CHILDREN
Rocco Ricciardelli
Creation by Rocco Ricciardelli with the help of his mother, Maria Layus
This page is dedicated to all the children that I met and inspired me. A little girl I used to photograph when she was 4 or 5 years old came to visit me with her best friend. She could not find the Chelsea Hotel; it was an expedition, they had never been downtown! She was happy to find a picture on my wall of her playing in the snow. She told me, “I didn’t know you were a photographer, I thought you just loved us! The children of our street! I would like to go with you when you go to take pictures.” She is now in the best and most expensive school in New York for girls with a full ride.
When adults come to me and say, “When I was a child you used to take me to the beach and the circus,” I feel very pleased. I once got tickets to the Cirque du Soleil and there were twelve children with me in the front row. Or when I get calls saying, “You used to take us to the beach when I was 9, I am now 32. I have seven children and today is a party for my two-year-old little girl” I feel blessed. Many of his friends were there and remember the good times we had together at the beach.
Martine Barrat
This is the man that I once took to the beach as a child. He now has seven children and this is at the birthday party for his two-year-old girl where they rented a bounce house.
Martine Barrat
My Portrait created by Rocco Ricciardelli when he was 4.
My Portrait created by Rocco Ricciardelli when he was 7
Camilia Gautret
The drawing and letter is created by Camilia Gautret.
Camilia is a great artist in Paris the daughter of Francois Gautret, the best father I have ever met. I am not putting a photograph of Camilia, as Francois does not want his children posted on social media.
Le papa de Lili à un chat et se chat s’apelle lotuse. Mais maman, me ne pas que lotuse soi dans la maíson. Alor maman à acheté un amster it le papa mai pas daccor. Alor papa et maman ont d'évidé d’avoir les deuse animous. Et Lili à dit à maman et ton amster il à un prenon? Maman dit à Lili il s’appelle Loulou ses mignion dit Lili et la famille est très contante.
Tupac Shakur
“We need to support our children in every way. We must give our children the freedom to express themselves through creativity. We must compliment our children, we must thank them for their gifts of inspiration. We need to give our children spiritual motivation. We must push our children to aim higher and succeed. We need to give our children better self-esteem and improve their overall quality of life. So we tell them: draw, paint, write, act, dance, reflect, express yourself, and always feel free to dream”
“Il faut que nous soutenions nos enfants par tous les moyens.Nous devons donner à nos enfants la liberté de s'exprimer par la créativité. Il nous faut complimenter nos enfants, il faut les remercier pour leurs dons d'inspiration. Il faut donner à nos enfants une motivation spirituelle.Il nous faut pousser nos enfants à viser plus haut et à réussir.Nous devons donner à nos enfants une meilleure estime de soi et améliorer leur qualité de vie en général. Nous leur disons donc : dessinez, peignez, écrivez, faites du théâtry, dansez, réfléchissez, exprimez-vous, et, toujours, sentez-vous libres de rêver.”
Camilia, my dear little friend who is 8 years old, is a great writer who writes all the time and enjoys life as a writer. I thank her so much for this beautiful poem.
A beautiful drawing which is taped on my door! He loves to make drawings and put them all over my apartment on the walls and doors.
Rylierose Winchester
Video of six-year-old Rylierose Winchester dancing.
Every time I come to her house, we go to her bedroom, and she shows me all of the films of children and sings every song! She knows all the lyrics by heart! Her mother is a singer.
It was her birthday. We went to the beach. She was running in the waves, so happy the whole day. At the end of the day, I asked her “Can we take a picture of your wings?”.
Doupi
Doupi at the MET
When I took them to the museum, first time! Twelve years old and they had never been to a museum to see beauty! We went to go see the Egyptian art and they were fascinated at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One day it was Doupi’s birthday and he sat in the middle of the room of the museum like a Buddha with his legs folded. He closed his eyes and he sat there for five minutes in silence in front of the Egyptian door. When he got up he said, “Martine, I didn’t know the Egyptians did so much beauty.” That’s what he said! And, he did not care about the visitors around him or nothing. He cared about feeling the beauty. That was one of the most beautiful presents that I got in my life.
