Food for Thought

Do you mix colors in your house? Whether it’s play dough or paint or anything in between, do you let your kids explore color mixing independently?

Earlier this week, a fellow art studio owner that I admire posted something that stopped me in my tracks. Meredith from @homegrownfriends shifted my perspective on what subtle ways we perpetuate feelings and preferences towards colors from an early age, and how those feelings can grow into ideas and perspectives about race and superiority.

I’ve been an art teacher for 9 years and never once did I consider this. Never! I cannot even fathom discouraging someone from mixing colors because it may create a shade of brown. The exact beautiful shade that is their melanin.

This perspective has shaken me to my core, so much so that 4 days later I still can’t get past it. And I think that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.

The process that produces desired outcome is rarely easy, friends.
It’s almost always uncomfortable.
It’s almost always difficult.
It challenges your beliefs and practices and ideologies.
It often changes you.

But that’s the point, and that’s why we embrace the process. Because things need to change and we’re going to lean into the hard stuff to make sure that happens.