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Dan Consiglio

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What Your Kids' Art Says

Posted: 12/28/11 03:45 AM ET

My kids generate about 212 original pieces of art a day. And like most parents, I have a hard time just tossing their little bits of genius into the trash. So a few years back, I decided to take some of my favorites and "review" them as if they were the latest gallery showing in SoHo. I've always found art critiques to be ridiculous -- art being such a personal endeavor -- but for some reason, applying them to children's art just seemed to make sense; it was giving the artist more credit than intended, making huge, social commentaries on tiny bits of glitter and macaroni. And my kids thought it was silly, which is always nice. The blog What My Kids' Art Says started to get a little attention and I began accepting submissions. My favorites from the blog and a ton of new material are showcased in the book, "Is That a Picasso on Your Fridge?". So if you have trouble throwing out your kid's art, just send it to me. I'll put it to good use.

This Is Not Une Joke
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Lily, age 5, Chicago, Illinois

Crayon and pencil on lined school paper


She's at it again! Chicago's pugnacious prankster Lily has delivered yet another roundhouse to the smugger-than-thou art world. This time, she takes surrealists to task with This Is Not Une Joke--an obvious dig at Magritte's famous pipe. Instead of challenging the perceptions of reality like a good surrealist, Lily poses a laugher of a thought. But this is not ham-fisted deconstruction from a jaded outsider. Lily's piece borrows the principles of surrealism--it creates pause and reflection-- before delivering the comic blow; a spider would require eight watches and still couldn't tell time. The message is clear: lighten up, surrealists. Sometimes it actually is une pipe.

 
 
 
My kids generate about 212 original pieces of art a day. And like most parents, I have a hard time just tossing their little bits of genius into the trash. So a few years back, I decided to take some ...
My kids generate about 212 original pieces of art a day. And like most parents, I have a hard time just tossing their little bits of genius into the trash. So a few years back, I decided to take some ...
 
 
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04:03 PM on 12/30/2011
Great stuff. I'll have to visit the web site.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Susan Shaffer
tell me from the beginning
03:21 PM on 12/30/2011
funny!
but I have actually seen an artist (someone actually making an income from their artwork) whose paintings looks startlingly similar to "self portrait"
10:55 PM on 12/29/2011
I love this! Gave me some giggles.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
JC Phoenix
Logical Liberal
03:43 PM on 12/29/2011
Haha, best critiques ever. Keep it up!
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sydneymoon
Dismiss what insults your own soul
10:15 AM on 12/29/2011
Fun!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
anchises868
eminently reasonable, never extreme
01:07 AM on 12/29/2011
This is awesome. Thank you for making my evening.
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tploomis
when I'm dogmatic, I'm usually wrong
12:04 AM on 12/29/2011
I like the Elephant Parade picture. It reminds me of a hand shadow -- the body made of one hand and the head made of the other. The elephant has a goofy expression on his face, like a lovable character from Sesame Street. I want to give him a hug!

I also like the dancing geometric shapes. They are so happy they have levitated off the grass below them -- they are floating for joy!
02:42 PM on 12/28/2011
"the transparent dress, the codpiece on the balding youngster, the sparse and struggling vegetation, and finally, ultimately, the exploding sun..."

You gave me the biggest laugh of my day - thank you!!!