It never ceases to amaze me the originality that is found wherever I go. I had the privilege to work at a school in East Palo Alto with 9 children. We worked in groups by grade level with 1st, 3rd and 4th graders. In the library we carved out a small corner where magic happened. These nine children not only shared with me their unique perspectives, they even interviewed me, asking me questions after they answered ones I had for them.

After I explained to the group of third graders about the project and what we would be doing I handed them each a piece of paper. Two of them immediately sat down and started looking at themselves in the mirrors and began drawing. The other child stood up and pressed his paper against his face, he then began tracing his face.

When this young man finished tracing he sat down and used the mirror to continue with the remainder of the details of his self-portrait. I explained to him that after doing this project with over 250 children from different parts of the world he was the first one that ever did it like that. He raised his hands in the air and smiled so bright, and asked me if that was true? Yes, it was I explained and that I learned from him that day. We went on to finish with our questions and then they asked me questions:

What kind of art do you do? What kind of writing do you do? and Do you do portraits? When I said that I don't usually do portraits the young man said, "I would like you to try to make a portrait in my style." So I will be working on it.

The 3 of them then asked me why is it called the "Floating Butterfly Project?" I explained about the saying of a butterfly that flaps it's wings in one part of the world can change the wind pattern in another part, and that with our actions and our ideas we have the possibility to affect many things with our vision and ideas. They asked: "Are you the butterfly?" I said, "my friends you are, we all are." They asked, "Well is that true about a butterflies wings changing things?"

Well my dear young friends and artists, we will find out!