my son and my studio

my son turned 16 yesterday. he is a great young man. but here is the funny thing. i finished organizing and cleaning my studio. and where did he spend part of his 16th birthday? in the studio! he can draw, and i mean really draw. he can draw like i wish i could. it is really amazing. he can look at something, and draw it. so he goes into my studio and asks where the pencils and charcol are. he is learning how to use charcol in his art class in high school. he also asked for drawing paper. he was looking at my files of artists i admire on my computer, i often download pictures into a special file on the computer to go back to for inspiration or to study. he looked through those with me and then wanted to work in the studio. i gave him a drawing book i have on fairies and such, and i'll be darned if he didn't spend the next hour and a half in there, iPod on, listening to music and drawing. he then asked me for chalks and he colored in what he drew. he drew the neatest warlock face! i have got to use it in my journal! i was so proud of him. the amazing part is, now that all my materials are out and accessable, and now that the space is organized and peaceful, my son and daughter both have been in there. i am so glad i took the time to work on that space. what is funnier is i asked him if he had put away all of the supplies. he said no. and i told him how hard i had worked on the space. he said he wanted to work in there some more tonight (the next day) and he only left out the books and the chalks. he put everything else back in its place. how joyous it is to see this young man explore and create art. i feel like a good mom for giving him the space and encouragement to explore that side of his personality. i didn't get to discover that side of myself until about five years ago. anyway, just thought i would share that little tid bit!