The Picture They Were Taught to Draw
Every child is given the same house, the same tree, and the same sun—and slowly learns that doing it correctly matters more than seeing something differently.
Field Notes
Creativity is often praised after childhood, but quietly trained out of us during it. We teach children to follow the example, stay inside the lines, and make their work recognizable enough to be approved.
By the time we ask them to think for themselves, many have already learned to look around first.
August 5, 2026