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sabin started painting lessons yesterday with a professional artist (who is also a good friend). it's a marvelous opportunity offered by the local paint shop (she's got both wall paints and art supplies) and we snapped up one of the five spots as soon as we heard about it. at the end of the first hour and a half, sabin had painted this apple. i realize a mother is not unbiased, but i think the kid's got talent! and best of all, she was inspired. so this evening, instead of watching t.v., she said, "let's paint."

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she's in her fruit phase, as she produced this pear. she had the most beautiful rosy blush in the middle (just like on the real pear that was her model) and then her father gave her some advice that messed it all up. she may work with it a bit more tomorrow when it's dry.

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i had to include one more shot where you could see her face. after this, she painted a banana as well. definitely in her fruit phase. i think they'll be awesome in the new kitchen.

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while she painted in broad strokes on canvas with slippery paint, i turned to an old book, my ink and watercolors. first a little longing for spring materialized on the page. probably because i bought a fritillaria earlier today and it was on the table in front of me (right next to those new candle holders).

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then some nyhavn-style houses marched across the page.

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and begged to be filled in with colors.

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it was such a good way to spend the evening. the t.v. was off. i sat across from my near-teenager and all of the earlier frustrations of the day (which are many when you have an almost teenager in the house) melted away. the stacks of dirty dishes and orange peels and my martyrdom at constantly serving as her maid no longer mattered. nor did the scowls and grumpy comebacks. paint and brushes and art and candlelight and quality time together melted it all away.

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these are the things we will remember. and happily, we have the art(ifacts) to prove it.