{The Next van Gogh}

Ever since Sasha could hold a crayon she has loved art. She will literally spend all day on the floor with her bucket of markers and a pad of drawing paper and be totally absorbed in her art. Over time, her drawings have gotten more and more intricate and detailed. One of her teachers commented at the end of this past school year that Sasha's drawings are just unbelievable; they have a sense of motion and so many small details.

I may be biased since Sasha is indeed my first born daughter, but I really think this little lady has some talent. She is truly passionate about art, and it shows. Take this drawing for example: The eyelashes, the patterned clothes, the teeth, the bows in the hair . . . I just think it's incredible! The girl does have feet, but my scanner cut them off.

This next one blew me away when I saw it for the first time, and it still does. How many five year old kids have the spatial ability to draw a girl painting a self-portrait on an easel? Seriously, people, isn't this amazing?

And here is the same girl playing with a friend on the playground.

Now check out this one. Notice the bird (it looks a bit like a chicken, but close enough) flying home to its nest in the tree hole.

So now I ask myself what to do with Sasha's "gift". Do I simply continue to encourage her and praise her and allow her to develop in her own time? Or do I put her in some kind of art class where she'll receive direction and technique advice? I don't want her to feel pressured or start to fight creating if I force it on her, know what I mean?

Did van Gogh take art lessons?