Mini Michelangelos

Possessing not a lick of artistic talent myself, I do try to expose the kids to great works of art on a regular basis. Lately it has been Michelangelo.

If you're not familiar with Michelangelo, he was the sculptor (of David and of the Pieta) of 14/1500s Florence. He was immensely talented -- so talented that he lived on commissions from the Medeci family and the pope (the Big Guns of the time). One day the pope asked -- more like demanded -- that Michelangelo paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo's response was something along the lines of "Heck no! I'm a sculptor, not a painter -- get Raphael to do it!" but then he bent to the pope's will and picked up a paintbrush. It took four years of isolation, fatigue and physical pain, but we all know the beautiful result.

Our project was to paint our own ceiling, which was drawing paper taped to the underside of a table. As I didn't want paint or sharp colored pencils dropping into their eyes, I sent an email to tolerant family members asking for any old makeup we could use to paint the Sistine Chapel. They were more than happy to send over old Clinique freebies.

I like that the kids had to learn the texture of the makeup (I'm sure there is some fancy word like "sensory stimulation" to describe this) and that they had to create art from a new vantage point. It's good to look at the world differently! I had no idea how this would turn out, but they were occupied for at least an hour on their masterpiece, and the result is now decorating our entry way!

What we're reading:
Michelangelo: Master of the Italian Renaissance
The Moral Compass (The Sculptor and the Sistine Chapel), by William J. Bennett
Introducing Michelangelo, by Robin Richmond