Same but Different

Same (lesson) but Different (outcome)

I often get asked the question: Did Magoo really paint this all by himself? The simple answer is, yes of course. I will try to help you understand the process in getting here. I will do my best to give you a glimpse into his world as his mother and the way I understand it. It's not to say I'm right, its just as I understand with my limited mind.

While raising Eric many of the therapist would say to me that he doesn't understand where his body is in space. I often didn't understand what they meant. As time went on I found ways of bringing him into his body, still not truly understanding the bigger picture. When he entered Grade One I knew he could understand and write his name but given a pencil he wouldn't produce the name on paper and I could only scratch my head in wonder. We played with bathtub crayons at bath time every night and he could tell me how to draw the letters so I know his understanding was there but why could he not write it himself?

Next, I began hand over hand and he could do it with much success. After awhile of practicing I decided that I was only going to touch his hand with my index finger to see what would happen to my amazement he wrote everything. But again the minute I removed my finger he wouldn't know where to begin and just look at me for direction.

Left puzzled, on our next visit to the therapist he did his regular therapy and I began with my questions of why, again she answers "he doesn't know where his body is in space". I asked her to explain that to me, and after her explanation I said "is that why he can do this" ... and I showed her what I discovered.

She was shocked jumped up from the desk, went into a cabinet and brought back a glove. She asked him to put it on, he did. She asked him to write his name, he did. Mom began to cry, like the flood of emotion that no one believed me that he knew how, but couldn't do it! The glove was a weighted glove and she said now it tells his brain that his hand it here and he can direct it to write with the pencil. So that day, he wrote his name, and he wrote everything we asked him, many, many words. A new world opened up for him. When asked where I could purchase one she told me I would have to order it from the USA and it could take a 3-6 weeks.

Not on my watch, so I cut out a paper pattern from that glove, went to the material store that same day and was busy sewing up his own glove that night, and so it began, Eric no longer needed a scribe. I ended up sewing many gloves for the hospital for other children, what a fulfilling job that was.

But there was another part to the puzzle, leaving him on his own to produce work seemed impossible. If I sat beside him he could stay focused, the minute I left to do something else, he would just wait till I returned (Magoo is the most patience person I know). At school given a blank page for a spelling test he wouldn't be able to keep up with dictation from the teacher. He knows how to spell everything why was he failing to product a test paper? After speaking to the therapist again the comment "he doesn't know where he is in space". The paper was blank he has no indication as to where to begin. We decided to number the page for him and he flourished, 100% every time.

Magoo and his weighted glove

Slowly I began to understand about what it meant "knowing were your body is in space", especially once I began yoga training. So fast forward, when Magoo started to paint we decided it would be a good idea that he wear his weighted glove. He couldn't take Art in high school because they said he couldn't follow the curriculum. So, after he finished school I found an Art program in Toronto that allowed him to be with other Artists working on his own at his own pace. That beautiful mind started to show itself on the canvas. Again being in the energy of what was expected he was able to paint from his heart without judgement.

Painting done when surrounded by like minded Artists. Process from beginning to end.

So when Covid entered and life changed quickly it was hard to get him motivated to paint. I found online painting classes and in order for him to follow along I needed to sit with him. Well the only thing that would keep me focused was to join in so we started doing online classes together each with our own paints and artist book. We learned, water colors, acrylics, stamping all sorts of things and he really inspired me to paint. What I found very interesting was that I was a very restricted painter and he had a very free and easy spirit while painting. Like complete opposites. As you will see in the following paintings how we as humans can be in the same setting but interpret things differently. We both had the same teacher, giving the same instruction yet we painted different. Mine is very structured and Magoo's is very whimsical.

So what life with Magoo has taught me is that there is no right way to do Art! If you always come from the heart it will just flow and the magic will appear. Some see Art very structured, some see it very fluid and free flowing, some see a mixture of both. Magoo is an Intuitive Abstract Artist and he excels when left on his own with lots of paint and the biggest brush and canvas he can find. Myself, I like a little journal and details. So, to everyone, pick up a brush, marker or crayon and some paper/canvas and do you.

Below are some of our art work, Magoo on the left Mom on the right.

Magoo LEFT - Mom RIGHT

Magoo and Mom

Magoo and Mom

Magoo and Mom

Magoo and Mom