At The Beach

Two days back Nikita[7 yrs] came back from school with a certificate which stated that she came 3rd in a drawing competition. I was surprised, though not by the movement of an eyelid did I show it.

I came to terms with it years ago that I didn’t have a single creative bone in my body & neither has my better-half shown any impressions of it in these 10 yrs, so suffice to say art & its vagaries take a backseat in our abode. The kids’ ofcourse let their creativity loose once in a while but nothing in their artistic visualizations ever led us to believe they were anything but our children.

I hugged Nikita in excitement & asked to see the picture but she said that it was hung on the school notice board & so she couldn’t bring it back. She then very helpfully reminded me of a picture she had made subjected “At the Beach”, which was supposed to be exxxxactly the same.

I have this box file where I carefully file away all their creative outbursts not for anything else but just so that they can see their childhood efforts when they are older. The picture was there & I have scanned it & put it here so that you can relate to the conversation we had when she showed me this drawing 2 weeks back.

















The conversation & whatever I remember of it……

Mama: Nikita, this is really good….especially the yellow & blue combination.

Nikita: Really Mama????

Mama: Yes it’s beautiful but what is that blue square in the middle of the beach?

“That is the beach-towel. You know…..we can rest on it & look at the water” explained Nikita very kindly.

Mama: Ok and what is that cat’s face doing near the water? Where is the body?

Nikita: uff-oh Mama that is a crab.

Mama: Aah ok now I can make out. Why is there only 1 fish in the sea?

Nikita(turning & looking at Naina in despair): This mama doesn’t know anything……..(then looking at me)that is not a fish, it is a big dolphin. The rest of the fish are swimming underneath, that’s why you can’t see them.

Mama(looking suitably foolish): Ok then, what are that balloon & kite doing above the water?? Are the fish flying them???

Nikita(in exasperation): Mama!!!!! Fish don’t have hands, somebody let go of their balloon by mistake & so it is floating in the air.

Mama: ooooooohhhh ok. Then what about the balloon & kite on the land? Are they also floating???

Nikita: ohh that, teacher said there was no need to draw any people. So that’s why. But actually people are supposed to be holding them.

Mama: Hmmmmm…….then why have you drawn that tiny cartoon figure there, near that sandcastle???

Nikita(looking affronted): That is Me!!!!!! Can’t you make out????

Mama: Ooooohhh now I know why she is looking so familiar.

Nikita looks closely into my face to see if I was pulling her leg.

Keeping a straight face I quickly ask “And what is that wheel-like thing at the corner of the page”

“oh thatt, my bus friend* gave it to me, I wanted to add it somewhere, soo…..” she tailed off.

“So you cut it out & pasted it…….very sweet of you to do it” I appreciated her.
“So you drew this same picture for the drawing competition”????

“Yes, exxxxxxactly the same except that I coloured the whole beach ORANGE

WHATTTT?????? asked Mama aghast at the color combination.

“Yes, coz my yellow color pencil was missing” answered Nikita casually.

Huhh!!!!!! I was still groping for words when the sisters left the room to pursue other activities.

Anyways, the Certificate is proudly displayed in the living room, a tribute to the budding artist in our family

p.s: This whole incident reminded me of another of Nikita’s drawing’s I had put up here in the beginning of the year.

*Bus friend: Friend from the school bus