Where Princesses Dream

by Maeve, age 7

One of my earliest memories was begging my mother to draw The Pretty Lady.  With pen or pencil in her perfectly manicured hands, my mother would start by drawing out an oval shape and then add swirls that became luscious lashes around almond shaped eyes followed by a small dainty nose and mouth and finished with long wavy hair cascading down or swooped up in a bun, with tendrils down the sides of her face.  I demanded this drawing over and over again, until finally one day, my mother, much exasperated, said no, she was tired of drawing The Pretty Lady.  So I began.  I drew the same princess over and over again, putting all my little girl desires into those drawings.

I don’t have any of these drawings from my childhood.  My mother didn’t think they were worth keeping, not until I was in my teens and drawing more “seriously”.  Then she insisted I start saving the drawings.  They’re somewhere in the archives (my dusty crawlspace), mottling away.   I am sorry that I don’t have any of the earlier drawings – of the princess.  Maybe that’s why I like children’s drawings so much.  Maybe that’s why I want to make softies out of them.

Maeve's princess doll

Upon further inspecting her drawing, Maeve realised that she forgot to colour the eyes (blue) and mouth (pink). Her mother reassured her that I’d be able to handle that change.