Arty-Farty’s. Those people. Those other people.
“I’m not creative”, people say (I’ve heard this so many times… I’ve lost count).
And yet – as children – we ALL created art. We ALL were involved in painting, drawing, dancing, drama and poetry. As kids, we were ALL encouraged to express ourselves in a creative way. Nobody pigeon-holed us then. Nobody said: “You five kids over there! You are the arty-farty’s. You are ALLOWED to create art. The rest of you? You’ve got NO creativity or talent. Go and kick a ball or do some sums”.
As children – we were ALL encouraged to express ourselves through art.
What happened?
What changed? Why were the paints, the poetry, the crafts and the music all packed away?
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One of the reasons why I’ve created my book as an illustrated poem… is because I believe that ADULTS… could do with a nice, healthy dose of ART, stories, poetry, colourful imaginings… and whimsy… injected back into their lives!
By telling my story (which is, at times, dark and difficult)… using ART and POETRY… it’s my small attempt to debunk this crazy myth that illustrated-books-are-just-for-children.
THIS illustrated book is… for grown-up’s. Yes – I’ll create another one for children (a lite version). But – this FIRST version… this FIRST edition… is for all the adults.
And ESPECIALLY for the adults who have told themselves the bullshit lie that they are “not creative”… or “not particularly talented at anything”… or “not enough”.
ESPECIALLY those adults.
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I have 19 more days to raise the full $5000 that I need to print and distribute my book. If you would like a signed, first-edition copy of my illustrated-poem-for-grown’up’s… (along with other goodies and perks that I’ll be posting to backers) – I’d be HUGELY grateful if you click on THIS LINK. Thank-you! Thank-you!
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PS: Now… go and paint a picture, take a photo, climb a tree, do a cartwheel, scrape Nutella out of a jar with your fingers, have a bubble bath (preferably with bath-toys), compose a limerick, sing a song, daydream, pick some wild flowers and stick them in your hair, mould something out of polymer clay, wear something outrageously bright and sparkly, play dress-up… (well – you get the picture)…. X
PPS: Quick disclaimer (added after reading a few comments and suddenly feeling horrified that I might not be making myself crystal-clear with this post). To all the mathematicians, scientists, engineers (and people generally brilliant at all the stuff I suck at). Please… please… don’t see this post as a *diss* on your particular craft or skill. I truly believe that we are ALL creative… that creativity shows itself in ways as diverse as the stars in the sky. Although I DO believe that the arts (like painting, poetry, drama, dance, music, etc) have been marginalized and generally devalued by society and school and viewed as hobbies and not as *important* as maths or science… I am *NOT* saying that *I* think that maths or science (or anything – really) – is a “lesser” pursuit. I see ALL our talents and gifts as equal… and ALL of these things can be expressed through creative means. There is creativity in business… there is creativity in maths… there is creativity in engineering. I’m sorry if anyone has misunderstood my stance on this! Pleeeeeease know that I hold these 4 values close to my heart:
- I believe that we are ALL creative.
- I believe there is no such thing as a “lesser” or “less worthy” gift / calling / talent / career.
- My deep desire – for everyone – is that they learn to truly embrace their beautiful uniqueness and be the best version of THEM-selves.
- I have never-ever-ever wanted other people to be more like “me”. God forbid. I want YOU to just be… more like… YOU! – and not to let anyone tell you how to live or who to be. Just be YOU. Be… YOU!!
*phew!* (Hope that’s cleared up?)…
Hello Heather – while I find a lot of your thoughts about art, music and so on valid, and I agree that we are encouraged to ‘grow up’ and become responsible adults, you have made a point on more than one occasion where I think I have to beg to differ.
This is in relation to maths and science. Now I happened to love school, do well at school, and study sciences at university. I was also an addicted reader and played the piano (by reading music and following the rules). Art was not my forte – it is the only thing I came close to failing at school.
As a child however, my best memory of my dad Ian (an electrical engineer) is how he and I did maths together far ahead of what were doing at school. I could do 4 figure logs and use a slide rule by the age of about 8, and he and I used to do long mental arithmetic calculations on road trips. Like working out fuel consumption, converting kilometres to miles and so on.
There is creativity in maths and there are ‘normal’ people who love numbers and maths for themselves.
Don’t write off everyone who likes maths, computers, chemistry … as not someone ‘who gets you’.
(Reading over this comment it seems a bit disjointed – hope you get my drift.)
Love Karyn PS we should meet again for coffee before you go off travelling again.
Firstly – if this book wasn’t written and illustrated in this way would Heather really have got her Hat-ness back?
Secondly – in response to Karyn:
I was never an artist at school – I failed at it because my work wasn’t to the standard of the teacher or the nationally expected standard or whatever the crap notion was that told me that I couldn’t be an artist.
And that’s what it was, crap.
Many years later I started to unpack my issues around this and it took me a long time to understand that it wasn’t that I was no good, I had failed or I wasn’t an artist. It was that the teacher in my formative years had done me and probably many other children a huge discredit.
ANYONE can be an artist, anyone can create a piece of wonder. NOBODY can fail at art as it is purely individual and subjective. Not everyone likes jazz or heavy metal or classical or pop, the same applies to every other creative pursuit, including maths, science and technology.
Don’t ever believe that something’s not your forte just because a teacher/examiner told you so. I’ve gone on to create some beautiful pieces of art that I am very proud of since I managed to shake off that long-held belief that it wasn’t my forte. It very much is, I just needed to think less formulaically and more creatively, outside of that little box that we get pushed into the more we are forced to grow up.
Lara… Yes. And yes. To your first question… yes, you make a great point. In order for me to get my HAT’ness back… I *had* to create the kind of book that young-Hat, Creative-Creature *would* create. Hat is a poet and an illustrator… and thus – in order to be THE most authentic version of myself – it only makes sense that I tell my story in the form of an illustrated poem.
Secondly… I am so sorry that you got derailed by a teacher and a system that judged your art and your creations on some (WTF??) standards / crap notions / The-Done-Thing… Burdensome Expectations…. whatever! As you correctly say – **ART** is SUCH a subjective thing. It is creative expression that takes on many… many…. MANY…. millions of forms. We don’t all love and appreciate the same kinds of art. Our tastes are SO diverse (and that’s what I love about the world – I am in love with diversity). I like jazz. I don’t like bluegrass. But just because *I* don’t enjoy bluegrass… I would NEVER try to infer that bluegrass is not art… that bluegrass is not creative… that bluegrass is shit. It’s just not *my* thing. Doesn’t really float my proverbial boat – but hey, I am super-happy for all the folk out there who LURVE bluegrass. I’m like: GO FOR IT! DO IT! ENJOY IT! SAVOUR IT! I feel the same about every creative endeavour. My sister is a corporate creature. The corporate world is *NOT* the right fit for me (at all!!!)… BUT – I love that SUZANNE loves her job. I love that she thrives in that atmosphere. I LOVE that Karyn loved doing 4 figure logs and slide rules with her Dad… (I have no idea what a 4 figure log or a slide rule is… but I LOVE that Karyn loved those things!). I love, Lara… that you have shaken off those bullshit-lie-beliefs that you “couldn’t” create art. I LOVE that you’ve created beautiful pieces that you’re now proud of. Oh… how I wish… and dream… and wish… and dream… that the many, many people (who are gifted and creative in SO many diverse areas)… would embrace their beautiful gifts… and do what they LOVE! Thanks for commenting! X
I love your picture of a Dad and daughter sharing a moment over a ruler. A priceless memory and probably helped to make, not what, but who you are today xx
Hi Karyn… I had to reply as quickly as possible… because I’m a bit freaked out that you might construe my argument of society / school – in general – being “anti-art”… as a way of saying that I write off folk who love maths! Noooooooo!!! That’s not what I’m saying at all…..!!! I honestly – TRULY – delight… in diversity – and the fact that so MANY of us have so many DIFFERENT and unique gifts and talents! In fact – I view someone’s gift for maths… or love of science… as something to be just as celebrated as somebody’s love for music and art.
The point that I want to make… the point that I want to shout from the roof-tops… is that I believe **EVERYONE** is talented and creative in their OWN way. For me – this means that my talents and creativity lie in the domain of art and music… but – for many others – their talent and creativity could like in SO many diverse areas… maths… electrical engineering…. even my Dad (who can’t even draw a decent stick-figure) is exceptionally creative with business development and new concepts when it comes to manufacturing. His creativity *looks* different to mine – but it’s still JUST as creative and JUST as valuable.
I genuinely – (GENUINELY!!!) celebrate *ALL* kinds of creativity… whether it shows itself in cooking, business, engineering, building, hospitality… or the more artistic pursuits of film, drama, sculpture… whatever.
The point I’m trying to make about the arts, however… is that – in general – the arts are devalued or seen as something superfluous and hobby-like. As “silly pursuits”…. as “childish things”… The scientists and mathematicians of this world are encouraged (especially in school)… because these are generally viewed as “real” jobs… or career aspirations worth aspiring to. On the other hand (because I’ve never had that natural tendency or mathematical gift)… I was made to feel stupid and devalued… because my particular gift or talent…. was not considered something “valuable” (like Maths or Science).
THAT is my major bug-bear with the arts / creativity thing.
I hope I’ve made myself clear???
I would HATE to think that I’m giving the impression that I pooh-pooh… or look down upon gifts or talents that differ to mine. On the contrary, there are few things that make me happier when I see somebody who genuinely enjoys what they do (regardless of the skill / talent / gift).
The guy who does our taxes, for example. I love this guy! He genuinely has a passion for numbers. He doesn’t remember people by their names… he remembers them by their telephone or cellphone numbers. He told me that, while he drives to work in the morning, he creates numbers games and does sums (on the license-plate numbers of the cars driving in front of him). I LOVED his story. I love that he loves numbers. I love that he loves his job. I celebrate with ANYONE who has recognised their gift / talent / creativity / skill – whatever that looks like.
My core values are these things:
1. EVERYONE… is talented and creative. Everyone.
2. Diversity is a WONDERFUL thing.
3. My deepest desire – for everyone – is that they EMBRACE their beautiful uniqueness… and DO the stuff that they genuinely love – and are good at / interested in / passionate about (WHATEVER that may be).
4. There is no single “Right Way” to do life.
5. I believe that children – from a young age – should be encouraged… to truly BE themselves… and never, ever, ever made to believe that they are “lesser”… or “stupid”… because what they love is *different* to The Norm.
6. In fact – I just question The-Norm… and The-Done-Thing. I believe there is value in ALL of our strengths, gifts and talents. I hate the fact that some people are made to feel as though their talent, gift or creativity doesn’t count… because it is somehow perceived as “less valuable”….
7. I absolutely *DO* believe that society has devalued the creative arts. But… in saying this… I am NOT saying that *I* then believe that maths and science are “lesser” pursuits. I believe, in fact, that all are equal.
Eeek…. I’m still a bit freaked out. I’m feeling horrified that people might read my post in the way that you have? Eeeeeeeeeek!!!!!
And yes – would LOVE to do a coffee and chat!!!! X
Hi Heather and Karyn,
Thank you, Heather, for this post. I agree with most of your post too, but also agree with Karyn. I’m a sociologist and spend most of my days reading jargonistic academic articles, and programming statistical models of social inequality. Ever since I was a child I have been fascinated with the world, and how and why some people are rich, and others are poor. I’m also lucky enough to live in a country, and have been healthy enough to work hard enough, to have been able to spend most of my life either at school or university- and I love this. I love my life, and even though I have a paid job, I don’t feel that I’m no longer living life creatively or fully. In fact, there are many aspects of my life, even though I work with numbers, and words and don’t tend to climb trees everyday, where I am involved in creating, just not in a way that is accessible as most art. I also live, what most people would call, a very alternative life, which I won’t detail here, and I don’t feel this contradicts my passions and paid work.
Let us not forget also that there are many people in the world who simply don’t have the time or capacity to be creative or free-spirited because they are surviving to gain access to basic human needs and rights. Under these conditions, surviving and protecting those vulnerable around you in itself is a great feat and is enough.
Artists are not the only passionate, free-spirited people in this world. And, a certain degree of organisation in our thinking is how we progress as a society, and how we solve complex problems. Science is beautiful, mathematics is beautiful, data is beautiful, just as art is. They are all reflections of our society, and of us as humans, though, they represent the world through different prisms or ontology’s. We all see the world in different ways- and that is okay.
I hope you understand my comments. Don’t let anyone, including yourself, tell you that your talent and passion is wrong.
Rebecca
Absolutely AGREE with everything that you say here, Rebecca. If you read my response to Karyn and to Lara… you’ll see how *much* I agree. Moral of the story – as you say: “Don’t let ANYONE – including yourself – tell you that your passion and your talent is wrong”. THAT is the message I live by. Thanks for commenting!!
Hi Hat, Lara & Karyn
I love all your responses to Hat’s blog today. Just got back from work. I’m shattered and enjoying a child free evening, but feel like I’ve missed out on an important conversation today.
I love the image that goes with today’s blog. I cannot illustrate to save my life, but I doodle, and mess about, and LOVE to do BIG things with paint (I’d nearly forgotten that – thank you ). Once I painted a banner advertising a youth disco on a double bed sheet and had a whale of time. Your boxes of pens fill me with envy and possibilities. I took art at school age 14, but my teacher said I was no good “…with effort, could do better…” 🙁
I took maths, economics and French at A-level age 16. I either dropped the course or failed it. Came away with no qualifications. Looking back I should have done Art, English and Psychology. Rach was being squished into a box that did not fit her.
On the flip side, I am now a woman who at work and at home ADORES the art and dance of a good spreadsheet. There is definitely more than enough room for whatever your THING is. Thereby illustrating the fact that NOBODY fits into a tiny rigid box.
Hat – I really wish I had the money to fund your book. I REALLY want to read it. Illustrations and all. So far my favourite is tree climbing Hat. I suspect there will be others.
I wish us all well in finding our true selves, whatever that wonderfulness may be xxx
And Rebecca
Rach, thank-you for your wonderful comment which put a big, fat grin on my face!! The spreadsheet dance made me giggle. My sister, Suzanne, LOVES a juicy spreadsheet or a detailed pie chart. I’m sure she could operate Excel in her sleep!! I remember when she used to work in a store (and being a fan of statistics), she had created a spreadsheet that detailed every customer that entered the store… their estimated age, race, marital status, whether they browsed or purchased, which days they came, what time… all METICULOUSLY chronicled. After 3 solid months of doing this, she had a big, detailed pie chart of the stores’ most most faithful buyers… and when (and what time) folk were most likely to buy. I found it all very fascinating. I think she would have made a great researcher! :-). I just love all these bits of uniqueness that make up our collective MUCH’ness!!! Thanks again… so much… for your lovely response and your words of encouragement! xx
You are awfully nice to respond in such a detailed manner. My blog post to the proffered question would have been “because I wanted to.” 😉
Tee-hee… well, a big part of me DOES just want to say “because I wanted to” and offer no disclaimers or explanations… but sadly, I still have this people-pleasing *thing*… and this neeeeeed to be *got* and understood (even if not liked or agreed with)… so I go off on these long, bloody tangents… harping on… doggedly determined to explain every thought process and decision with the simple hope that people go: “Oh. Okay. I GET why she did that”. It’s quite pathetic, really…. 😉
I have nearly a 1000 kid books as a former elementary school teacher. Why? #1 I love reading! #2 I wanted my students to have plenty of choices. AND #3 I love reading kid books (quicker) & re- reading my old book friends from my childhood. Any excuse to buy a book is a good one!
I hear you! I still have my favourite books from my childhood (although somewhat falling apart and very dog-eared)… one of my favourite parts of reading bedtime stories to my kids, is that I’m reading them many of my favourite (childhood books)… and they bring back so many warm memories and feelings of nostalgia. Like you say – any excuse to buy a book is a good one! 🙂
As a child, I loved coloring pictures. Lucky me, I discovered coloring books for grown ups! They seem to be quite a hit these days.
Yes! They DO seem to be quite a hit these days! It seems to be quite a therapeutic exercise… hence I’m seeing them in bookstores everywhere. In spite of my skeptical relationship with all-things “colouring-in-book”… I’ve come to the conclusion that ANYthing that encourages creativity… and brings some colour and art into the life of the average “grown-up”… MUST be a good thing!!! So – colour-on… and ENJOY!!! X
Been nosing about in your old blogs again lol! With regards to your original reply to the original question and the ones that follow, I refer you to ” Hat’s List Of Blog Disclaimers” of which there are 22.(ps. I hate slapstick comedy too). I draw (haha) your attention to the fact that there is a most fantastic pen on the related image. That is no Word Wuss (also, “Shouts loudest whenever what?). There is no escape from someone who *gets* you xx
Eeeeee!!!! No escape! No escape! You are amazing, Rach-purple-mammoth… (PS: why a hairy purple mammoth? I want to know! Tell me!!)… Yes… YES… you certainly are a tribe’ster… and thank-you for *getting* me. I can’t tell you what a RELIEF it is. Sometimes (make that… every day)… I often wonder: “How am I perceived by others?”… and then – suddenly, I get this horrible idea that I come across either as a nutter… or a very judgemental person (and it’s a HORRIBLE thought for me… a HORRIBLE-HORRIBLE thought… that ANYONE might feel judged by me!)… And I so desperately hope that I’m the opposite of that… but can’t help worrying nontheless. PS: Can’t remember what that word-wuss scribble was about. I wrote that while we were still living in Cape Town…. so it’s lurking somewhere in my scribble-mountain. X
I have been lucky to have had some time with a very good counsellor. I came away from one session with this phrase in my head ” X is not my responsibility”
My ex husbands behaviour – is not my responsibility
Someone else’s debt – is not my responsibility
What other people think of me – is not my responsibility
etc, etc…
I find it liberating. Helps me to stop flapping (when I am flapping like a flapping thing having a flap)
oh OK…. Email address…..
Hairy – I have BIG hair (depending on whether I have washed it or not)
Purple – my favourite colour
Mammoth – started off as a nickname my ex husband gave me when he actually liked me. Now it’s about me being unique (and hairy lol!)
🙂
Weirdly – Rach – I only saw your reply now! (All this trying-to-keep-up on social media / Facebook / e-mails / Instagram / blog comments… clearly I’m not doing a very thorough job!! Aaak!)… I liked your description of BIG-hair you… and I LOVE the “not my responsibility” thing too! Reminds me of that Anthony Hopkins quote I keep harping on about: “It’s none of my business what other people say of me or think of me”…. x