Red Meets Blue!

Ruby and Isaiah arrived in the Art Center/Studio eager and ready to paint. They rolled up their sleeves, looked at each other in the eyes and Ruby said, "Let's paint together" and Isaiah said, "Okay!" Ruby replied with a grin. I told them that today is a very special day, because blue is going to meet red!

I asked them were they wanted me to place blue and red on their white paper. They both paused and looked at each other.  Ruby picked out a spot to place red and Isaiah with a big grin on his face said, "Put blue on top of red !" Ruby looked at Isaiah and then at me and said,"Yeah!"

The two companions began to create purple first on their hands, and then on the paper, laughing delightedly at the cool wet, slippery feel and the wild new colors they created! They filled the paper with swirls of color moving their bodies together, their fingers, hands and arms reaching out and then back in, to one side and then the other! "We made purple together, right Isaiah?" "Yeah, we did," Isaiah confirmed.

The physical dance with each other and with the paint speaks volumes about Isaiah and Ruby's friendship. It seemed to me to capture the strength and intimacy of their connection, deepened by their collaborative painting. And it reflects an important value in our Art Center/Studio:  that art is not necessarily a solitary endeavor, but one that is anchored by friendship.