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Dedicated to my mom, dad, sister and Sophie.
Maple Leaf Project
Brattleboro VT
2017
CHAPTER 1
I love drawing. Anything. Turtles. People. I could go on forever about what I love to draw,but that’s not the point. The reason I am now drawing day and night instead of drawing just in the morning is because of the afternoon art program.
I can’t go because of the money. My parents say we need it for more important things. I’d like to think of myself as the best 10 year old artist in Maine. So I need to go to this class to improve my skill.
I am drawing the ocean right now. I live right on the beach. You might think we’re rich but we're not. This was my grandma and grandpa’s cottage. They passed it down to us. My mom works in the kitchen of a hotel and my dad cleans the rooms.
The ocean is like tongues lapping at the shore. I love to draw the ocean. It makes me feel like I am a fish swimming in the sea. I feel the cool ocean breeze that blows in the wet fishy smell of the ocean. I want to be a famous artist when I grow up.
The class I want to go to is taught by an artist. The artist’s name is Anne Sheline. The class teaches you techniques of popping out certain objects in your painting. It also teaches you how to shade. The pamphlet showed many techniques that I really want to learn.
I keep working on my picture but someone is distracting me. Ce-Ce, my 3 year old sister, keeps asking me to swim with her. I feel bad but I say no. Finally Ce-Ce goes away. Then I start up again with my painting. The ocean is calm today so there's not much movement to draw.
“Ellie Ellie,” my mom calls. “It’s time for lunch.” I pick up my canvas and my paints and go inside.
“What's for lunch?” Ce-Ce asks.
“Lobster,” Mom answers.
“But we had lobster yesterday,” Ce-Ce whines. I thank mom for making lunch and eat in silence thinking of how I will paint the clouds. Ce-Ce drops some lobster on the floor for our new puppy Luna.
“Ce-Ce stop that!” I say.
“So how much is that class you want to go to?”
“$500.00 can I go?” I ask.
“We already told you honey. We need the money we have for food and insurance.”
“Also taxes,” Dad chimed in. I sighed.
After lunch I was forced to take Ce-Ce swimming. I saw my friend Mona by herself, so I went over to hang out with her.
“Ellie,” Ce-Ce calls. “Come swim.”
“ELLIE!” Ce-Ce calls a little louder. “COME SWIM WITH ME!”
“Please,” I say back. “Come swim with me, please,” I say.
We stayed at the ocean the rest of the day and when we got home it was dark. Mom and Dad were asleep with the TV on. So I had to bring Ce-Ce to bed. Then I went to bed but before I turned the lights out I drew a sketch of everyone at the beach.
CHAPTER 2
I am awake at 6:00 and drawing but mom wants me to help her with the dishes. I finally go to the kitchen and help. I see the soap suds flying and the water spraying everywhere. I know what to draw after I am finished. I am going to draw two people washing the dishes.
When I’m done I draw the sink and then the dishes. The thing that is tripping me up is I can't figure out how to draw mom’s hair. It's so curly it just looks like knots when I draw it.
Dad wants me to go downtown and get some fruit at the food Market with Ce-ce.
“Why can’t you or mom go?” I ask.
“That's because we're working.” Dad answers.
“Ok fine I'll take her.” I respond.
While I was walking with Ce-Ce she stopped to look at something
“Oh how pretty!” I looked where Ce-Ce pointed. She was pointing at a poster of a painting by Anne Sheline! I read the poster.
“Ce-Ce! I can enter an art contest and if I win I’ll get enough money for the class! Thanks!” I say and run off. Then I remember that I had babysit Ce-Ce so I ran back. When I get the food I sprint home to tell my parents and get my colored pencils.
I tell Mom and Dad all about the poster and how I can get enough money for the class. Then I add in: I will go on a walk with Ce-Ce any time I have to.
I ask Ce-Ce for her advice on what I should draw. She says I should draw a pink sparkly tree. I say I’ll think about it. I like the idea of a tree but not pink, and definitely not sparkly. Maybe I could draw a tree. Yes that's perfect. I get some scrap paper and start sketching out the picture for the contest. Mom says I’m taking it too seriously and Dad says “rock on.” Ce-Ce is very proud that she helped make up the drawing. Luna snuggles with me while I work on my rough draft of the drawing.
Luna is a Bernese Mountain Dog. She is 1 year old and soon to be 2 In July. She is very hyper and will jump on you but won't bite. She is cuddly and very loving. She is very obedient even though she is only 1. Luna is very fussy. She is black, brown and a little white. After I finish my rough draft I climb into bed with Luna.
CHAPTER 3
Today I start my drawing for the contest. I usually I paint but for the contest I am using colored pencils. I sketch with a pencil on the canvas just in case I mess up. Then I ask Ce-Ce if she likes it she says yeah. I start putting in color It starts looking better and better. The tree is brown with some hints of purple. Then I decided to add a moon and a dark sky so it looks like he tree is in the night. When I am done I ask Ce-Ce if she likes it. She said yes and then asked why the tree wasn't pink. I told her that the tree needed to be realistic. Then I asked Mom and Dad if they liked it. Dad said it was great and Mom said she loved it. I think it actually looks pretty nice. Mom and Dad said they needed to go to work so I had to babysit Ce-Ce.
While babysitting Ce-Ce I read about the art contest. One of the judges is Anne Sheline! The rest of the judges are local people that work at the art gallery. I look at my picture and wonder if my drawing is good enough for the contest.
I hear Ce-Ce calling she says she wants a snack. I go and get Ce-Ce a snack so she’ll leave me alone. I bring her snack to the table but right after I leave I hear Ce-Ce crying. At first I thought she was hurt. Then I ran into the dining room and saw Luna eating Ce-Ce’s snack. I tell Ce-Ce that I will make her another snack, and will sit with her until she finishes it so Luna won’t eat it.
When Mom and Dad get home Ce-Ce tells them all about her snack and Luna. Mom and Dad laugh even though it's not that funny. Then I tell them who the judges are, but all they say is cool. They're not paying any attention to me. Mom says she needs to go back to work because the hotel is hosting a tea party. I ask her if she wants me to help. She says “that would be great but only if you want to” and I say I want to.
I help Mom. I make tea, loads and loads of tea all kinds of it like Tazo, Sweet Lemon and Red Rose. The China tea set is beautiful. It looks like it could be in a magazine. There are so many people and all of them are wearing nice dresses or suits. So Mom made me wear my prettiest dress. When I get home before turning the lights out to go to bed I draw the beautiful China tea set.
CHAPTER 4
I MUST ENTER MY PIECE FOR THE CONTEST TOMORROW! I am so excited but also worried. Mom and Dad say they will come to the part of the contest when they announce the person that wins the $550.00!
“Why can’t it be the contest yet?” Ce-Ce asks. “I should get half the money because I helped think of the idea.“
“No Ce-Ce” I reply. “I need the money for the class.”
Today I work on an old painting of the ocean I haven't finished. The ocean looks like a layer of wavy thick blue glass.
It's so beautiful. The beach is full with people. I go inside for breakfast. For breakfast I have a bagel with cream cheese. After breakfast I go swimming at the beach with Ce-Ce.
I go to get my drawing in my room and all I see is shreds of my drawing on the floor and a happy looking Luna.
“Oh no she ate my drawing for the contest! What am I going to do? Now I have to start all over again.”
I go to my art shelf and I don’t have any canvases left! I can't use paper or it won’t be professional. I see my old painting of the ocean I worked on this afternoon. It's not as good as the tree but it will still work. I will have to use that painting for the contest. What if I don’t win and I did this all for nothing. Luna might have ruined my chance of winning the money for this class. I might never get to go to this camp.
I am so mad at Luna I yank her off the ground and take her out of the room.
“You are never allowed in my room again!” I yell. I put her in her crate and and slam the door shut. I feel a little bad for her but she ruined my drawing!
Mom and Dad go to work at the hotel because they are taking tomorrow off to watch the contest. My grandpa and grandma are coming to watch the contest as well. I am so excited to see Grandma and Grandpa again. I only see them on Christmas because they live in Florida. Even though it’s only a contest they are coming very far to see it. They come today because they don’t want to have to wake up early and fly up tomorrow. DING DONG I hear the doorbell ring. Maybe it’s Grandma and Grandpa. I run to the door and open it. It is them. After saying our hellos Mom brings them to the guest room. They unpack and say how they can’t wait to see the contest. I tell them that It’s not like a show. The contestants pass in their art and later that day they announce the winner. Grandma and Grandpa want to go to the beach. They say they miss the cold ocean.
Mom and Dad say I need to go to bed early because tomorrow is a big day. I say ok even though I don’t want to. I walk to my room but before I turn the lights out I draw Grandpa and Grandma.
When I wake up I am so excited I jump up and down. Dad says we’re going out to breakfast when Ce-Ce wakes up. Soon after Dad says that, Ce-Ce sprints out of her room and says “I’m ready to go to breakfast.”
I go to the art studio and pass in my drawing before breakfast. At breakfast I order pancakes with lots of butter. Ce-Ce orders a large of home fries. Mom orders an eggs Benedict and so does Grandpa. Dad orders mini blueberry muffins. Grandma orders a bacon hash.
When we get home from breakfast Grandma and Grandpa say they want to go to the art museum. I say that would be great but Ce-Ce isn’t allowed to go because she is too young. Only people over the age of 5 are allowed and Ce-Ce’s only 3. Mom and Dad say they will stay home with Ce-Ce while me, Grandma and Grandpa go to the art museum. We decide to walk to the museum. When we get there I go strait to some of Anne Sheline’s art. It is so beautiful. When I turn around to go find Grandma and Grandpa Anne Sheline is right behind me! I was so surprised I jumped. Then I remember that she is here for the summer because she’s teaching the class and she’s judging the contest. I say yellow and she says hi back!
“This is so cool,” I say. “You’re my favorite artist.”
“Thank you. I am glad you like my work,” Anne says.
“I’m in the contest today. I heard you’re one of the judges.”
“Yes I am,” she says.
“If I win and get enough money I’m going to do the class you’re teaching,” I say.
“That’s wonderful,” Anne says. “I hope you win.”
“Thanks bye.”
“Bye” Anne says.
Just like that I talked to Anne Sheline! When I get home I tell Mom and Dad all about talking with Anne Sheline.
“Mom, Dad it’s time to go to the contest and see who wins” I say.
“Great” Dad says. “Let’s go.”
When we get to the auditorium many people are already there.
“What time is it? Is it almost 2:00?” I ask.
“It's 1:30”Dad answered.
Half an hour later a man with short black hair and a long beard comes out.
“I will announce the winner when the judges confirm.” He said.
A few minutes later he says in a loud voice “THE WINNER OF $550.00 IS ELLIE JOHNSON!”
My heart lept. I won $550.00 and I couldn’t believe it. Mom and Dad hugged me so did Ce-Ce. I felt at that moment pure joy.
EPILOGUE
After I got home I ran to Luna and hug her. I also get her a treat so she will understand I’m not mad at her anymore. I make sure to tell her she is always allowed in my room.
I go over to Ce-Ce and tell her because I got 50 extra dollars for helping me she can get the extra 50 dollars. Ce-Ce is so excited she runs to Mom and Dad, and she yells I AM RICH I HAVE 50 DOLLARS. Mom and Dad look up looking confused. I tell them I gave Ce-Ce the extra 50 dollars and they are very proud of me for being so generous. Mom and Dad talk about when they will cash in the check so Ce-Ce and I can get our money. I can't wait to start the class.
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