This piece was created this week during an Andy Warhol soup can design project in a Joplin school.  The lava tornado destroyed this man’s house, but instead of stopping and going down with his house, the man decided to just surf away on the lava.

We think back on the months after the Joplin tornado as we worked with children, most who were displaced in the devastation.  In their drawings, we saw the dark swirls, chaos, butterflies, angels, encouraging words we recognized from roadways in their artwork.  One-after-another.  We sat and talked about summer, bright things to bring cheer.  But mostly, we listened.

As a child’s thoughts are reflected in his or her artwork, we have seen transitions of trends.  This week as we launched programs, happy faces and rainbows plague their artpacks.  We see more family disputes on their artwork, depictions of scenes from scary movies, fears & joys on their pages- all things needing expression. We’ve heard reports from parents that tornado drawings at home have turned to rainbows or fairy tales- and for this we are so thankful.

Still, tornados force themselves into artwork today- less are terrifying recollections, more are like hauntings of witches in fairy tales. As the dark force destroying homes, causing adversity in their stories. Allowing their protagonists to prevail by moving into a new house, rebuilding, making new friends.  Picking up surfing.  My, how these little ones catch on to the big picture of what happens around them.

And we’re still listening to the words that flow as their hands move.

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Love Naively. Give Generously. Be Foolishly Compassionate.

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