My son is now in Grade 1. We decided this year we would read about artists. We just finished reading about the artist Salvador Dali. One of my son's favorite artists. The painter Jackson Pollock is our next book.

Also, next year entering Grade 2 it will all be about dance.

I have a large Jackson Pollack-ish painting on my office wall done by my daughter. He was one of the artists they studied in grade three and the teacher clear the desk out of the way, put plastic on the floor and all 20 of them went at it with all the paint donated by parents.

Dado1,
As a fellow Canadian your comment made me giggle with joy. Your Jackson Pollack-ish painting sounds wonderful. Last year as my son was approaching his 6th birthday we researched the work on the Canadian artist Michael Snow. As an artist myself and raising my son on my own our home is filled with over 3000 books on art. Each morning my son says to me, "Daddy, why do I have to go to school? you know I'm going to be an artist".

Yes, I think I've thought the same about being a poet. Though my sons could easily shorten that question and simply say, "Dad, why do I have to go to school?" They think they are geniuses anyway. And considering their father, they are probably right.

THEORY
Into love and out again,
Thus I went, and thus I go.
Spare your voice, and hold your pen-
Well and bitterly I know
All the songs were ever sung,
All the words were ever said;
Could it be, when I was young,
Some one dropped me on my head?
-Dorothy Parker

Ah, I love Dorothy Parker. She has a way of hitting the nail on the head, doesn't she?

Son of Walt,
She sure does. And both my son and I love hanging out at The Algonquin Hotel in New York City.Last time we were there my 6 year old son spotted the actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman. He said to me "Daddy that's the actor in the movie Capote we saw together". He then went up to him and asked for an autograph. Mr. Hoffman, howled with joy. What a magical moment.

The Algonquin Hotel in New York City was a hangout for Dorothy Parker. Where a group of writers would meet at the famous "Round Table".