Being the child of an artist.

K- is an artist's kid.  As such, K- has spent more hours than can be counted at museums and different art events.  This weekend, K- and I went to a local mom and pop shop to see my coworker's senior show.  She wore the dress that she chose at the Goodwill the day before.  It was a crepe, mid-calf dress that was sleeveless and yellow with little flowers.  She had some fabulous silver flip-flop sandals (the ones with the strap and buckle at the ankle) with "diamonds" and the turquoise-esque Fimo beaded bracelet and necklace that we had made earlier in the day.  She presented Miss Carly with a purple iris from our yard, and we discussed the photographs that were on display.  It was a skinny slip of a store, but my coworkers were dazzled by the fact that K- was flipping through the clothing racks along side them, choosing some very interesting styles that she would like mom to wear.  We found out that Matt, another coworker, was involved in a show just down the road and the opening happened to be right after we visited Carly's.  We followed Julia, Michael and Rachael on down to the show and what a show it was.  It was wine bar adjacent, which made me concerned that they wouldn't allow K- in, but since she was the only child in attendance, I think that everyone was stunned that there was an 8 year old on site.  I did see one woman move up to her jewelry lickety split to kind of stand guard, but she heard K- and I discussing what she liked best about it, K- didn't reach out to grab or touch it, then the lady calmed down.  There were ladies with feathers in their hair and in gorgeous dresses, walking around with trays of delicious looking bites.  We didn't take advantage, since being wine bar adjacent, I didn't know if anything had liquor drizzle that K- shouldn't have.  Julia took the lead, K- followed and I pulled up the rear.  It appeared as though we were the only ones checking the art out at that particular point and even took in a moment with the ladies on tall pedestals holding empty frames in front of their faces.  We trouped through the adjoining gallery, gave Matt a wave and off we went.  When we arrived home, K- said, "Mom!  That was fun!  We need to do that again."  It was just us girls out taking in some art.  It wasn't a bad thing.

After K- had shuffled off to bed, I noticed a text on my phone.  It was from Julia.  She said that she had fun.  The text left me stunned.  She went on today to talk with me some more about it.  She said that being with K- was really rather enjoyable.  She and her husband don't have children and admit that they don't particularly care too much for the younger set outside of those directly related to them.  "She was like a little adult."  "Oh, she can be all kid, but she's grown up going to museums, galleries and shows, so they are places that she knows how to function at."  "I'm sure that she can be a kid, but I had a nice time with her.  I loved it that she picked out her dress and everything!"  I think that she was surprised that K- actually looked at the art.

Later on, Matt stopped me.  He thanked me for coming to his show and said that he was surprised to see K-.  "Well, I know that she was the only kid there and I think it stunned a few people, but she knows how to deal with it and I wasn't worried."  I told him that we would attend shows more often, I don't mean to be brain dead about these things, but he has to tell me when he has a function.  "I don't mean it that I need an engraved invitation, but often, I just don't know."  He promised to let me know.

I was thrilled.  I was happy that people were happy to hang out with my kid in an adult setting and that she wasn't that obnoxious kid that people go home talking about.  We've spent many hours looking for hair up the nose of busts, looking to see if we could see sculptures with no bras or underpants on and proving to the docents that no, my child won't be out of hand.  We've looked for paintings with particular colors, fine jewels that we would like to own and to see what suit of armor we would like to wear.  We've checked out furniture, looked at art from different lands and have talked about objects that pre-date Christ.  She is the kid of an artist.  It is a blessing.  I'm sure it can be a curse.  Any way she goes, a little culture sure isn't killing her.