When you ask children to write about themselves, or draw a self-portrait, it comes easy. They usually start working without a second thought, adding details and intricacies they find important. Big eyes here, strong legs there. Perhaps a scar from when they thought it was a good idea to feel the distance from the roof to the rose bushes all on their own. They have no qualms about including the very best of themselves and the characteristics they would like to change. When they make art, they do it because it makes them happy. I think that's what makes these small people so great.

As a Pediatric Occupational Therapist, I am given the opportunity to work with imaginative, resourceful people every day. It is within this career that I have found the true meaning of creativity and how we can use it to make our lives more purposeful. I choose to work with people who are building upon their strengths and, in turn, they continually show me how to make art that makes me happy.