Mary Maxwell graduates (aka 30 years of homeschooling)

[thoughtful]

Since the drawing is framed and ready to hang, I wonder if it creates a dilemma for Steve. It seems to me that he would consider hanging hand-created art in which both the artist and the subjects are family members would be creating a big ol'

IDOL!

[KittenMitten]

Since the drawing is framed and ready to hang, I wonder if it creates a dilemma for Steve. It seems to me that he would consider hanging hand-created art in which both the artist and the subjects are family members would be creating a big ol'

IDOL!

Especially when it is Mrs Maxwell and not him.

[16strong]

Mary's not a bad artist, so I'm sure they'll make her give it up soon enough.

[DGayle]

I can understand wanting to thank their teachers, we all need to feel appeciated now and then, Teri also got gifts from John and Anna when they graduated. But it should still be about the graduate, not Teri.

The first post about the graduation is Teri in the spotlight of it.

[DGayle]

Oh, I don't know about that. I didn't say anything about college, but the Renaissance masters had plenty of advanced education. They studied the artists who came before them, served apprenticeships, and enrolled at patrons' academies to develop their talents. Michelangelo didn't come out of the womb knowing how to sculpt like that. He had a ton of education. Being an artist isn't just inborn talent; that talent needs to be developed and refined.

Advanced education usually always refers to college or university rather than apprenticeships.

[Trynn]

It does now... Did it during the renaissance?

In any case, I have a fair amount of artist friends who already could draw very well, but still strongly advocated art school of some kind if you wanted to Improve, because YouTube tutorials can only teach you so much.

[Myfanwy]

Why did Mary draw her mum without glasses?

[clese]

I was getting ready for easter by downloading my favourite easter rock opera tonight when the lord layer it upon my heart that I needed to invite mary over to spend easter with me and watch the original Jesus christ superstar!!

[Jana814]

This is horribly sad. Mary's graduation was a celebration of Teri. How twisted. It has nothing to do with Mary's accomplishments and everything to do with Teri hitting 30 years.

Agree!

[sparkles]

Mary will have a successful career illustrating Moody books. It begins and end there and it's why she was encouraged in her artistic pursuits.

Does she have some talent? Yes. But I see the same problem with her art that I do with the Maxwells' music (their "singing" and Sarah's writing are whole different story). It may be technically proficient but it lacks those intangibles that make a true artist and true art: passion, heart and soul—cliches maybe but it's truth. There's a clinical coldness to everything the Maxwells do because it never seems like they're following a real interest, just an assigned role. Sure, you can learn to play an instrument or draw from a book or and maybe a video but unless there's real feeling behind it, it's going to be lifeless.

The Maxwells have had imagination, creativity and curiosity trained out of them. It's why Joseph's graphic design (like the banner he designed for Steve) looks like anything you can pick up in Hobby Lobby or any web template you can find online, why their music is more like Muzak, why Sarah's Moody books are a mirror of life in the compound and now why Mary draws from photographs (which I guarantee is exactly what she did here). None of them have the imagination to actually CREATE, they merely copy. (There's value in copying and it's actually encouraged as you learn, but as a MEANS to an end, not the end itself.) Could Sarah write or Mary draw strictly from imagination? I really don't think so and sadly, I really don't think it matters to them.

I always compare Mary to my friends' daughter who showed an incredible talent for art from the time she was barely 2. She was nurtured and given every opportunity to learn and grow, from taking classes when she was very young (nearly always the youngest in the class) to attending one of the best art schools in the world. Never forced, never assigned, but always encouraged. And it shows in her art. It's unique, it's full of life, you can sense the passion behind it. I shudder to think what her life would have been like had she been born a Maxwell.

[twin2]

So Mary's big day is all about Teri. Got it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, at Anna and Christopher's wedding is was all about Steve.

Steve and Teri are some vain and selfish people.

[VodouDoll]

I hadn't thought of that before, sparkles, but I bet you're right. Mary was encouraged in drawing so that she could illustrate Moody books. That's one less outside contact for Sarah; no need for her to be in touch with a person outside the family if a sibling can do the pictures.

[nelliebelle1197]

Advanced education usually always refers to college or university rather than apprenticeships.

It actually doesn't. In some professions, all that this offered is some sort of hands on training for advancement. My husband holds a master plumbing license in New Zealand. It is considered advanced education and requires a five year apprenticeship and loads of self-study certification tests. Most plumbers don't get it or qualify because it very hard. Hairstylists, make up artists, mechanics, plenty of careers flourish with advanced education that may have a course or two but is mostly apprentice.

[Justme]

So what are 3 adult stay at home daughters going to do all day??? They have no more children to raise (a/k/a Duggars). How much cooking and cleaning can they do? Their diet is lean and bland. Now that Uriah is gone, the "touring" seems to have dried up to a handful of dates. Sarah writes books. Anna doesn't seem to do anything other than cook and clean.

[anjulibai]

It actually doesn't. In some professions, all that this offered is some sort of hands on training for advancement. My husband holds a master plumbing license in New Zealand. It is considered advanced education and requires a five year apprenticeship and loads of self-study certification tests. Most plumbers don't get it or qualify because it very hard. Hairstylists, make up artists, mechanics, plenty of careers flourish with advanced education that may have a course or two but is mostly apprentice.

Yeah, education doesn't mean college. There are lots of ways to get educated in a subject. Unless you are a prodigy, the vast majority of people can't do anything without education and working with some sort of teacher or mentor.

And yeah, Renaissance artists were educated - by older painters, sculptors, etc. They had to get into an established artist's workshop and do a lot of grunt work for years under the supervision of the elder artist. Most Renaissance paintings, in fact, had small parts painted by an apprentice so that the elder artist could teach techniques and test the student's abilities.

[Closed Womb]

So what are 3 adult stay at home daughters going to do all day??? They have no more children to raise (a/k/a Duggars). How much cooking and cleaning can they do? Their diet is lean and bland. Now that Uriah is gone, the "touring" seems to have dried up to a handful of dates. Sarah writes books. Anna doesn't seem to do anything other than cook and clean.

The seek God and pray for husbands, not being smart enough to realized that Daddy Dearest is keeping God, if there is one, from answering those prayers.

(The probably also read the Bible, work out, cook, clean, stroke the ego of the men around them, and help with the nieces and nephews. Sarah takes a lot of time to write; those eloquent words don't just roll off the pen, you know.)

[Four is Enough]

I was getting ready for easter by downloading my favourite easter rock opera tonight when the lord layer it upon my heart that I needed to invite mary over to spend easter with me and watch the original Jesus christ superstar!!

How scandalous! Singing! Dancing! Drinking! Oh, wait. There's death, so it's ok.

"Look at all my trials and tribulations, sinking in a gentle pool of wine..."

[Jana814]

I always compare Mary to my friends' daughter who showed an incredible talent for art from the time she was barely 2. She was nurtured and given every opportunity to learn and grow, from taking classes when she was very young (nearly always the youngest in the class) to attending one of the best art schools in the world. Never forced, never assigned, but always encouraged. And it shows in her art. It's unique, it's full of life, you can sense the passion behind it. I shudder to think what her life would have been like had she been born a Maxwell.

That is soo great about your friends daughter!! I had a HS classmate that was VERY talented. He never really did anything w/ it post HS cause he could not get into art schools. (had the talent but not the grades in regular classes).

[Marian the Librarian]

So Mary's big day is all about Teri. Got it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, at Anna and Christopher's wedding is was all about Steve.

Steve and Teri are some vain and selfish people.

Truer words were never spoken. If something isn't about Stevehovah and Terified, they're going to find a way to make it about Stevehovah and Terified. Because it's all about Stevehovah and Terified.

[OkToBeTakei]

It doesn't take going to college to be a great artist. If so, then I guess the renaissance masters aren't so great. There's also a fundy daughter whose name I can't remember who could be a professional illustrator. Education really doesn't have so much to do with the ability to do art. It's a skill, not something you need to sit through calculus for.

http://www.dogonews.com/2009/8/15/the-i ... ung-artist

That 6-year-old is much better than Mary.

I think education has exactly everything to do with Mary being a better artist. Sure there are some that are just naturally exceptionally gifted, even they can improve with exposure to technique and and having one's mind opened by other's opinions, by learning through study of other artists, absorbing and studying the works of others by visiting museums, galleries even street art for example. Basically ALL the things Mary will never have a chance to do.

I was a fairly above average artist in my teens. By no means gifted or extraordinary. I certainly improved my skills through being taught technique, studying the history, having the opportunity to try all different mediums, pottery, screen printing etc etc. Discussing and being part of an art class at this stage opened my mind to new ideas, sharing and learning from other's ideas. Trips to museums and field trips to study drawing/painting in different environments. This just in high school.

All this to say really that Mary may not be an exceptionally talented artist but she could become technically proficient if allowed to study properly. Some things sure, you can self teach but some things you cannot. THIS is what she lacks and why their lifestyle is crushing and stunts growth.

It's really tragic.

[chaotic life]

My niece will have her BFA in another year. She intends to obtain a master's in medical illustration from there. Those are highly coveted artists with extremely high earning potential but it only happens if you have the advanced training. She was naturally talented her whole life, but she was also receiving training to hone and refine her natural talent by age 6 onward.

[twin2]

Do you think we will get the post-graduate, why I'm not going to college post?

I still remember Anna's it was one of the saddest, but yet most arrogant thing I had ever read. She literally thanked her parents for completely sheltering her and why would she undo all of that? For as religious as they claim to be, there faith seem quite weak if taking couple of classless at a community college is going to undo everything for the past 18 years.

Then she make a comment about what was the point if she was Steve'sher dream to be a stay at home homeschooling mom? Well geeze, I have no clue what good more education would do if ones goal was to educate their own children? :roll:

[SPHASH]

Now that Teri is done homeschooling her offspring, what is she going to do now, train Melanie and Anna on how to homeschool their kids?

[fundiefan]

Now that Teri is done homeschooling her offspring, what is she going to do now, train Melanie and Anna on how to homeschool their kids?

That process has already begun. Remember when Abby was all of 2 or 3 and they proudly posted her use of their chore packs? From birth, Teri is instructing her daughters in law how to raise their kids in the admonition of Stevehovah.

Sarah writes horrible books, Mary draws and cooks and cuts hair. What does Anna do?

[goldbu]

That process has already begun. Remember when Abby was all of 2 or 3 and they proudly posted her use of their chore packs? From birth, Teri is instructing her daughters in law how to raise their kids in the admonition of Stevehovah.

Sarah writes horrible books, Mary draws and cooks and cuts hair. What does Anna do?

I might be wrong, but wasn't Anna learning how to do the bookkeeping for the family businness? I think she might also help with the online "classes" some. And she cooks, of course...