How should I respond to my 12-year-old daughter's drawing?

[VictoryRose]

For a school art class, my daughter drew a picture that I am not sure how to respond to. Her teacher brought the picture to my attention. All of the other students' drawings (rural scenes of the area in which we live . . . farm animals, distant mountains, rivers, the like) were hung on the back of the classroom wall. My daughter drew a scene of mountains in the background and a man ringing a bell in the foreground. The man was watching as two vultures (which are common around here) were devouring the remains of another man. A third vulture was swooping down to the scene. The deceased man in the picture looks like he had been chopped up into pieces . . . leg here, arm there, torso over there, head just so. One of the vultures was standing over the torso, and an intestine was dangling from its maw. There is no evidence that the man with the bell killed the man, and there are no weapons (or knives even) in the scene. Should I find this disturbing? How should I respond? Thank you for any suggestions.

[Sandman2]

My guess would be that she saw something on tv or read something that triggered this image.  But what you need to do is to simply....

Talk with her.  Like "wow, what a picture!  So much is going on.  Is the guy ringing the bell happy or sad?"  "Was there anything that you recently saw that helped you draw this pic?"   Or something like that.  Main thing is just to talk with her.    And no I don't think you should find this disturbing.  If a boy had done this, there would have been tanks, guns, etc.  Oh, was the pic in color or black and white?

Oh, and if you don't mind....we would love to know what the inspiration for the drawing was.

[VictoryRose]

Hi. Thanks for your good suggestion. She did mention that she saw two vultures near some roadkill we drove by a few weeks ago. She did not connect the two explicitly, but it seems like there could be a connection. I wonder about the guy with the bell still. And the picture is in full color . . . pencil drawing.  Thanks again for your advice . . . it was good to hear, especially after her teacher's follow-up (see last comment above).

[Nighthawk61]

So your daughter imagined a scene and drew it like one would if they were to write a book. It seems that she is capable of more complex scenery than others her age, at least in her class. I'm not sure this is a bad thing. From what you've described in this picture, your daughter is able to see the connection that man is a beast like any other, that our lives are temporary, that our bodies provide mean as any other creature for the vultures (which are common). I would think that, if it were my son, that he was an artist that was able to allow his imagination to flourish. I think it's a good thing.  It seems your daughter may have a gift. If it were me, i would take this as a sign that your daughter is interested in art, and probably take her to a few  abstract art exhibitions in order to help her develop her artistry. Please remember though, that there are no rules in a person's artistry and there shouldn't be. That being said, my son copied a well known piece of two men, both holding each others organs for his high school final art piece and we laugh about it now, that at the time i immediately wigged out and told him to draw a picture out the newspaper and not to turn in a piece of "homosexual art". So he copied a newspaper article picture, where a bunch of white men stood around, while one was beating a black man.  Both pieces were great, and for both pieces he would received the same mark, an "A".  It was my reaction that could have caused him to turn from making art. My reaction and my expectation of what is "normal". I'd hate to think that i stopped his creative vision. It is a regret i have.

[VictoryRose]

Thank you so much for the insightful and measured response. Imagine that . . . creativity, unDisneyfied! Since I wrote, I should note, her teacher touched base with me and said my wife and I should contact a therapist about such a "disturbing" image. To be sure, it's added a little the confusion. Thanks.

[VictoryRose]

Oh . . . and thank you for sharing your story and experience with your son. That was most helpful an illustration!