For Youth Art Month I've been teaching an after school program at my daughters' former elementary school. I've spent the last three Mondays painting and cutting and glueing and generally having a ball with 22 second and third graders. In these three weeks I've gotten to know some new kids, at least a little bit. I have an idea who can really, really draw and does it all the time, who is a boundary pusher and who stays strictly inside the lines. But one little guy had me fooled.
He's very quiet, almost invisible. He has a brother in the class and they stick close together. He carefully draws the details of a flower and then paints it rainbow colors with abandon. Last Monday he wore a hoodie, hood up, all afternoon. Whatever. I'm not about to cramp his style, though he did look a little like the Unibomber crouched over his art. When I complemented his work and asked questions he answered in his usual, shy way.
But then....then, as he's rushing out the door after class he suddenly turns back. With a big grin he gets right up in my face and says "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Today I'm dressed as my favorite graffiti artist....Bansky!"
And he is gone.
I sure hope Bansky comes back next Monday. It's rare to actually see him.
