Art program for the gifted and talented

So proud of my little Tommy Tuckers. He was selected to participate in a gifted and talented arts program today. It's a collaborative project between Baynton West and Tambrey Primary Schools. The selection process was based on a number of criteria being; demonstrated ability, willingness to learn and follow instructions, and a positive attitude towards art. He will be participating in advanced drawing classes, Mural projects based on the work of the Dutch Artist, Hundterwasser, and a ceramics program where they investigate public artworks. The program runs once a week at Baynton West Primary school. He was so excited to receive this opportunity as he loves to draw. He has countless books full of drawings and has won many competitions during his school years. His very first win was when he was in kindy  (Leinster Primary School) - he drew a picture of our family in the bush with an aeroplane flying above. It was just gorgeous. When I find the drawing amongst all of my boxes of the kids stuff, I'll post a picture of it. He won an art set and his picture made it onto the front page of the competition calendar.

Last year, in 2012 he won the Rio Tinto Art Competition,  Look. Listen. Live. He drew a picture of Red Dog in the back of a ute waiting at a railway crossing. He doesn't take after his mother when it comes to drawing, that's for sure! His prize was an ebook!

Kelly Dog

The above drawing Tommy did shortly after Kelly passed away. The boys were very fond of Kelly, as they grew up spending a lot of time with her. Dad took her everywhere he went. She visited us when we lived in Kalgoorlie, they brought her to Leinster, and the boys spent a fair amount of time with her on the farm down in Nannup. Unfortunately, Kelly was not good with other dogs, and she would ALWAYS get into fights. One day, she nipped one of the grandkids on the back of the head, and if you have ever experienced a graze on the head before, you would be familiar with the amount of blood that can force its way our of a comparatively thin cut, since there's very little intervening dermis and hypodermis. Dad was devastated as he knew she would have to be put down. Simon and Jenny (the parents of Elisha) tried to assure him that it wasn't necessary however Dad was not prepared to take any risk of her doing it again. He cried, and cried, and cried. He also felt immense guilt at his decision to end her life. He may have even suffered a short bout of depression. It wouldn't surprise me, as she was his baby. It wasn't long before he bought a new pup - he named her Kate (after my grandmother as she had recently passed away), as she too, was very fond of Kelly.