Collaborative Art with Ruby

Ruby has always been a girl that loves a good art project. With new blank walls in her new room to fill, I decided to repurpose some canvases that I'd been holding on to since Sebastian was the only child on the scene.  

To prepare them, I gave the smaller canvas a few coats of white tempura paint since I had it on hand and then coated the larger canvas with that lovely minty green acrylic paint. I then told her we were going to be working on a fun art project together and that she could choose any of the pre-selected colors to use on her canvas. By pre-selecting enough complimentary colors that I knew would look good in her room, I was able to offer her some freedom to choose her favorites without ending up with an orange, purple, and red explosion. This was a win/win. 

I gave her free reign on the oval canvas but I added some geometric shapes to the smaller one before giving her a turn to see how she wanted to add to it. 

She was happy to fill in some white spaces for me and I was pretty pleased that she was so interested in sharing a project. Her oval piece features a girl holding a tray that carries a snowman made out of caramel to a table at a restaurant. It's complete with a neon pink ceiling, some clouds, and the sun up above. It's finally dry and waiting to find it's spot on the wall in her room. 

This last painting was from a time when I was really into abstract clouds. I think Ruby was just a new little thing when I first started it. Instead of painting over it, I just let it become part of her background. She's finished this one as well but you'll have to wait to see what she added when we find a spot for them in her room. I'll give you a hint, though. It has lop ears.

Have you ever painted over a previously painted canvas? Do you ever feel a little bit guilty about it? I think unfinished projects that sit and sit are hard to let go of but after awhile, if they've got the potential to become something better, I give myself permission to take them apart and start over. 

-Rachel