Our kids can teach us so much if we just stop and watch them once in awhile!

Yesterday I drove my sweet, almost 8 year old Kira to the airport to go visit grammie. As I drove, I was lost in thought about how fast Kira seems to be growing up. I was analyzing the way life is so tricky like that. One day you’re seven year old girl getting on a plane to visit grandma. Then you step off the plane with your newlywed husband, off to celebrate your honeymoon. Your love-struck eyes blink, and when you open them you’re an overwhelmed mother trying to keep track of screaming babies, school lunches, karate lessons, science fair projects...Then, after a long day of work, you lean down to wash your toddler’s face with your thumb and spit, and you stand up holding a cane and looking at pictures of great-grandchildren. That’s how it’s going to feel one day for all of us. It really reminded me to slow down and, most importantly, make memories and take pictures with loved ones, and try with all my might to live in the moment more often.

Yes, yes, a bit deep for a brief car ride! But, I don’t stop there! I also looked in my rear-view mirror and saw Kira dancing along to whatever song she was singing, looking out the window; not a care in the world. I watched her skip along in the airport, smiling at everyone we passed. I listened as she excitedly babbled on, asking question after question. She did not care what anyone thought of her. She’d break out in a little jig with her suitcase. She’d, well, act like a kid does. When did we as adults become so obsessed with what other people think of us? I mean, I know it’s a little weird to see and adult skipping around and running up the down escalator, but really, we are so consumed over what other people’s perceptions of us are.

This really affected me. I think I’ll try to break out of my shell a little bit. Go out and swim not caring about what my body looks like in a swimsuit. I’ll play at the park with my kids rather than read a book. I’ll do more things I WANT to do, but feel silly doing. Funny, I’m the parent. The teacher. But, my kids teach me a lot more than they think they do!  

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Kira and Kurst Answer Some Questions About Kira's Art

Kira and I are overjoyed by the amount of love and support you all have shown to us. I read the comments to Kira and I watch her swell with pride and motivation. We have gotten a lot of questions recently and wanted to address a few of them. It is amazing –and hard to believe—that a seven year old can be so blessed with talent, and just plain adorableness… sorry, I’m a little biased!

When Kira and I first started drawing I could barely leave her side during our lessons. Slowly, over time, I started taking breaks and leaving her alone with her work, titrating her along. It was almost as if she intrinsically knew what to do. As I portrait artist, I look at faces and see hundreds of colors, while others might say beige or brown. Kira has that eye for the subtle nuances of her surroundings opened wide and getting keener by the day. She works very hard. She does have my help and guidance. If she’s having real trouble with an area I might make a few marks to show her what I’m talking about but she is the one drawing.

Kira might grow to be a famous artist. The drawings she sells now could be worth a lot someday! …Or, she could grow up to be something completely different. Either way, these memories we are making together now will be priceless, and either way, I will be proud!

Many of you know, I have four children. I’m sure some of you might be thinking I’m showing major favoritism for Kira. I assure you, I have other things I do with them and I also try to include them as much as possible in the work Kira and I do. Cohen and Carson are handy camera men! They also come up with great ideas and help edit the videos we make.

If you have any other questions for Kira or myself feel free to ask! We just might answer with another dorky video! 

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Kira Drawing Maleficent!

The amount of patience Kira exerted over this one astounded me. This was the first drawing we did where I sat by her almost the entire time and directed her. I did help her a tiny bit with the outline. Like most beginning artists, and even seasoned ones, Kira has issues with facial proportions, and faces in general. They’re tricky! Once we finished that, she took over completely while I stood by and directed. About halfway through the drawing I was finding that she needed me less and less. When I look at her I can’t help but think that she’s got her whole life ahead of her and the possibilities are endless! I am so blessed to have such a talented little lady!

We made a speed drawing video. I wish I had gotten more footage of her actually drawing, but, it gives you a really good idea of the way we work together. Seeing her in action is pretty amazing! We will be doing limited edition prints of this soon, so contact me if you'd like one! She might be a famous artist someday so I'm hanging onto the original. Ha! 

7 year old Kira can draw like magic, real magic.

Today when I was getting ready to leave, I left a picture of a cat and told Kira she should try to draw it today. I knew there wouldn’t be much for her to do today and she’d be restless. Before I left we had a detailed conversation about shadows, highlights, and textures. I showed her some of the furry animals I’d drawn, and what tools I used. I then went about my day. Oh… I forgot to mention, I put a spell on her…

I was gone for half the day and never expected to come back to what Kira had created. I have been working with her on various ways to get proper proportion, and using the full array of the graphite value scale in her work. I came home to a jaw-dropping drawing. Before we called it done, I gave her a few pointers, and she spent another hour working on getting those darks in, and bringing out the whites. We sat together in our little art room, me; working on editing photos, her; unknowingly drawing something that will hang in my home forever! 

Now I need ideas for what to print off and leave with her when we are apart! Feel free to help me out here!

To my child

Kira and Kurst

My name is Kurstin. I have always loved art. Photography, film making, jewelry making, drawing and painting, even tattooing, I love it all. My passion is portrait drawing. I do all this through my small business called Gift and the Kurst. I have four beautiful children Carson (10), Kira (7), Cohen (6) and Yuri (2). Each of my children are so unique from one another. Having four children makes you feel like you bit off more than you can chew from time to time, but they quickly taught me that there is no better way to understand unconditional love than to have a child and I'd do anything for them! All of my kiddos are artistic and gifted in their own way. My only daughter Kira is the one who finds her happy place through art in the same way I do. She and I spend hours drawing together and discussing ideas. She loves modeling for my photography and film projects. I love that the art we are doing today is making fond memories for our tomorrows. That’s what this blog is about. It’s our virtual scrapbook and a way for the two of us to share the artwork we do together with others. I hope my precious Kira can one day look back on this and our time together will be forever in her memories.

You can also follow along on our facebook page at, www.facebook.com/kiraandkurst... I am quite unpredictable and it will prove to be entertaining... well, I hope, anyway!

Here's a video Kira and I made that explains a little bit about what we are doing. I hope you like it!