Note To Grandchildren

Hi kids,

Today I visited a museum here in Barcelona - the Museu Picasso. It’s named after Pablo Picasso, a famous man born in Spain a long time ago. Mr. Picasso was an artist who expressed himself in many ways, but he especially loved to paint. The Museu Picasso has several of his paintings, but not all of them. Museums all over the world display his art.

Pablo was a boy when he first started putting paint on paper.

This is a house he painted when he was ten.

And a painting of his dog about the same time.

His parents encouraged him, so he studied to become better.

Pablo was twelve when he painted this one.

And a teenager when he painted these.

Pablo‘s father was an artist and he learned a lot from him. And from other teachers too. But when Pablo left home, he started painting the world as he saw it.

Pablo wasn’t afraid to express himself in ways unique to him.

There were no barriers between Pablo’s imagination and the world around him.

I particularly like this one.

Pablo was almost sixty when he painted it. He was still having fun.

Pablo liked animals a lot,

but he especially loved pigeons.

His father liked pigeons too, as you can see.

Pablo admired his father, but saw the world differently.

So if you love pigeons, you can be like Pablo, and paint them as much as you want,

for as long as you want.

By the way, there was another famous man who grew up in Spain. His name was Antonio Gaudi. He loved to draw, so much so that he became a great architect and designed many wonderful buildings. The most famous of all is here in Barcelona.

Mr. Gaudi once said something I think is very important:

To do things right, first you need love, then technique.

So whatever you choose to do with your life, love it first then get very very good at it.

Love,

Papa

P.S. You can even see Pablo’s paintings at the museum in Des Moines.