There was only one thing for it – Be Firm! So I thought about it, and thought about it, and proposed to Philly (&Matt) that we stick to the original game plan and each artist just paint one child each. I suggested that in addition we could produce a book that all the children’s work could be included in. That way no one would be left out. Like I’d said – I couldn’t ask the other artists involved to do more. Equally I was cringing at the disappointment I was delivering to the children.
So in conjunction with writing this email I also set about writing an email to the artists … after all it was their choice. Before I could send it I receive this back:
“I understand it may be hard for the artists to draw more than one child, but I think we would have to do something to make up for that. The children who drew are awaiting a picture of themselves and I feel it would be letting them down not to get them one. It’s really going to make them proud to see themselves drawn by an artist. But, we can work that out as the project progresses and see how much each artist is willing to do”
Again I was caught on the hop, I hadn’t thought through the expectation of the children seeing themselves painted … I included this in my email, sent it, and waited ….
Philly and Matt sent through the list along with photos of the work the children had done. I had only sent head-n-shoulders pictures through of the artists, and yet we were receiving photos of work with whole bodies in them. Awesome!
I had phoned the artist, who had been painted 6 times, before sending out the group email – to talk her through my dilemma and ask if she would be able to do 3 pieces (a few other artists had been done 3 times). She could choose which three, and we would work on getting the other three children done by other artists in the group. It was a good gauge for me, to know her reaction I was able to consider what might come back from my email.
Well, almost without hesitation the replies came flooding in. The artists were prepared to do more than one painting – I say painting, but the only stipulation we had given ourselves was size. We agreed to make the work A4-A2 in size and no bigger, so it didn’t over-shadow the children’s work. They were working on A3 cartridge paper; which they struggled to source initially – So really medium was up for debate really; it didn’t have to be paint.
I have to say, while I was hoping the answer would be yes, I am also very humbled by everyone’s generosity of time and artwork.
As an aside we would really like to organise, phase II you understand, a residency in Sucre, find funds to send one or two artists over for say 3 months and work directly with the children. Let’s hope we succeed here with phase I, and can also make that happen that would be such a lovely reward for them :-)
