Master of Imagination

James Huebing-Reitinger, The Artist of the Intangible as it says on his Bio on the Project InSECT website but to me there is nothing intangible about James.

He is and always will be a Master of Imagination. When Project InSECT was only a few weeks old James said he was going to build a spider web out of white yarn to hang over the venue they were set up in.

"James that's going to look terrible."

I said not knowing how foolish I was.

"Well I'm going to do it."

Said James without pride in his voice but a steely determination.

I came into the Project InSECT venue a couple of days later and overhead was the most beautiful spider web I had ever seen made out of simple white yarn.

"I'm sorry James I was wrong. Your spider web is beautiful."

"Robert I can't believe you just apologized. Most people don't have the courage to admit they're wrong."

"Why wouldn't I admit I was wrong when I prejudged you and you proved me wrong?"

At that moment I think James and I became friends. Then I saw him use his giant imagination with the children that came into Project InSECT. Jessa was working on the first large painting for Project InSECT, Mildred the Mantis and James had a few live insects, a roll of white banner paper, some color markers, toy bug glasses and his infinite imagination. Near by this first venue was a multi-million dollar science museum. Project InSECT was free and most children and parents spent more time in Project InSECT than the science museum.

I heard hundreds of children say;

"But I don't want to go to the Science Museum mommy, I want to stay here."

I heard hundreds of mothers say;

"We only stayed at the Science Museum a few minutes and (child's name here) wanted to come back."

Jessa's masterpieces brought people in but James kept them coming back for more.

Those early days of James goofing with the kids and Jessa painting that first big painting in front the public are my favorite memories of Project InSECT. James now paints bug tattoos on children's arms and the magic imprinted in those little paintings makes him a true Master of Imagination.

http://www.projectinsect.com/