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©2006-2009 ~AmberPalette
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Submitted: April 1, 2006
Image Size: 205 KB
Resolution: 621×800
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The attempt of the child of divorce to process, grasp, and accept the many implications of the stormy separation of his parents. This is for someone very close to me, but I prefer to keep his identity anonymous because it isn't appropriate to discuss his home life on the net without permission. He is 8 years old. I too am a child of divorce, and I remember the necessary but excruciating process. I am much luckier, however, than the person to whom I dedicate this work. My parents still talk to each other.

Piece is in the manner of Richard Diebenkorn's Ocean Park Series (particularly "Untitled No. 32"), process-oriented (in other words mistakes and earlier stages deliberately left visible to give aesthetic history to the piece--as the subject matter of the piece is in fact the child's slow and painful attempt to comprehend what his parents are doing). Comments on the clash between ominous undertones and almost strained cheerful shapes and colors would be especially appreciated. Please note that by enforcing rigid, iconic, simplistic forms (rectangles, letters that form sentences naively attempting to scientifically categorize and define things--"A spider's big fat body parts are"--stick figures (pay especial attention to those), and butterflies, against the amorphous, smoky background, are supposed to also symbolize this struggle between the child's characteristic attempt to cognitively grasp what is changing in his life against the reality of the situation.

This is a psychological painting: It is not intended to be literally interpreted, but rather semiotically and emotionally.

Thanks for input.
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Oh yeah, and that's the child in question's actual handwriting that I copied very attentively from some school essays he sent me. He always gets lots of gold stars and S+'s. :) He's one gifted boy.

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God never leaves me. In my ignorance, I have frequently thought that I have left God, but that is altogether impossible.~Maya Angelou

Plurality in interpretation is a sign of strength.~Friedrich Nietzsche
Wow. It so complex looking =P

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Signatures suck.
Lol. Thanks X)

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God never leaves me. In my ignorance, I have frequently thought that I have left God, but that is altogether impossible.~Maya Angelou

Plurality in interpretation is a sign of strength.~Friedrich Nietzsche
I would like to start my commentary by quoting Fred Rogers.

We have all been children and have had children's feelings...but many of us have forgotten. We've forgotten what it's like not to be able to reach the light switch. We've forgotten a lot of the monsters that seemed to live in our room at night. Nevertheless, those memories are still there, somewhere inside us. - Fred Rogers

Feelings are "mentionable," and whatever is "mentionable" can be more manageable. Whether we're children or adults, adding to our emotional vocabulary can often add to our ability to cope with what we're feeling. Using words to describe what's inside helps remind us that what we're experiencing is human...and mentioning our feelings to others can make those feelings more manageable. -Fred Rogers

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Sometimes through art, we are able to express our feelings by presenting them on paper in a way that allows us to have a voice, but gives us the safety of that voice being a picture. I do not want to forget, but I admit I have forgotten what it could be like to be unable and dependent on someone, as a child is. As we grow up I feel that it is easy to take things for granted, even situations such as divorce do not seem so tragic in an adults eyes compared to those of a child.
Their parents are their guardians and protectors, they depend on them for survival, for teaching, and for love. So to think that such a support system is divided against itself creates an atmosphere of confusion for the child. Even though some parents have the best intentions for their children and hope that their own personal lives do not affect them, in a child's eyes it does. The child wants to be part of that personal life, because of who the child is. He/She is their son/daughter, therefore what mummy and daddy experience they do too, but in a more deep way.

I'm not saying that parents should stay together for the sake of their children, or that people who go through divorce are damned to hell. No. I am just stating the fact that children need to know, they need support and love from people they trust in order to help them cope through the traumatic experience of divorce. Sometimes those people are grandparents, aunts, uncles, even older siblings, or teachers. Whoever they are, their role is so important.

I think the picture that you have done, expresses the confusion children may feel and I can tell that you have put a part of yourself into this painting. WHich is good, this in a way is your expression of your feelings to help the world and a child understand that he/she is not alone in this experience. You are there, you understand, and at this point mutual minds can meet and grow.

I'll conclude with a last quote by Fred Rogers.

Everybody longs to be loved. And the greatest thing we can do is let somebody know that they are loved and capable of loving. Fred Rogers

**Source**********

[link]
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Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links,
Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks
Under the look of fatigue, the attack of migrane and the sigh
There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.
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"I'm not saying that parents should stay together for the sake of their children, or that people who go through divorce are damned to hell. No. I am just stating the fact that children need to know, they need support and love from people they trust in order to help them cope through the traumatic experience of divorce. "

YES.

Thank you.

--
God never leaves me. In my ignorance, I have frequently thought that I have left God, but that is altogether impossible.~Maya Angelou

Plurality in interpretation is a sign of strength.~Friedrich Nietzsche
a moment of cleverness

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Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links,
Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks
Under the look of fatigue, the attack of migrane and the sigh
There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.
-
LOl nah I'd say you're pretty clever 24/7 ;)

--
God never leaves me. In my ignorance, I have frequently thought that I have left God, but that is altogether impossible.~Maya Angelou

Plurality in interpretation is a sign of strength.~Friedrich Nietzsche
Wow. A derision of colors, dull as they are, and the array of lines criss-crossing over the pic, as well as the desperation in that half-formed faced work together for the emotive state and blaming misunderstanding associated with the divorce state. Good job hon.

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~The-Random-Club<-----JOIN, OR FEAR THE GLOWING BALL OF DOOM!
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~bofclub <----Breath of Fire, oh yeah! Great RPG!
:cheese::evillaugh:!!That's it, no more cheese cans for you!!:evillaugh::cheese:
Thanks, means a lot from you on multiple levels :hug:

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God never leaves me. In my ignorance, I have frequently thought that I have left God, but that is altogether impossible.~Maya Angelou

Plurality in interpretation is a sign of strength.~Friedrich Nietzsche
woah, so expressive! :O_o: incredible colors

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Even when tomorrow arrives and everything disappears, if you continue at my side smiling, I won't need nothing else.

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