Sat, 01 May 2010 15:28:00
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Midgett
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Midgett's Corner
Often times, a child’s first experience with art is when their parents purchase them a coloring book and crayons.
When they begin preschool or kindergarten, drawing and coloring is something they will do with their classmates. Often times, the teacher will outline a little person’s body and ask the students to color in the outline.
What I have noticed in these exercises is how children view their body images. White, Asians or Hispanic children would color them using white paint or orange colors for their faces. The African-American children, even the light skinned ones, would use brown. All though the school district now have skin tone crayons, most of the children still won’t use them.
This is the beginning of how youth mirror image themselves.
I remember vividly when I was in the ninth grade, my teacher praised me for one of my art pieces. I had drawn large, but crooked circles on a piece of paper. I used pencil, but the lines were thin, kind of naked to the visible eye. I colored in the circles with green and white, then used yellow and orange. My teacher commented that she liked the brightness of the colors that I chose. She hung it on the wall and I thought I was the future artist of the world.
How do you see the mirror image of yourself? What colors bring light to your image?
I am aware of what colors I wear for a specific occasion. For me, bright colors show my power image. They make me feel happy and cheery, especially my purples, yellow, orange and red. Bright colors make me feel cheerful. Brown, tan and grey are my business colors.
Do you remember your kindergarten or preschool years when you were offered paint or crayons? Or the color clothes you wore that your parents chose for you?
My mom used to choose yellow, light green, pink clothes and frilly white blouses when she shopped for me. She also purchased my brothers bright colored dress shirts. I remember her always saying that a gentleman was not dressed unless his shoes were shined.
Mother knew style … and helped me build my mirror image.
Mary Midgett is the author of “New York Flavor with a San Francisco Beat.” The San Francisco resident is available to do presentations and seminars on social and family negotiations. She also conducts workshops on parenting, self-esteem and social and intimate relationships. For more information, visit www.marymidgett.com or email midgettcorner@aol.com.
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