Come to draw, boys! 2 / 孩子們來畫畫吧！2

這幾天在研究手工書的款式，於是我想應用在男孩的手作課上，小方對恐龍有興趣，楷維則是做簡單的數學題。

I've been studying how to make foldable books, and it follows that I would like to apply what I've learned to the boys' art class. Von is interested in dinosaurs while Kai's challenge is to do simple math questions.

        高級的剪紙就由汪達姨來做吧！

   As for advanced paper-cutting skills, leave the task to me! 

        這些紙來自GF Smith，很難在台灣找到同樣品質的產品。

   The paper is from GF Smith. It's hard to find equally good paper here in Taiwan. 

        弟弟算數學算得有點頭大，哥哥借他手指。

   Kai has a hard time doing calculations, so Von lends him some fingers. 

        算出答案後於下一頁畫等數量的物品。

   After figuring out the answer, Kai  draws the number of items specified on the following page. 

        楷維的六和九反過來了，但他隨便畫卻也很米羅。

   Kai writes 6 and 9 inside out. But his free brushstrokes remind me of Joan Miro's art. 

        思維畫了遨遊於陸海空三界的恐龍！

   Von draws three dinosaurs that live on the land, in the sea and in the sky! 

Come to draw, boys! / 孩子們來畫畫吧！

過了一年很拘謹的工作生活，我都忘記怎麼放鬆，創造力也躲了起來。

After a stressful year of work, I've forgot how to relax. My creative cells take shelter somewhere I don't know. 

        還好去山上度假三天之後，我決定暫時完全放手，把和工作有關的瑣事放一邊，什麼也不想，就只盡興地開心地畫圖。

   Luckily, I've reached a very wise decision after going on a short trip to the mountains. I see the necessity to put aside all the unfinished tasks related to work. I am going to do nothing but doodle with total joy. 

        男孩們感受到我的新決心，他們也跟著夏天悠閒的腳步，可以暫時地享受自由自在的生活，於是我的美術教室又開張了。過了一年，小楷已經會用剪刀，時間的流逝記錄於許多小細節的改變。

   The boys feel my new determination. On their part, they can also take a break from the heavy schoolwork and slow down their hurried paces. Thus, Wanda's art class makes its comeback. With a year passing by, Kai has learned to use scissors. The traces of time are noticeable in many details in the seemingly ordinary daily life. 

        今天我讓哥哥和弟弟互相畫彼此的樣子，哥哥一直看著弟弟的臉龐。

   Today I make the brothers draw each other's face. Von keeps observing Kai's face in the process. 

        而楷維總是自顧自地畫著，非常之開心。

   Meanwhile Kai is lost in his own world without looking at his elder brother at all. 

        比起去年，思維畫畫的樣子多了自信，雖然我對學校教育真的沒什麼太正面的評價，但這應該是上學的獲得吧！

   Compared with last year, Von's attitude toward drawing reflects a boost of confidence. I don't think too highly of the value of school education, but I think this is something Von has gained through going to school. 

        最後我讓孩子們選背景的設計，感謝小蕙阿姨贊助的美麗紙張，隨便弄弄都好看。這是楷維眼中的哥哥。

   Last but not least, I let the boys choose their background design. Here I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks to Auntie Hui for the lovely paper. Whichever pattern the kids choose, the pictures look just awesome. This is Kai's portrait of Von. 

        這是思維眼中的楷維。

   This is Kai in Von's mind. 

A kind of joy / 有一種喜悅

是擁抱小生命的純淨。

IS embracing the purity of new life. 

Lovely children 3 / 可愛的孩子 3

最後一天的美術課，本來要請小朋友去校園裡觀察植物撿葉片，外頭下起大雨，只好衝到市場買了一把玫瑰花，這樣孩子們就不用淋雨，今天我們要彩繪自己的花瓶和製作小花。

On the last day of our summer camp, it starts to pour around noon. My plan was to have the kids take a short walk on campus and pick leaves whose shapes interest them. Because of the rain, I rush to the market to buy a bouquet of roses so that everyone can stay safe and dry indoors. Today we are going to make our paper flowers and paint our own vases. 

        小亮很有才氣，可是很怕大家稱讚的眼光，所以我們只能暗暗地欣賞他的作品。

     Liang is a very talented young man, but he doesn't know how to meet our gaze of adoration. We can only admire his works behind his back. 

        我請小朋友好好看玫瑰花的樣子，畫下他們心目中的花朵，這一區的孩子對於玫瑰有他們的見解。

     I ask the children to take a good look at the rose and draw their kinds of the flower. Obviously, these kids have their unique interpretations. 

        接下來是畫瓶子時間！小柚一整天都帶著昨天畫的牛仔帽，我感到很欣慰。

     Next is the vase-painting time. Yoyo wears his hand-painted cowboy hat from the day before, which highly pleases me.

        大小孩和媽媽也好認真地畫畫。

     The elder children and mothers also paint with their whole hearts.

        圖左的小米問：為什麼是玫瑰花呢？我答：因為我是小王子。於是小米和阿妹寶請我說小王子的故事，剛好阿妹寶的爸爸是飛行員，我把故事說得很殘破，週末便買了小王子複習。

   Mia, on the left side, asks, why did you give each of us a rose? I answer, "Because I am the Little Prince." Mia and her cousin Mei are so intrigued that they coax me into telling them the story. I don't remember every detail, so during the weekend I get a copy, determined to review it. 

        據說小米從夏令營開始之前就很期待彩繪瓶子，這是她美麗的作品。

   It is said that Mia has been looking forward to painting the glass bottle for a while. This is her beautiful vase. 

        夏令營結束了，回家路上覺得有些失落，好像是我發現自己越來越喜歡小孩，和他們說再見會捨不得，可能是我心裡也住了個孩子吧！

   On my way home, I feel kind of lost about the camp's drawing to an end. I find myself drawn more and more to children, and it becomes less and less easy to say goodbye to them. It's probably because there is a child in me too....

Lovely children 2 / 可愛的孩子 2

今天的任務是彩繪牛仔帽，水彩筆一發、顏料一擠好，大人們就要有心理準備現場會失控。

Our mission today is coloring cowboy hats. As soon as the brush pens are distributed and paints are prepared, the adults have to be ready for any kind of "surprise" on the spot. 

        顏料有種魔力，會令我很興奮，我想對孩子們也是。

   Paints possess a powerful magic. They never fail to excite me, and I believe it's the same for the kids. 

        孩子們都很乖，因為我沒有說太多話，而大家一拿到材料總是很自動地開始創作，真的很有趣。

   The children are really well-behaved. I do not give too many instructions, and it's miraculous that they always get down to work without saying anything as soon as they receive the materials. 

        這兩天我和很多孩子說話，並且觀察他們，我覺得小朋友可能還沒有經過社會化的過程，尚未被教導要壓抑，外顯的性格特質高度一致，例如說圖中的小女生婕真，偏愛紅橘黃色調，個性非常明亮。

   I've been observing and talking to as many children as I can these two days. I notice that they, having not been taught to repress certain parts of their personalities, show extremely consistent traits. For example, the little girl in the photo, exhibits a strong preference for red, orange and yellow colors. She impresses me with her sunny disposition.

        為了今天的活動，爸爸媽媽也幫忙製作了小點心，是鳳梨芒果香蕉冰淇淋。

   For the activity today, Dad and Mom also offer to prepare the snack--homemade ice cream of mixed flavors, pineapple, mango, and banana. 

        等著乾的繽紛牛仔帽。

   The wet colorful cowboy hats wait to be put on by their youthful owners. 

        這個活動在家做也受到男孩們的喜愛！他們月底要帶帽子去度假呢！

   This activity is loved by the boys as well when we try it at home. They even plan to take the hats on vacation at the end of the month! 

Lovely children 1 / 可愛的孩子 1

今年夏天沒有出遠門的計畫，可是我想要認識很多小朋友，剛好同事們為孩子辦了夏令營，我很直率地跑去報名當美術課的講師。要準備課程的時候才開始覺得我是不是有點太直率了，雖然我在小朋友界裡很吃香，不過想到一下要應付四歲到十歲的孩子，再加上我不喜場面失控的個性，便有了小小的擔心，但既然都說了當然不能退縮。第一天我們要做的是馬蒂斯風格的拼貼和畫畫，在家把紙片都剪好，到現場隨小朋友自由發揮，應該會有很多美麗的小火花。

I do not plan to travel far this summer, but I do want to meet a lot of children. Hearing my colleagues' summer camp project for their kids, I couldn't help volunteering to give handicraft courses. It was not until I got down to details that I wondered if I was too impulsive. Despite my popularity among kids, I kind of panicked upon thinking if I could handle 22 children aged from 4 to 10. But the last thing I would do was to back out of the plan. 

   On the first day, we are going to create collages + drawings in the Matisse's style. I prepare many cut-outs for the children to use in class. I expect there to be a lot of amazing sparks. 

        小朋友可以幫小白人想像背景，選自己中意的紙張做排列，再為小白人畫上衣服。可能是媽媽在身邊陪伴，大家都很認真。

   Everyone can choose their own background design for their little white men and draw clothes for them. In their moms' company, the children are really well-behaved. 

        作品完成後，大家紛紛來找小淳老師說故事。這是來自澳洲的Miko，畫了美麗的公主在山林海洋和公園裡散步，非常大方，主動要求我拍照。

    After finishing their works, the kids come to tell me stories. This is Miko from Australia. Her story is about a beautiful prince taking a walk in the mountains, on the sea and in the park. She requests me to take a photo of her. What an outgoing and cute little girl. 

     和很多小朋友說完話之後有種很清新的感覺，很難用言語形容。

   I feel really refreshed after talking to a lot of children. It's a wonderful feeling beyond description. 

     雖然我沒做什麼事，可是我覺得自己收穫比小朋友還多！

  To be honest, I haven't done much, but I feel I've gained much more than the kids!