Save Philippine Seas Watercolor Workshop

I’ve always been a fan of art. I’m not really an artist, (well, not the kind that paints and stuff) but I have always liked getting lost in the creativeness of those who are.

So when a fellow WAHM posted an announcement about a Basic Art Workshop on the Manila Work-At-Home-Moms group page, I immediately registered Pablo. (The ad said 5 years and above, so Lukas and Judah can’t join yet)

Who knows? He could be the next Fernando Amorsolo or Juan Luna!

I asked him to choose between the pastel class or the watercolor class, he chose watercolor. I don’t really mind. He had taken pastel drawing classes, and though he did well in it for his age, he didn’t enjoy it that much; so I guess he wanted to try watercolor this time.

The ad also said that there were limited slots and we would know if we got a slot through email so I waited. I checked my email everyday (and every night) waiting to know if we got a slot. And we did!

Watercolor class at Jamba Juice

The class was held on a Saturday morning at Jamba Juice, Bonifacio Global City. Students were asked to bring with them a Prang watercolor set and watercolor paper.

I couldn’t accompany Pablo because I had to log in for work, so I asked Jay to go with him.

My confusion on Pablo’s watercolor art

I didn’t know what to say at first when Pablo showed me his works. I wanted to be supportive and encouraging but I also didn’t want to lie. Aside from the two penguins and a talking box and an angry looking small red volcano that he drew on white papers (he must have asked from a seatmate when his watercolor papers ran out), the rest just looked like spills and blots of colored water in the middle of the paper. I just couldn’t make sense out of them.

There were also some salt that fell out, which according to Jay, were part of the lesson.

Here’s why I got confused…

I’ve seen so many moms post their kids’ work all over Facebook. Kids who’ve never painted anything all their years until they joined art classes but were able to paint pictures!

You know, trees, and flowers, apples….pictures. The ones with right shades of hues and shadows and mixes of colors.

My husband wasn’t really able to sit with Pablo during the class. He brought his work laptop and had to meet a deadline for that afternoon. I got concerned that maybe because we didn’t supervise him, my kid didn’t pay attention to the teachers.

But Jay said that although Pablo tasted some of the salt, he listened to the class and followed instructions the best he could. I sighed and thought to myself that perhaps painting just isn’t one of my little boy’s gifts.

According to an artist’s mom

The week later, while helping pack food for the relief operations, I told my friend, Chef Len of Feed 5000, about the watercolor class. Len’s daughter, Nikki, is a talented artist.

Maybe my disappointment was too obvious because Len was quick to assure me that that was completely okay.

She said that as a child, her daughter, Nikki, joined an art competition and won. Chef Len said that the other submissions were really technically great, but that they also looked similar. Nikki’s submission, which she said she didn’t understand either, was the one that stood out because it was different.

What she was trying to say was that good art classes allow individuality among their students.

Okay, I admit it, I expected Pablo to come home with a masterpiece! I kinda expected that he’d be taught a few brush strokes or mixing of colors.

It’s a “basic” watercolor class after all. Perhaps those are taught to more advanced students?

Truth is, I wouldn’t know. I’ve never attended an art class. Ever.