The Tribune

By Deidre Bastian

Does your budding genius child sit late into the night crafting sketches? One of the most rewarding parts of being a parent is recognising budding talent in children. Creativity is a natural part of childhood, and parents can play an important role in trying to determine whether their child is ‘gifted’, particularly if he or she is the first child, as there is nothing to measure against.

If you have spotted an artistic talent in your child, do your best to encourage it, even if he/she is doing poorly at school. Whatever the situation, art is a great leveller. Grades do not matter here, so instead of pushing your child to score 10 extra marks at school, encourage him/her to excel at art if that is where their passion lies.

The word ‘artist’ was once synonymous with struggle, but that is no longer. Children with artistic talent now have numerous opportunities in today’s workplace.

Your child could get into commercial art, which involves design for commercial purposes. Take a look at the bear on your Kellogg’s box; the entire box was designed by a commercial designer. Every sketch in your favourite magazine was drawn by an illustrator.

Almost every ad agency, magazine and other media or design-related job requires a person, or a team of people, who can draw, so don’t worry about whether or not your child will do well as a commercial artist.

Realise that a person can do very well, or very badly, in whichever field he/she enters. It all depends on how focused and dedicated they are.

However, it is important that parents do not become too excited and forceful. Children need to be encouraged and guided to discover their abilities, and you must walk a fine line between encouragement and coercion.

Developing Talent: If you feel that your child’s talent is special, and you would like to cultivate it, do not find an award-winning athlete to teach your child to swim; it is likely to be a wasted effort. Be realistic, find the best tutor you can afford and one that makes sense.

Develop their talents naturally, but allow them to develop inner satisfaction so that they are not motivated by external approval. Many children have been stifled by overly-excited parents who misinterpret their child’s desires for their own. Stay focused and remember that this is your child’s talent.

Identifying Gifted Children: Most of these children draw well before the age of two, and usually by 15 months, if given the chance. They are always above average in intelligence.

Studies reveal that artistic talent does not normally reveal itself as early as musical talent, so we rely largely on the subjective influence of artists and art teachers.

For example, Da Vinci took up art at the age of 15, but all his great work was done after the age of 40. Picasso was an extraordinary painter, equivalent to an adult artist, while still in his teens.

If your child has the makings of an artist, you will recognise this by the types of activities that capture their interest. Children with artistic skills prefer creative tasks, such as painting, craft making, designing and so on.

Artistically-gifted children show fluency of imagination and expression, and cannot get their ideas down fast enough. They don’t need stimulation, as one idea leads to another.

They might have a highly developed sensibility in certain areas, such as movement, space, rhythm, colour and integration of thinking, perceiving and feeling.

There is a distinctive quality to their imagination. These children have faith in their ideas, and do not find the need to copy. Encouragement is not needed.

Artistically-gifted children live their art and they are their work, it is part of them. Their work is intensely personal and shows an inner need for visual expression.

It is important to understand that one child does not necessarily exhibit all of the above characteristics. However, it is important to regard your child’s art as a record of his or her personality.

Do not put too much emphasis on the end product, and teach your child to respect the work of others. Do not encourage competitiveness in art and allow room for experimentation,

Finally, do not worry if you know very little about art; just enjoy your child’s creativity, and don’t make a big fuss over it. So, until we meet again, fill your life with memories rather than regrets. Enjoy life and stay on top of your game.

NB: Columnist welcomes feedback at deedee21bastian@gmail.com

Ms Bastian is a professionally-trained graphic designer who has qualifications of M.Sc., B.Sc., A.Sc. She has trained at institutions such as: Miami Lakes Technical Centre, Success Training College, College of the Bahamas, Nova Southeastern University, Learning Tree International, Langevine International and Synergy Bahamas