IN WORLD OF ART, OUR CHILDREN ARE GLUED TO THEIR WORK

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But what looks good to a graffiti artist could well be defined as vandalism by spray paint.

St. Louis city officials recently had that point driven home when they allowed some 400 young artists to spray paint on a floodwall.

Some of these guys apparently got carried away with their work and broadened their canvas to include everything from businesses to trash bins.

Naturally, St. Louis city officials are seeing red over the illegal spray painting.

Of course, I understand the need for artistic expression. Our daughters, Becca and Bailey, love to paint pictures.

Two-year-old Bailey has picked up a few pointers from her big sister. At age 6, Becca has learned a thing or two about art.

Both Becca and Bailey have concluded that artistic expression is a whole lot better if glue is involved.

In simple terms, they just like to glue things. In Bailey's case, that often means her fingers.

The girls also like to cut pieces of paper into little scraps. They litter the carpet with such creations.

Fortunately -- or unfortunately -- they don't feel much ownership for such creations. In other words, they leave the scraps of paper around for mom and dad to pick up and throw away.

Becca and Bailey regularly brought home artwork from day care this summer.

I've learned a lot from such endeavors. I've found that even little noodles can look good when glued on construction paper.

Both girls turn out more artwork than we can fit on the refrigerator door. In addition to all those drawings, there are important, scribbled telephone numbers that we keep on the door.

Some of the artwork is tacked to a wall in the dining room. Two construction-paper wind socks hang from the doors of the china cabinet.

It's not Better Homes and Gardens, but then it's tough to ignore all that artistic expression.

Becca and Bailey love magic markers. Joni and I regularly try to keep tabs on the markers.

Bailey, in particular, has a tendency to get more ink on herself than on any piece of paper. Our couch has suffered its share of markings from time to time. Even the washable kind requires heavy scrubbing at times.

Thankfully, they haven't learned about spray paint. If they ever do, I'll have to get them a floodwall to decorate.

It's either that or spray paint the refrigerator.

At this stage in life, they don't need a larger canvas. They're content to paint their toes red and blue.

Life is just one big, unfinished painting to them.

It's also often messy. But then artistic expression seldom stays within the lines.

When it strays, there's soap and water and various cleaning solutions that can help put things back into focus.

Clearly, our house isn't a structured studio. In our home, there is no such thing as still life.

~Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.